Super newbie here. Will someone please educate me on "Guest Certificates". Are they necessary? Commonly used? Are they like a "proof of purchase"? Do they offer extra insurance to the buyer that the transaction is legit? Please advise!
If an owner is allowing someone else to use or rent his / her
owned week, it is entirely appropriate for said owner to obtain a guest certificate (or other form of resort confirmation / documentation) directly from the resort, so that someone other than the owner of record can successfully check-in and occupy the unit without any questions or issues.
That being said however, a
non-owned week obtained via "exchange" from either RCI or II
cannot be rented out for any profit whatsoever. Such a "post exchange rental" transaction, although inappropriate and prohibited, would still involve obtaining a "Guest Certificate".
Accordingly, one of the first questions to ask any would-be "landlord" point blank is "Do you
own the week you that are renting out, or is this week instead one that you have obtained from an exchange company and are now attempting to rent out?"
The distinction between the two above different situations is important --- a would-be tenant should steer well clear of any and all attempts by a non-owner to rent out an "exchange" for profit (which is in clear violation of the written terms and conditions of membership of both RCI and II and which can result in cancellation of the exchange, loss of RCI / II membership and denial of occupancy to the would-be "tenant" if caught).
