"renting" points to family members?

[famcruisefun]

I have a question and I'm hoping this is the correct place to ask it. I've been a DISboards member for a long time, and have owned DVC for ages - but have a situation I'm unsure of and I'm hoping someone here can help.

I'm wondering about making a reservation for a family member that I will not be traveling with. This is for my niece and her family - not someone in my immediate family. (My daughter used our points when she was in college - this is different.) This would be more like renting my points - they would pay us for use of the points - but before I offer and go through this process I want to be sure I'm doing things on the up and up.

So I'm wondering - it appears that with renting points I would make the reservation, I'd get the reservation confirmation and I'd send it to the renter (my niece). They would be on the reservation - so when they check in - that would be all ok - I don't need to be there as the member. Is there anything else I need to know - something I'm forgetting about?

I know this seems like a silly thing to be asking - but I want to be sure all is done correctly - for our membership, other members, and for my niece when she checks in.

Now I guess I have to decide what the right price to charge them is - off to the rental board I guess.
Thank you all

 

[rlovew]

You put the names of your niece's family on the reservation (it will ask for information like address, phone, ages of each person, ect) and you fill in that information for her. You still have complete control of the reservation and will need to add Magical Express or a dining plan if they are using either of them as well as add any requests or such. They can attach the reservation to their own DME accounts and make their own dining reservations, FP+ reservations, and such. You just have to do anything that requires contacting member services.

 

[Dean]

I have a question and I'm hoping this is the correct place to ask it. I've been a DISboards member for a long time, and have owned DVC for ages - but have a situation I'm unsure of and I'm hoping someone here can help.

I'm wondering about making a reservation for a family member that I will not be traveling with. This is for my niece and her family - not someone in my immediate family. (My daughter used our points when she was in college - this is different.) This would be more like renting my points - they would pay us for use of the points - but before I offer and go through this process I want to be sure I'm doing things on the up and up.

So I'm wondering - it appears that with renting points I would make the reservation, I'd get the reservation confirmation and I'd send it to the renter (my niece). They would be on the reservation - so when they check in - that would be all ok - I don't need to be there as the member. Is there anything else I need to know - something I'm forgetting about?

I know this seems like a silly thing to be asking - but I want to be sure all is done correctly - for our membership, other members, and for my niece when she checks in.

Now I guess I have to decide what the right price to charge them is - off to the rental board I guess.
Thank you all

The process is simple, just make the reservation in their name. The pricing is very difficult because you want to be fair and many people don't understand timeshares. You run the risk of a great deal being received as a rip off. It also depends on how you got here. If they approached you and wanted to rent is a totally different scenario to if you invited them and you are requesting or they are insisting to pay. When we travel in this manner and are present, we simply cover the costs. If someone wants to use our points, it depends on how close they are and how much I want to help them as to the price. "Fair" can be anything from just the dues for the points to close to full price depending on specifics. Do realize that many people look at a timeshare as free once you own it so even a sweetheart deal may be perceived as overcharging to some.

 

[JimMIA]

The process is simple, just make the reservation in their name. The pricing is very difficult because you want to be fair and many people don't understand timeshares. You run the risk of a great deal being received as a rip off. It also depends on how you got here. If they approached you and wanted to rent is a totally different scenario to if you invited them and you are requesting or they are insisting to pay. When we travel in this manner and are present, we simply cover the costs. If someone wants to use our points, it depends on how close they are and how much I want to help them as to the price. "Fair" can be anything from just the dues for the points to close to full price depending on specifics. Do realize that many people look at a timeshare as free once you own it so even a sweetheart deal may be perceived as overcharging to some.

My first recommendation is that you read Dean's response above 3-4 times...slowly. There is an enormous amount of pertinent info here.

The other thing I would suggest is to make SURE your niece is considering all of the costs involved. As Dean said, many people assume that a timeshare is "free" once you own it, so they're getting a "free" vacation. But even if you don't charge them, they will need airfare, possibly a car, park tickets (and they will be amazed at the cost), food (again, an eye-popping number for newbies), etc, etc. Even if you provide the lodging free, it is still going to be one heck of an expensive vacation for her family.

 

[Dean]

My first recommendation is that you read Dean's response above 3-4 times...slowly. There is an enormous amount of pertinent info here.

The other thing I would suggest is to make SURE your niece is considering all of the costs involved. As Dean said, many people assume that a timeshare is "free" once you own it, so they're getting a "free" vacation. But even if you don't charge them, they will need airfare, possibly a car, park tickets (and they will be amazed at the cost), food (again, an eye-popping number for newbies), etc, etc. Even if you provide the lodging free, it is still going to be one heck of an expensive vacation for her family.

The other issue I've seen is people changing or canceling last minute even when you tell them up front it's not feasible or possible to do so.

 

[Julylady]

The part about not being able to cancel is the one most people can't get their head around. They think it's "free" to you so it doesn't matter if they end up using it or not.

 

[Dean]

I'll add one more thought. When you have people that are normally squirrelly, they will usually be so on steroids in this situation. You'd think people would be nicer than normal when you're helping them out but crazy get's worse with groups trips and the like. So if you have someone who's normally an issue, or good at creating drama, assume they'll be on their worst behavior for such a trip.

 

[JimMIA]

So I'm wondering - it appears that with renting points I would make the reservation, I'd get the reservation confirmation and I'd send it to the renter (my niece). They would be on the reservation - so when they check in - that would be all ok - I don't need to be there as the member. Is there anything else I need to know - something I'm forgetting about?

As if you don't already have enough to ponder...there is one other thing.

Regardless of who is staying in the villa, it is YOUR reservation. You not only control the reservation until they check in, you OWN the reservation throughout their stay -- and you are responsible for everything concerned with that stay. If there are unpaid bills, damage to the villa, etc, those become your headache.

Obviously, that kind of thing almost never happens with family members, but it has been reported here on the DIS occasionally.

In one memorable case a relative presented their credit card at the resort to cover charges billed to the room, but when they checked out the resort failed to bill their credit card. It was a simple DVC mistake, caused by inattention or sloppiness, nothing more. Months later, the owner tried to make his own reservation and found his account "frozen" due to the unpaid bill from the relative's stay -- caused by the resort staff, not the owner or the guest! It got resolved, but it was a mess for a few days.

 

[ToddyLu]

Insist on a contract and in bold, write _NO CANCELLATIONS