Redweek rental question

[rickandcindy23]

Wyndham encourages rentals to pay maintenance fees. Years ago, their sales staff recommended RedWeek. Now they try to steer you to Extra Holidays. You can give EH a whole week but they might rent out only a part of that week and you have to eat the rest. I went back to RedWeek because they will rent out the entire reservation vs a partial reservation.

It's a risk with Wyndham's recent letters going out to owners over the last 18 months or more. It doesn't matter that salespeople encourage rentals. They are sleazy scum and just want to sell.

Many owners have reported getting letters from Wyndham with only a few rentals. You are taking a giant risk renting anything. Wyndham wants all of the rentals.

 

[1Melanie]

No, that's not true with Shell. We have owned Shell for 10 years, it's different.

Is there a different Shell? We stayed at a resort in Phoenix, Arizona that was a Shell but managed by Wyndham. They had both logos displayed. They also acquired units in the Ilikai Hotel that carried dual logos as well. I thought they acquired Shell about 10 years ago but we’ve only had access to that inventory in the past 5 years.
We have access to Shell resorts, don’t Shell owners have access to Wyndham?

 

[rickandcindy23]

Redweek just lost all of my full-service rental business. $59 + $99 when rented. Am I losing my mind? I never saw this fee when I listed my weeks:

• Service fees: $99 only when rented
• Duration: Until Rented
• Required: Active Membership

Benefits:

• Our agents confirm reservation details
• Free Verified & Protected flag (a $14.99 value)
• "New" flag on your posting for the first 30 days
• RedWeek manages all inquiries and offers
• Rental agreement created and signed digitally
• Easy credit card handling for your renter, with built-in protections for both parties

 

[tschwa2]

Redweek just lost all of my full-service rental business. $59 + $99 when rented. Am I losing my mind? I never saw this fee when I listed my weeks:

• Service fees: $99 only when rented
• Duration: Until Rented
• Required: Active Membership

Benefits:

• Our agents confirm reservation details
• Free Verified & Protected flag (a $14.99 value)
• "New" flag on your posting for the first 30 days
• RedWeek manages all inquiries and offers
• Rental agreement created and signed digitally
• Easy credit card handling for your renter, with built-in protections for both parties

 

[rickandcindy23]

I didn't see the fee when I listed my Disney months ago, back in November. $158 is over 10% of most of my rentals. Koala charges only 8%.

Redweek is so popular with renters. I will just use them for advertising my rentals and will no longer use their full-service option. The company that took them over is greedy.

I love Koala and want it to work. To not have to pay for credit card fees out of the rental cost and to know exactly what my payout will be is important to me. I wish renters would just use Koala. It's so much simpler.

The Disney rentals, Redweek did a three-way call with Disney to verify. I didn't like that one bit. I was already done with them for Disney rentals. Someone just offered a ridiculously low price for my four nights at Riviera. The offer from Redweek is like a joke to me. $450 less than my asking price? You have to be joking. I can cancel at 30 days ahead and get all of my points back to use for something else.

 

[tschwa2]

I didn't see the fee when I listed my week. $158 is over 10% of most of my rentals. Koala charges only 8%.

Redweek charges flat fees. The fee has always been listed. Don't do full service if the flat fees are too high. It was $179. It is $44.98 for verified and protected for 6 months of advertising on redweek. That includes payment through redweek (held until the person checks in +2 days). The only thing you don't get is their advice and the middle man broker who has to relay any questions to you vs you answering them direct.

 

[1Melanie]

It's a risk with Wyndham's recent letters going out to owners over the last 18 months or more. It doesn't matter that salespeople encourage rentals. They are sleazy scum and just want to sell.

Many owners have reported getting letters from Wyndham with only a few rentals. You are taking a giant risk renting anything. Wyndham wants all of the rentals.

They don’t want you using the services that require you to give the company access to your account. They contract for a designated number of points and want your password so they can hunt for inventory themselves. I did that once and felt nervous about it. I changed my password soon after. Perhaps banning that type of rental is a good thing. Needless to say, I haven’t used that service since. They will allow RedWeek or Extra Holidays, perhaps others. I see Koala mentioned. I’ll check them out. I asked about it recently. Their rationale for allowing owners to rent is they get more potential buyers through the doors without having to actively solicit those potential buyers themselves. It’s not sleazy. It’s clever actually and a win/win for the owners and the company.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Is there a different Shell? We stayed at a resort in Phoenix, Arizona that was a Shell but managed by Wyndham. They had both logos displayed. They also acquired units in the Ilikai Hotel that carried dual logos as well. I thought they acquired Shell about 10 years ago but we’ve only had access to that inventory in the past 5 years.
We have access to Shell resorts, don’t Shell owners have access to Wyndham?

Not unless you pay money to get access to Wyndham.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Redweek charges flat fees. The fee has always been listed. Don't do full service if the flat fees are too high. It was $179. It is $44.98 for verified and protected for 6 months of advertising on redweek. That includes payment through redweek (held until the person checks in +2 days). The only thing you don't get is their advice and the middle man broker who has to relay any questions to you vs you answering them direct.

I raised my price by $100. So now the low-baller will have to pay more for the rental through Redweek. If they want it through Koala, it's less expensive.

Still not going to do any additional rentals with Redweek's full service. It's Koala or nothing for full service.

It's time to look at My Resort Network again as well. But Koala would be great, if only it would take off.

Hey, what's with the listings on Redweek that are well into the week already (starting date is passed) and still on Redweek? I saw some weeks for Maui at Marriott and Westin that are listed with only a few days left of the week. Do people really hope to rent a partial week after the week already started, or do they just forget to take the listing down?

 

[jwalk03]

Yeah the $99 fee is not new. I never do full service with redweek. It’s really not that much work for me to just do it myself.

I have a 2BR Marriott week listed on redweek for $2500. guy emailed and said he would give me $1600 and not a penny more. I just smh and replied with one word- No. Not a chance I was going to attempt to negotiate on that one!

 

[dioxide45]

I understand the $99 fee predates their acquisition by Arrivia ?

 

[1Melanie]

Not unless you pay money to get access to Wyndham.

That’s so wrong! Why do Wyndham owners have access to Shell vacations fee free but Shell owners have to pay? Seems predatory to me. I’ve been complaining about fees to use Worldmark but see light at the end of the tunnel. I hope the same holds true for Shell owners at some point in time.

 

[NachoDaddy]

That’s so wrong! Why do Wyndham owners have access to Shell vacations fee free but Shell owners have to pay? Seems predatory to me. I’ve been complaining about fees to use Worldmark but see light at the end of the tunnel. I hope the same holds true for Shell owners at some point in time.

Because Shell got bought out, not Wyndham.

 

[1Melanie]

Because Shell got bought out, not Wyndham.

Sad

 

[NachoDaddy]

Sad

I agree it's sad that Shell got bought out just like Diamond Resorts got bought out by Hilton. But it is fully expected, just as Hilton expects, for the previous owners to pay to access the new company's locations. Luckily, for Diamond owners, Diamond has many more locations than Hilton ever had so it's no big deal to thumb our noses at Hilton but the same may not be said of Shell.

 

[FunnyFarm]

I send the confirmation as soon as I get 50% down.

I have been a member of Redweek for about 10 years as a timeshare owner. I think people can trust me, and they do trust me. Redweek made a decision to put my listings below the verified and protected, which is not a good move.

Let's just say that I have a lot of experience renting, and if Redweek wants to verify and protect and charge me the fee at the end of the rental, that is fine by me, but don't charge me upfront and then not get my week rented. I don't like throwing money away.

I take credit card payments through Paypal and also send a contract, a contract that I found on TUG.

Which contract do you use? If you don't mind sharing?

 

[vickikutzskudlarek]

I disagree:

1. Redweek's "verification" consists of them looking at the confirmation - that's it. They do not confirm everything behind the scenes. Any renter can do the same thing.

2. Redweek's rental service is slow and often indifferent - lots of posts about this on TUG. Many experienced owners will not use their Verified and Protected Service, because the owner can do a better job renting their timeshare themselves. (ME!)

3. It's unusual to find a scammer on Redweek, because Redweek does a good job of kicking them off, but an inexperienced renter may simply be nervous about the rental process.

4. Verified and Protected is risky for owners, because Redweek can and has kept owner's payments, and can and has given renters a refund, without even discussing it with the owner, regardless of what the rental agreement says.

NO THANK YOU!

DeniseM ~ I believe I am trying to rent two timeshares from you on Redweek for Harborside. Could you please respond to those requests? Thank you, Vicki

 

[chapjim]

Something I've ranted about over the last year or so is Florida's Sales and Use Tax on short-term rentals. Without re-stating everything, if you are listing RedWeek's Verified and Protected, RedWeek will file and pay the Florida tax on your behalf. Or, so I was told. I haven't rented anything in Florida through RedWeek.com in a while.

I don't know what Florida can or will do if you are renting in FL and not registered and not paying the tax and not filing monthly whether or not you had a rental in that month.

Koala isn't set up to do the same.

I asked VacationShare if they would pay the Florida tax. Their answer was that you get a copy of the contract when you list with VacationShare and you can check it out AFTER you list with them. My last email to Vacation Share was: QUOTE Why is it so hard to say, "Yes, we do," or "No, we don't"? END QUOTE No response.

Edit: I emailed the Customer Service Rep for the one Verified & Protected listing I have on RedWeek.com. She says that RedWeek.com will not pay the sales tax. Different from what I'd been told before. Full service isn't what it says.

 

[jehb2]

The one thing I do get on Redweek is a lot of replies from realtors and timeshare brokers even though I explicitly state on my Redweek ad that I don’t work with 3rd parties.

 

[Tia]

It's time to look at My Resort Network again as well. But Koala would be great, if only it would take off.

I looked up Koala and the first search listings are for the bear. It needs to some up first to get more attention perhaps

 

[HudsHut]

KOALA: Timeshare Rentals Made Easy. Top Resorts Up To 70% Off

Rent direct from timeshare owners and book vacations at the world's best resorts for less. KOALA makes timeshare rentals easy, safe, and secure.

www.go-koala.com

 

[dioxide45]

I looked up Koala and the first search listings are for the bear. It needs to some up first to get more attention perhaps

I agree, their name isn't really the best. Too many companies out there using Koala for their name. There is a mattress company, construction company, baby products company, bags, and many more. Hard to build name recognition off something like that.

 

[grupp]

The one thing I do get on Redweek is a lot of replies from realtors and timeshare brokers even though I explicitly state on my Redweek ad that I don’t work with 3rd parties.

Why would you not want to work with 3rd parties on your rentals?

 

[rickandcindy23]

I agree, their name isn't really the best. Too many companies out there using Koala for their name. There is a mattress company, construction company, baby products company, bags, and many more. Hard to build name recognition off something like that.

I agree. Weird name, but they used to reference something about your "pouch" for payments. So I guess they thought it was cute. I am hoping against hope it becomes a household name. It's a great concept. No upfront fees to list has me sold, but until it is as well known as RW, I will have to keep using RW.

 

[tschwa2]

Something I've ranted about over the last year or so is Florida's Sales and Use Tax on short-term rentals. Without re-stating everything, if you are listing RedWeek's Verified and Protected, RedWeek will file and pay the Florida tax on your behalf. Or, so I was told. I haven't rented anything in Florida through RedWeek.com in a while.

I don't know what Florida can or will do if you are renting in FL and not registered and not paying the tax and not filing monthly whether or not you had a rental in that month.

Koala isn't set up to do the same.

I asked VacationShare if they would pay the Florida tax. Their answer was that you get a copy of the contract when you list with VacationShare and you can check it out AFTER you list with them. My last email to Vacation Share was: QUOTE Why is it so hard to say, "Yes, we do," or "No, we don't"? END QUOTE No response.

Edit: I emailed the Customer Service Rep for the one Verified & Protected listing I have on RedWeek.com. She says that RedWeek.com will not pay the sales tax. Different from what I'd been told before. Full service isn't what it says.

This is a listing for Grand Vista. If you click on the ?, it shows the breakdown of taxes and service fees. The listing that show the taxes, I assumed were collected and submitted by redweek. At the very least they are collecting them and then, what giving them to you to file. The same breakdown appears in Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach Verified and protected listings.