How do I know owner is legit owner of a time share before I send a check?

[michaelscai]

Hi, I'm new to tug2.net.. I found a great deal at Tug2.net under timeshare for rent for a week (not classified section). I contacted owner and spoke to a really nice lady and her husband. I am going to mail her a check tomorrow, and she will send me the form to complete.

I have never used Tug2.net, should I write a check to the owner in another state? Does Tug verify ownership for the listings? I have no doubt they are the owners, but internet is a crazy place.

Please help me and put my mind to ease #196209 is the listing I am going to rent.

 

[vacationhopeful]

The owner can send you a copy of their Maintenance Fee invoice and YOU should be able to call the resort directly to verify.

Get a written rental contract ... pay nothing til they send you a written rental contract.

If the reservation is a points reservation, ask for a copy of the confirmation of the reservations .. pay 50% and ask for another copy with YOU listed as the INBOUND GUEST ... then pay the renaming balance.

If a FIXED WEEK ownership, the resort generally will honor a "guest letter" to them from the owner .. verify WHAT the inbound guest requirements are for a resort before signing a contract or sending ANY MONEY to the owner.

 

[Mosescan]

Read this.

https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php...ntal-is-legit-when-you-are-the-renter.109479/

 

[ronparise]

As RR said “trust but verify”

Do what you can but ultomately this is a trust thing. Either you trust each other or you don’t

If you don’t, don’t do the deal

 

[brianfox]

Renting is a pure trust situation. Some of the best peace of mind is spending some time on the phone with the owner. Once you have the confirmation number, you can check directly with the resort that the week is valid. But you need to face one fact - nothing prevents the owner from removing your name from the confirmation. I don't want that to make you scared; it's just a fact. There are very very few dishonest owners out there. And many owners are just as jittery about renters...

The BEST peace of mind for a renter would be to use an escrow for the rental (i.e. Redweek). Essentially, the owner doesn't get paid until you complete your stay. Plus you can pay with a credit card and get points for it. This service costs money, and as you can imagine is a nuisance to an owner, but if you were willing to pay the cost, suggest using Redweek to handle the rental.

 

[silentg]

All dealings I have had with exchanges or rentals and purchases were started with a phone call. Trust on both sides. I haven’t been burned (yet). Had a few deals canceled but no money was involved.
TUG has been good to us!
Silentg

 

[Tank]

If one would get ripped off, your name, and info will be plastered on here forever desgraced for all to see.

No one wants that, renter, or rentee

Being a paid sight , someone has all our info on record minimizing scammers.

For the most part, we just want to rent our places.

 

[ronparise]

I’ve had several instances over the years where I would begin my “it’s all about trust” speech with a potential rental customer. I was told to relax, they had googled me and found a number of my posts on TUG. They could easily see that trusted member of the timeshare community

So my advice to the op would be to deal with someone that does a lot of rentals; a professional, so to speak, rather than guys that do just a few, every once in a while. The amateurs are as trustworthy as the pros, they just can’t prove it yet

 

[jwalk03]

I’ve had several instances over the years where I would begin my “it’s all about trust” speech with a potential rental customer. I was told to relax, they had googled me and found a number of my posts on TUG. They could easily see that trusted member of the timeshare community

So my advice to the op would be to deal with someone that does a lot of rentals; a professional, so to speak, rather than guys that do just a few, every once in a while. The amateurs are as trustworthy as the pros, they just can’t prove it yet

People I have rented from in the past are always my first contacts if I am looking for something. Though at times I have also rented from the amateurs who had what I needed.

Speak to the person on the phone, get a feel for them and let them get a feel for you. I always follow this practice, and have not been burned ever. (at least not yet, I suppose.)

 

[Tank]

Speaking on the phone is old school, I'm old school and encouraged a phone call. Drives me nuts to do a complete transaction without a phone call.

Younger people just want to text I find, and or short emails to the point.

Ron's right they probably have all the info needed on me already.
Probably a good idea to google back at them, without a phone call.

Dave

 

[jwalk03]

Speaking on the phone is old school, I'm old school and encouraged a phone call. Drives me nuts to do a complete transaction without a phone call.

Younger people just want to text I find, and or short emails to the point.

Ron's right they probably have all the info needed on me already.
Probably a good idea to google back at them, without a phone call.

Dave

I'm a millennial. I still insist on a phone call, unless it is someone I have done business with in the past and am completely comfortable with. Then only e-mail/text communication is sufficient.