Please Advise on How to Proceed Against Potentially Unscrupulous Prop. Mangement Co.

[tsowner2010]

Our family owns a timeshare in Mexico--In the Playa Grande Resort in Cabo San Lucas, to be exact. A couple years ago when vacationing there we upgraded to a penthouse suite and amended the contract so as to own weeks during every odd numbered year continuing into sometime in the third decade of the 2000s. We were then advised by one of the representatives at the resort to seek the services of Executive Properties (http://executiveproperties.info) located in Laredo, Texas and Jalisco, Mexico and primarily run by Todd Dawson and I believe another individual named Steve Harris, if we were to rent out our penthouse during the years we so chose to vacation elsewhere.

After perusing this forum for a bit, and a brief search through Google, I am fairly convinced now that the operations run by said company are a scam--the premise being that they asked for money upfront ($800) and have essentially reneged on their promise of renting out the property per the terms stipulated in the contract for two turns now and going on to the third. Last October (during the second time it was promised that the four weeks we had agreed upon would be rented out), we received an e-mail stating that the "bad economy" was to blame for their inability to secure the weeks at the promised rates in the contract, and that it was set to be rented out instead in February of this year. It is now the 4th of February and we still have not heard any news/updates from Mr. Dawson (the individual with whom we constructed the contract). Once again, leading us to believe that we have been scammed.

My question is: how viable of a solution is the Better Business Bureau in circumstances such as these? Should we seek recourse through them to recover the $800 agency fee paid by citing the company's inaction and failure to provide the services agreed to, and rescind the remaining terms of the contract before seeking legal assistance from attorneys and such?

 

[Passepartout]

I can't think of anyone who has made money having a Mexican management company rent out their TSs. Some folks here make a small business out of renting their own- but usually in high demand markets, like Hawaii. There isn't a market in Mexico. Anyone can rent anytime anyplace for less than maintenance fees.

You have unfortunately (IMO) been scammed by believing the words of the sales staff.

In today's market, the value in Mexican timeshares lies in their use for you and your family's memorable vacations, not rental income. Sorry.

The BBB is of little value, and the US legal system is so different from that in Mexico that trying to hire representation would be throwing good money after bad. And since you are well beyond the (usually) 5 day rescission period, you own what you bought and are bound by it's contract provisions unless and until you can sell (or give) it to someone else.

Best wishes and Welcome to TUG! You are not the first person here who has found out the hard way that TS salespeople lie.

Jim Ricks

 

[tsowner2010]

I can't think of anyone who has made money having a Mexican management company rent out their TSs. Some folks here make a small business out of renting their own- but usually in high demand markets, like Hawaii. There isn't a market in Mexico. Anyone can rent anytime anyplace for less than maintenance fees.

You have unfortunately (IMO) been scammed by believing the words of the sales staff.

In today's market, the value in Mexican timeshares lies in their use for you and your family's memorable vacations, not rental income. Sorry.

The BBB is of little value, and the US legal system is so different from that in Mexico that trying to hire representation would be throwing good money after bad. And since you are well beyond the (usually) 5 day rescission period, you own what you bought and are bound by it's contract provisions unless and until you can sell (or give) it to someone else.

Best wishes and Welcome to TUG! You are not the first person here who has found out the hard way that TS salespeople lie.

Jim Ricks

Thank you for the prompt reply. Can you clarify what you mean by "Mexican management company"? Is that in reference to the property management company or the location in which we own our timeshare? Because the company is certainly located in the United States as well as has an office in Mexico per their website. Would they not be bound by the laws of the United States if such is the case?

I would also like to clarify (for anyone who reads the initial post in this thread and misconstrues my inquires) that in no way are we displeased with our timeshare ownership with the resort, and the thread title as well as the details in the OP are not directed at them whatsoever. This is solely pertaining to the property management company outlined in the OP which, at least to my knowledge, is a separate entity and not associated with Playa Grande resort and their operations regarding timeshares.

With respect to renting our timeshare ourselves...let these inauspicious incidents be a lesson. Thankfully, though the money paid to the agency is not exactly paltry in amount, it isn't too grand either. Regardless of the outcome, we will definitely seek (and currently are in the process of doing so thanks to valuable forums such as this one) more favorable avenues through which we can rent the week(s) we do not plan on utilizing.

As far as lying as related to TS salespeople is concerned, the only lying (if in fact this company is indeed scamming) that exists here is attributable to the woman who recommended Executive Properties as a reputable source for having one's timeshare rented. Otherwise, again, we are more than pleased with the resort itself and at the opportunity offered during our last visit to upgrade to a penthouse at a far less price than initially offered.

 

[Passepartout]

Thank you for the prompt reply. Can you clarify what you mean by "Mexican management company"? Is that in reference to the property management company or the location in which we own our timeshare? Because the company is certainly located in the United States as well as has an office in Mexico per their website. Would they not be bound by the laws of the United States if such is the case?

Lots of Mexican resort management companies maintain U.S. offices. Sometimes it's a P.O. drop box. I have no knowledge of the one you are dealing with, but your second paragraph in the first post pretty well sums up most people's experience with these outfits.

Again, I'll say. You may make enough renting your TS to offset your MF in years you want to go elsewhere, but you would be in the minority. And even more in the minority to pay anyone to do it for you.

Good Luck.

Jim

 

[tsowner2010]

Lots of Mexican resort management companies maintain U.S. offices. Sometimes it's a P.O. drop box. I have no knowledge of the one you are dealing with, but your second paragraph in the first post pretty well sums up most people's experience with these outfits.

I see. It's quite possible this company is as you describe. I will investigate further to see.

Again, I'll say. You may make enough renting your TS to offset your MF in years you want to go elsewhere, but you would be in the minority. And even more in the minority to pay anyone to do it for you.

Good Luck.

Jim

Thanks, and point taken. We will see what we can do with the room type/week we own. And we will definitely be more suspect henceforth in seeking the services of a third party to rent for us--if ever.

 

[MuranoJo]

Don't use a 3rd-party to rent your t/s for you. You are throwing away your money IMO, and many-if not most-are scams. You can do it yourself, and how much you'll get (if any) will depend on the week you rent, as well as the resort, the economy, etc..

Good holiday weeks (Christmas, New Year's, Holy Week, and even Spring Break) can bring a very decent rental price. I personally know this, as I rent out my holiday weeks.

 

[tsowner2010]

Don't use a 3rd-party to rent your t/s for you. You are throwing away your money IMO, and many-if not most-are scams. You can do it yourself, and how much you'll get (if any) will depend on the week you rent, as well as the resort, the economy, etc..

Good holiday weeks (Christmas, New Year's, Holy Week, and even Spring Break) can bring a very decent rental price. I personally know this, as I rent out my holiday weeks.

Very good. This experience does indicate that renting through a third party most probably entails unscrupulousness. FWIW, we own, as mentioned, a penthouse that accommodates eight persons at the resort, between weeks 15 through 45 (Red Summer seasons). I can certainly see being able to rent out the unit successfully by following the helpful guidelines outlined on forums such as this one.

 

[lmflores79]

Hello... Just to let you know that I'm as well in the same situation. Executive Properties run by Todd Dawson is a scam. I'm pretty sure because I also hired them but they never rented my weeks out. I already filed a complaint through BBB and they lied telling me that if I closed the file they were going to pay but it was just a trick for me to close the file. They haven't paid.

For everyone reading this post. Be carefull with them. It seems they just just steal money.

 

[chickenfoot]

we will definitely seek (and currently are in the process of doing so thanks to valuable forums such as this one) more favorable avenues through which we can rent the week(s) we do not plan on utilizing.

You can post the rental here on Tug in the Marketplace section. Other popular sites include redweek.com and myresortnetwork.com