Renting from redweek

[jerseyduke]

Thoughts on this? Safe? Is there a greater worry about being scammed as opposed to using David's?

My sister is doing it through redweek, and I worry about scams.

 

[BillPA]

Don't know anything about redweek, how do their rates compare to David's?
If they are a lot lower, I might worry about a scam.

 

[supersnoop]

If it's a seven-day rental in a one-bedroom at SSR, it's most likely an RCI exchange, which are not allowed to be rented out. The risk would be showing up without a room, and the person who rented would lose their RCI account, so they wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

 

[jerseyduke]

It is a Bay Lake Tower reservation, rates similar to David's. Just checked OCC and the renter does seem to own BLT points.

Having never used Redweek, I got nervous, as I do not want her to get scammed. All I know is David's, who it seems no one ever has problems with. She sent a 600$ deposit (dumb i know), but I suggested using the escrow service for the rest, so the renter does not get paid until the vacation is over.

So since he does seem to own BLT points, and he is a dentist (thank you google), I feel a lot better, just wanted to know people's thoughts.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I rented a reservation from Redweek for a non-DVC resort in South Florida a few years ago and it was fine.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It is a Bay Lake Tower reservation, rates similar to David's. Just checked OCC and the renter does seem to own BLT points.

Having never used Redweek, I got nervous, as I do not want her to get scammed. All I know is David's, who it seems no one ever has problems with. She sent a 600$ deposit (dumb i know), but I suggested using the escrow service for the rest, so the renter does not get paid until the vacation is over.

So since he does seem to own BLT points, and he is a dentist (thank you google), I feel a lot better, just wanted to know people's thoughts.

I don't think it would go over too well for you sister to want to change the terms of the rental and use an escrow account - as I assume the agreement wasn't for things to be handled that way.

 

[jerseyduke]

I don't think it would go over too well for you sister to want to change the terms of the rental and use an escrow account - as I assume the agreement wasn't for things to be handled that way.

So how would one go about protecting themselves from a scam? Escrow guarantees renter provides what he had promised. Is there another way to do this? Not going over to welll is better than getting shafted out of money, and unless the renter can provide guarantee of everything, not to be smart, but I wouldn't care less about it not going over well without a guarantee. Having never done this, I was asking how best to proceed to protect one's self

 

[Allison]

If when she sent the deposit, she agreed to specific terms of payment, she can't just change that without risk of voiding the agreement and forfeiting her deposit.

 

[jerseyduke]

Allow me to rephrase my question. How does one go about protecting themselves?

Original agreement...is there a contract?

I just want to know how to protect oneself? Personallly, I do not see it as reasonable to expect a stranger to send you a significant amount of money, with no guarantee you will deliver as promised. I would not rent someone my points and say, "send me the money, the reservation will be there, trust me". Having never rented points myself, I just want to know how to make sure one is not scammed.

That is the help I am seeking/asking about

 

[supersnoop]

Allow me to rephrase my question. How does one go about protecting themselves?

Original agreement...is there a contract?

I just want to know how to protect oneself? Personallly, I do not see it as reasonable to expect a stranger to send you a significant amount of money, with no guarantee you will deliver as promised. I would not rent someone my points and say, "send me the money, the reservation will be there, trust me". Having never rented points myself, I just want to know how to make sure one is not scammed.

That is the help I am seeking/asking about

You protect your self with a contract.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Allow me to rephrase my question. How does one go about protecting themselves?

Original agreement...is there a contract?

I just want to know how to protect oneself? Personallly, I do not see it as reasonable to expect a stranger to send you a significant amount of money, with no guarantee you will deliver as promised. I would not rent someone my points and say, "send me the money, the reservation will be there, trust me". Having never rented points myself, I just want to know how to make sure one is not scammed.

That is the help I am seeking/asking about

And escrow account would likely be the best or only way, however that is not a normal condition and someone would likely have difficulty arranging a rental with those terms IMO as fhere are renters willing to pay directly out there. There also would be an additional cost.

There is lots of renting direct from owners and it is most often payment well on advance of the rental. There really are very few stories of issues. It requires an amount of trust and of one doesn't have that they likely shouldn't rent or should at least use a broker which still dorsnt guarantee the room, but will guarantee the funds. You've done a lot to verify for your sister that the person is an owner and it's a valid thing to do. It seems like your sister has a greater tolerance for the risk, you've done some verifying, and from here one could ask the owner about different terms if your sister feels uncomfortable but if the owner says no then other than proceeding with the rental the only other course will be for your sister to back out and lose her deposit. That's all were saying, is that it's likely too late for any changes. While you find it unacceptable it doesn't sound like an unusual rental and it seems like your sister was ok with it.

 

[jerseyduke]

And escrow account would likely be the best or only way, however that is not a normal condition and someone would likely have difficulty arranging a rental with those terms IMO as here are renters willing to pay directly out there. There also would be an additional cost.

There is lots of renting direct from owners and it is most often payment well on advance of the rental. There really are very few stories of issues. It requires an amount of trust and of one doesn't have that they likely shouldn't rent or should at least use a broker which still dorsnt guarantee the room, but will guarantee the funds. You've done a lot to verify for your sister that the person is an owner and it's a valid thing to do. It seems like your sister has a greater tolerance for the risk, you've done some verifying, and from here one could ask the owner about different terms if your sister feels uncomfortable but if the owner says no then other than proceeding with the rental the only other course will be for your sister to back out and lose her deposit. That's all were saying, is that it's likely too late for any changes. While you find it unacceptable it doesn't sound like an unusual rental and it seems like your sister was ok with it.

Thank you. Sadly, it is not a greater tolerance for risk case, it is a lack of knowing any better. And I am probably over protective.

Having never rented or rented out points, I am blown away by the whole, pay up front and trust me concept. I would NEVER expect someone to be ok with that if I was renting out my points, and I would never scam someone, but i would be expecting an escrow arrangement (which adds to the renters cost, not the person renting out; at least according to the sites page). I would not expect someone to pay me for something they do not have a guarantee they will receive. And the whole idea of a contract seems odd, simply for the fact that I would guess the cost of legal proceedings would eclipse the monies lost, unless you could sue for damages beyond the amount of the contract. So, is a contract really work anything on a 2K renting of a time share? (asked legitimately as I do not know per above statements)

I figured David's would at least protect your funds (and is the route I would have gone).

Also, I worked a lot of years in retail, which makes you hyper vigilant about scams, so I have trust issues

 

[Mazz519]

I actually use redneck all the time I have two weeks in Aruba through Marriott and put them up for rent there.. We have also rented from people there also very good never any problems

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thank you. Sadly, it is not a greater tolerance for risk case, it is a lack of knowing any better. And I am probably over protective.

Having never rented or rented out points, I am blown away by the whole, pay up front and trust me concept. I would NEVER expect someone to be ok with that if I was renting out my points, and I would never scam someone, but i would be expecting an escrow arrangement (which adds to the renters cost, not the person renting out; at least according to the sites page). I would not expect someone to pay me for something they do not have a guarantee they will receive. And the whole idea of a contract seems odd, simply for the fact that I would guess the cost of legal proceedings would eclipse the monies lost, unless you could sue for damages beyond the amount of the contract. So, is a contract really work anything on a 2K renting of a time share? (asked legitimately as I do not know per above statements)

I figured David's would at least protect your funds (and is the route I would have gone).

Also, I worked a lot of years in retail, which makes you hyper vigilant about scams, so I have trust issues

From an owners POV, though you would have the points back if a renter did not pay down the line, it might leave you stuck with points that otherwise could have been successfully rented out to someone else who did follow thru. It's not hard to understand why an owner wants to know they'll be paid as agreed before it gets further down the line especially with the opportunities for certain bookings being diminished further down the line because the inventory is booked up. The might end up with an existing reservation that can't be rented or that has to be rented for less than it was valued at during the 11 month window.

As I mentioned, there's a certain level of trust that is needed and because of that it isn't for everyone. But, reports of scams are very very rare.

 

[Dean]

Allow me to rephrase my question. How does one go about protecting themselves?

Original agreement...is there a contract?

I just want to know how to protect oneself? Personallly, I do not see it as reasonable to expect a stranger to send you a significant amount of money, with no guarantee you will deliver as promised. I would not rent someone my points and say, "send me the money, the reservation will be there, trust me". Having never rented points myself, I just want to know how to make sure one is not scammed.

That is the help I am seeking/asking about

I use redweeks a few times every year though usually as the owner though I haven't done so for Disney. I just rented out a Marriott week this past week. IMO the best way to protect oneself is to be educated and make sure all is understood from both sides. I personally won't do escrow or would both charge more AND have the other party pay all extra costs simply because it's more risky for the owner. I know of situations where everything went as planned and the person renting complained and got their money back as well as having taken the vacation. Since I don't have to, I'd want it to be worth my while to fool with it and take the extra risk.

You protect your self with a contract.

I generally don't for 2 reasons. One, most people make them overly complicated and increase their risk rather than decreasing it. The other is that IMO all a contract does is to tie down the details, I do that anyway in writing, usually email. One could say that this was a form of contract and I'd agree to a degree. Essentially no one is going to go to court in this situation for out of state over the amount of dollars at stake here.

 

[mort1331]

Out of state or even out of Country. I just go with a leap of faith, but I have always been the rentee, so I make sure I get paid.