• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Have you gotten new requests from Vacation Candy?

Quilter

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
3,368
Reaction score
785
Points
498
Location
Plymouth, MI
Background: I had 2 listings with Vacation Candy when Covid hit hard in March. I never heard from VC but reached out to them just prior to the check-in dates in April. I already had 100% of my rental $ but offered a partial refund or rebooking. All of my correspondence with them was amicable.

I now have new reservations listed on Redweek. VC contact me and my response was I wanted 100% at time I sent confirmation. No refunds. They needed to consult with renter about trip insurance.

I have communicated with others interested in my ads and with them I'm more flexible. It's easier dealing directly with the customer and talking about possible set backs that may happen once things open up more.

How are others changing their contracts as we move forward?
 

pacman777

TUG Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2014
Messages
629
Reaction score
220
Points
153
Background: I had 2 listings with Vacation Candy when Covid hit hard in March. I never heard from VC but reached out to them just prior to the check-in dates in April. I already had 100% of my rental $ but offered a partial refund or rebooking. All of my correspondence with them was amicable.

I now have new reservations listed on Redweek. VC contact me and my response was I wanted 100% at time I sent confirmation. No refunds. They needed to consult with renter about trip insurance.

I have communicated with others interested in my ads and with them I'm more flexible. It's easier dealing directly with the customer and talking about possible set backs that may happen once things open up more.

How are others changing their contracts as we move forward?
Basically the same as I always had it which was full payment after they call the resort to verify their name is on the reservation with no refunds and it’s up the renter to get trip insurance on their own. It’s always worked for me with no issue except the one time Redweek screwed me on a $2500 rental via their payment processing where they informed me the day after check-in date that they weren’t paying me as the their arbitration team ruled that my Westin resort was not habitable due to COVID although the resort was fully operational and taking new guests at the time which was in mid March.
 

DeniseM

Moderator
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
57,671
Reaction score
9,091
Points
1,849
Resorts Owned
WKORV, WKV, 2-SDO, 4-Kauai Beach Villas, Island Park Village (Yellowstone), Hyatt High Sierra, Dolphin's Cove (Anaheim)
They needed to consult with renter about trip insurance.
The travel insurance companies are not covering the Coronavirus.
 

TravelAmore

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Messages
174
Reaction score
52
Points
238
Location
Greater San Francisco Bay Area
Background: I had 2 listings with Vacation Candy when Covid hit hard in March. I never heard from VC but reached out to them just prior to the check-in dates in April. I already had 100% of my rental $ but offered a partial refund or rebooking. All of my correspondence with them was amicable.

I now have new reservations listed on Redweek. VC contact me and my response was I wanted 100% at time I sent confirmation. No refunds. They needed to consult with renter about trip insurance.

I have communicated with others interested in my ads and with them I'm more flexible. It's easier dealing directly with the customer and talking about possible set backs that may happen once things open up more.

How are others changing their contracts as we move forward?

I heard an excellent podcast on “The Journal” the other day reviewing and interviewing owners of AirBnB units and how AirBnB responded to renters and owners during the pandemic. The title, "Airbnb Hosts Built Mini-Empires. Now They're Crumbling" released May 7. Words to the wise for owners who rent their units through agencies, tech platforms, or other companies...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

DanCali

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
4,492
Reaction score
1,790
Points
398
Resorts Owned
Vistana, Marriott, DVC
We own more than we can vacation (but have a lot of flexibility with what we have, so I like it). As a result, I sometimes rent a couple of timeshares that we don't get to use.

For years, I have avoided dealing with brokers because I feel that renting a timeshare is equivalent to a condo rental. Would you rent a condo via a broker without having the actual renter sign your contract and without having contact info for the renter (phone or email)? But a timeshare broker would never give you this information and wouldn't have the renter sign your contract because (i) they don't want the renter to know the actual price due to a hefty markup and (ii) they don't want you to contact the renter directly next year, or vice versa.

Last year, VC contacted me (not for the first time) and were very aggressive about getting a week from me. They even paid me substantially more (over 10% more) than what I was asking on RedWeek. So I ended up doing it. After doing that, I left the RedWeek listing active and increased the price to what VC paid + $100. I still had quite a few inquiries as the check-in date approached...

I guess the moral of the story is that if you price your weeks attractively enough and are patient enough they will rent. You don't need to deal with a broker who is taking advantage of renters by further marking up your rental price.

The RedWeek model is better in my view because the contract is between you and the actual renter, you get the renter email address, and RedWeek charges the renter a relatively small and transparent fee to facilitate the deal. But. as we've seen, that has its own problems because if they escrow the money they get to rewrite the rules. I would never use RedWeek escrow again either for the sale reason listed above - if you are patient enough and ask for a fair price, your listing will rent under your own terms.
 

seagila

TUG Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2015
Messages
521
Reaction score
267
Points
173
Both their websites - StayPC and VacationCandy - are still up, but this alert from the BBB seems to indicate they're done. Any recent dealings with this company and its DBAs?
 

chapjim

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
6,161
Reaction score
3,804
Points
499
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
Resorts Owned
Wyndham VIPF & PresRes, HVC/DRI (Gold), Quarter House (4), Resort on Cocoa Beach (2), HGVC Tuscany Village, HGVC South Beach-McAlpin, HGVC Parc Soleil
Both their websites - StayPC and VacationCandy - are still up, but this alert from the BBB seems to indicate they're done. Any recent dealings with this company and its DBAs?

I got a query about one of my listings a couple of weeks ago. Wanted to know if my listing was a presidential unit. It wasn't at the time but was later upgraded. I told them that. No response since except a thank you.
 

Robert D

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2006
Messages
1,912
Reaction score
100
Points
424
Location
Austin, TX
I've used Vacation Candy for quite a few years and never had a problem with them. As far as I know they are still in business. I think they took a big hit in terms of reputation and possibly financially this year due to the pandemic. I don't have a problem with them marking up the price of my rentals as long as I'm getting what I wanted for them. They perform a service to the landlord and guest and should get paid for it.
 

funtime

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,388
Reaction score
144
Points
424
Location
Dallas
I have also used them several times and would use them again. I read the BBB complaints and they were primarily COVID related. We all lost a lot of rental income last year as the ski resorts completely closed down. I allowed 4 renters to back out. I rent timeshares as a hobby, primarily in Park City and dealing with very unhappy people is a no win situation for me. In the future I am going to be specific about cancellation policies in my rental agreements, allowing me to at least keep some of the deposit in the event of a pandemic.
 

bizaro86

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
3,664
Reaction score
2,489
Points
598
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
The thread on them during the height of the pandemic pretty strongly implied they took money back from owners and didn't refund tenants. If that's true, it seems pretty indefensible to me.
 

grupp

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2005
Messages
663
Reaction score
317
Points
423
Location
Minnesota
I have not heard from them since April. They were very good to work with when scheduling the rentals, but once things started going bad, they didn't handle things very well. I think many who rented though them may have believed the extra $500 was buying them some kind of protection as opposed to renting directly from the owner. Others who have a similar business model seem to have weathered the storm better than they were able to.
 

hcarman

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2010
Messages
742
Reaction score
148
Points
253
Location
Tamarac, FL
They rented one out for me in July. Very easy to deal with.
 

grupp

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2005
Messages
663
Reaction score
317
Points
423
Location
Minnesota
I was recently contacted by them about a rental listing I have. Their new contact contains the wording below. I did not like the part about owner being responsible if the renter disputes the payment for any reason and is successful. So, I passed and and doubt if I will ever use them again.

1607355419458.png
 

vacationtime1

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2006
Messages
5,159
Reaction score
2,750
Points
649
Location
San Francisco
Resorts Owned
WKORV-OF (Maui)
WKV x2 (Scottsdale)
I was recently contacted by them about a rental listing I have. Their new contact contains the wording below. I did not like the part about owner being responsible if the renter disputes the payment for any reason and is successful. So, I passed and and doubt if I will ever use them again.

View attachment 29659

I would never sign this as an Owner. The last sentence of this paragraph 6 gives the renter and VacationCandy the right to agree to a chargeback on a credit card without Owner's involvement. After the rent is paid upfront in full. Even after the guest checks in.

Nor would I agree with the provision in the contract that an airline labor strike could cancel the reservation and make me refund the rent.

I have rented through brokers before but we used my rental contract, not theirs.
 

grupp

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2005
Messages
663
Reaction score
317
Points
423
Location
Minnesota
I would never sign this as an Owner. The last sentence of this paragraph 6 gives the renter and VacationCandy the right to agree to a chargeback on a credit card without Owner's involvement. After the rent is paid upfront in full. Even after the guest checks in.

Nor would I agree with the provision in the contract that an airline labor strike could cancel the reservation and make me refund the rent.

I have rented through brokers before but we used my rental contract, not theirs.

Yes, it protects the renter and Vacation Candy. Essentially, the owner is providing free travel insurance to the renter for things like labor strikes and natural disasters that impact the renters ability to travel, but not the resort itself.

Hopefully, enough owners will not agree to this and force them to change the wording.
 

cyntravel

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2009
Messages
683
Reaction score
154
Points
253
Oh my goodness this is sad.
I would ask to use my own contract too.
 

TheHolleys87

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
May 7, 2015
Messages
2,111
Reaction score
1,541
Points
273
Location
Texas
Resorts Owned
DVC Boardwalk Villas, Kona Coast II
Sounds like if the renter is successful in getting a chargeback from their CC company, the owner is liable for the rental fee plus VC’s fee too - “the full amount charged back.” Any owner who agrees to that is not paying attention.
 

grupp

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2005
Messages
663
Reaction score
317
Points
423
Location
Minnesota
Sounds like if the renter is successful in getting a chargeback from their CC company, the owner is liable for the rental fee plus VC’s fee too - “the full amount charged back.” Any owner who agrees to that is not paying attention.

Whether it is intended or not the owner would also be responsible for the $500 fee VC charges on top of the rental price if that is part of the chargeback amount. It says the owner is responsible for the full amount of the chargeback and does not say anything about limiting it to the amount the owner received.
 

TheHolleys87

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
May 7, 2015
Messages
2,111
Reaction score
1,541
Points
273
Location
Texas
Resorts Owned
DVC Boardwalk Villas, Kona Coast II
Whether it is intended or not the owner would also be responsible for the $500 fee VC charges on top of the rental price if that is part of the chargeback amount. It says the owner is responsible for the full amount of the chargeback and does not say anything about limiting it to the amount the owner received.
So, if the resort closes, out of the owner’s control, the owner should refund both the amount received for the rental and VC’s $500 fee? That’s why I say that if an owner agrees to that, they’re not paying attention. If the owner can’t provide the accommodations, for reasons completely out of their control, they should refund the rental fee, but they shouldn’t be responsible for VC’s fee.
 

grupp

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2005
Messages
663
Reaction score
317
Points
423
Location
Minnesota
So, if the resort closes, out of the owner’s control, the owner should refund both the amount received for the rental and VC’s $500 fee? That’s why I say that if an owner agrees to that, they’re not paying attention. If the owner can’t provide the accommodations, for reasons completely out of their control, they should refund the rental fee, but they shouldn’t be responsible for VC’s fee.

I really don't know if the intend to have the owner pay the fee, but the way it is written there is nothing to limiting it to just what the owner was paid. The last sentence reads "Owner agrees to be responsible to VacationCandy for the full amount charged back", which could included their $500 or other charges included in the charge back.

I did get a lengthy response from VacationCandy today in regard to my concerns with their agreement. I have not read it in detail yet, but they do state that chargebacks are have been rare in the past. However, they don't seem to realize that was due to the fact that previously their contract was non-cancelable making chargebacks more difficult . With wording in this paragraph and the reasons a reservation can be cancelled, there will likely be more renters disputing their charges and they be more successful when the do so.
 

TheHolleys87

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
May 7, 2015
Messages
2,111
Reaction score
1,541
Points
273
Location
Texas
Resorts Owned
DVC Boardwalk Villas, Kona Coast II
I really don't know if the intend to have the owner pay the fee, but the way it is written there is nothing to limiting it to just what the owner was paid. The last sentence reads "Owner agrees to be responsible to VacationCandy for the full amount charged back", which could included their $500 or other charges included in the charge back.

I did get a lengthy response from VacationCandy today in regard to my concerns with their agreement. I have not read it in detail yet, but they do state that chargebacks are have been rare in the past. However, they don't seem to realize that was due to the fact that previously their contract was non-cancelable making chargebacks more difficult . With wording in this paragraph and the reasons a reservation can be cancelled, there will likely be more renters disputing their charges and they be more successful when the do so.
Exactly. There were a number of renters who pursued and were granted chargebacks against at least one of the major DVC rental brokers for rentals scheduled during the time the DVC resorts were closed. If I were wanting to rent out my TS via a broker now (I’m not), I would probably agree to refund my rental fee if the resort closes, but I most certainly would not agree to refund the broker’s fee as well!
 

Marathoner

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2014
Messages
804
Reaction score
511
Points
203
Location
NYC
I've rented out 2 weeks via Vacation Candy in the past month. So they are in business and actively booking weeks for their clients.

I realize that some (maybe many) people believe a no cancellation policy should mean that no refund should be provided if the resort is open. While I also have a no cancellation clause in my contracts, I gave partial refunds even if the resort was open due to concerns people had about travelling during the height of COVID when both the CDC and governments were using their bully pulpit to have people reduce their travel plans.

Dealing with Vacation Candy is easy. Both as a nation and as individuals, we've all learnt a lot due to COVID last year so signing a contract with the additional clause will, in my opinion, not materially change the risk of having to refund money due to unforseen circumstances that arise. I understand that others feel differently and will not deal with VC again.
 

bobpark56

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
1,694
Reaction score
375
Points
444
Location
Gibsonia, PA (just north of Pittsburgh)
Resorts Owned
Westin Lagunamar, Westin Aventuras, Marriott Grande Vista, Sandos Caracol, Festiva, Diamond Resorts (Hawaii Collection)
Since Vacation Candy adds a $500 fee to all transactions, should they not be the ones assuming all risks here?
 
Top