RedWeek Full Service cancellation experiences

[The Colorado Kid]

Hi all -

To rent out timeshare weeks we aren't using, I use RedWeek Full Service listings frequently and have had great results.

I would be interested to learn from other's RedWeek cancellation experiences, either listing or renting.

Haven't had a cancellation yet...but curious how it would work?

I believe my listings all have the 60 day cancellation period where if canceled 59 days or closer to the check in date, the renter forfeits their funds.

Would I then receive some portion of those funds and then be able to re-list the week? If so, when would I receive the forfeited funds?

I'm sure these details are buried in the RedWeek's T&C's but I always enjoy learning instead from others' experiences.

 

[vacationtime1]

If you're going to use Redweek Full Service to rent your properties, you really need to read their T & C's -- carefully.

During the height of the pandemic, Redweek permitted renters to cancel at the last minute and refunded them their escrowed rent payments without first consulting the owners -- leaving the owners high and dry with no way to cancel their underlying reservations or to re-rent. There are multiple threads here on TUG from that incident.

I don't know what the T & C's say and I don't really care; I would never use Redweek's "Full Service" to rent my properties.

 

[The Colorado Kid]

If you're going to use Redweek Full Service to rent your properties, you really need to read their T & C's -- carefully.

During the height of the pandemic, Redweek permitted renters to cancel at the last minute and refunded them their escrowed rent payments without first consulting the owners -- leaving the owners high and dry with no way to cancel their underlying reservations or to re-rent. There are multiple threads here on TUG from that incident.

I don't know what the T & C's say and I don't really care; I would never use Redweek's "Full Service" to rent my properties.

That sounds like an awful experience...appreciate your feedback

 

[rickandcindy23]

I rent through Redweek but use my own contract, which I got from TUG. It's Yvonne's contract. Works great. I take payments through Paypal but also by personal check and other venues like Zelle and Venmo. I have had good success renting with Redweek but I don't like having them doing everything for me. I like communicating with my renters through Redweek.

Go-koala.com is free to list and provides the service of full-service listings, and you would have no contact with the renter. I have not had as much success with my rentals through Koala as Redweek, but Koala is a very new company that is hopefully going to be a website that owners will use more. It's tough to compete with Redweek as a new and upcoming company. The only way to have choices for rental venues is if those of us who own timeshares start using the new companies. They will even manage your DVC points, but I wouldn't do that. I have had great success with Koala in renting my Shell Peacock Suites and my DVC reservations. I keep hoping they will work for my other rentals.

Everything I list on Redweek, I also list on Koala because it's free. I don't exclusively lose either website. I like Redweek and Koala.

No one talks about My Resort Network anymore, but it's also a great way to advertise rentals. It's just not as well known, which could be both good and bad. Not as many listings, but that could work in your favor. That is a listing site only and does have a cost.

 

[The Colorado Kid]

I rent through Redweek but use my own contract, which I got from TUG. It's Yvonne's contract. Works great. I take payments through Paypal but also by personal check and other venues like Zelle and Venmo. I have had good success renting with Redweek but I don't like having them doing everything for me. I like communicating with my renters through Redweek.

Go-koala.com is free to list and provides the service of full-service listings, and you would have no contact with the renter. I have not had as much success with my rentals through Koala as Redweek, but Koala is a very new company that is hopefully going to be a website that owners will use more. It's tough to compete with Redweek as a new and upcoming company. The only way to have choices for rental venues is if those of us who own timeshares start using the new companies. They will even manage your DVC points, but I wouldn't do that. I have had great success with Koala in renting my Shell Peacock Suites and my DVC reservations. I keep hoping they will work for my other rentals.

Everything I list on Redweek, I also list on Koala because it's free. I don't exclusively lose either website. I like Redweek and Koala.

No one talks about My Resort Network anymore, but it's also a great way to advertise rentals. It's just not as well known, which could be both good and bad. Not as many listings, but that could work in your favor. That is a listing site only and does have a cost.

Thanks @rickandcindy23 ! I also use RW and Koala - both with excellent results. I appreciate both sites as I never have to engage with a renter and so far over the last 2+ years have had zero problems. Have you had any cancellation experiences you could share with either platform? Also...not a criticism but I thought I had read cautions to people using non credit card payment methods for larger ticket items like vacation rentals as those do not have the same chargeback protections that credit cards have?

 

[grupp]

I have had a cancelation through a Redweek listing where I used their payment option, not a full service listing. The terms were 50% refund if canceled more than 60 days in advance and they canceled 61 days before check-in. Redweek notified me of the cancelation and allowed me to relist at no cost. I was able to find another renter a slightly lower price since it was closer to check in and in the middle of Covid (February 2021). After the check-in date I received two checks, one for the new rental and the second for the 50% of the canceled reservation. So, it worked out well for me.

Currently, this is what the renter agrees to when they rent through Redweek.

 

[grupp]

I rent through Redweek but use my own contract, which I got from TUG. It's Yvonne's contract. Works great. I take payments through Paypal but also by personal check and other venues like Zelle and Venmo. I have had good success renting with Redweek but I don't like having them doing everything for me. I like communicating with my renters through Redweek.

I have really grown to like someone else doing the work for me and both Redweek and Koala make it incredible easy to accept the rental requests. I did two rentals this week, one through Redweek and one direct through a Redweek ad. The one through Redweek took about about of total of 5 minutes for me to complete everything, including changing the name on the reservation. The direct rental took maybe 20-30 minutes with emails and updating the contract, still not a lot of time but for some reason I almost felt annoyed having to do the work lol.

Granted, both Redweek and Koala hold the money until check-in, but I charge little more for those and have adjusted to that as well.

 

[tschwa2]

Hi all -

To rent out timeshare weeks we aren't using, I use RedWeek Full Service listings frequently and have had great results.

I would be interested to learn from other's RedWeek cancellation experiences, either listing or renting.

Haven't had a cancellation yet...but curious how it would work?

I believe my listings all have the 60 day cancellation period where if canceled 59 days or closer to the check in date, the renter forfeits their funds.

Would I then receive some portion of those funds and then be able to re-list the week? If so, when would I receive the forfeited funds?

I'm sure these details are buried in the RedWeek's T&C's but I always enjoy learning instead from others' experiences.

If they cancel within the 60 days, you should get the full rental amount but I don't believe Redweek would release the funds until check in day. You would not be able to re-rent.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I have really grown to like someone else doing the work for me and both Redweek and Koala make it incredible easy to accept the rental requests. I did two rentals this week, one through Redweek and one direct through a Redweek ad. The one through Redweek took about about of total of 5 minutes for me to complete everything, including changing the name on the reservation. The direct rental took maybe 20-30 minutes with emails and updating the contract, still not a lot of time but for some reason I almost felt annoyed having to do the work lol.

Granted, both Redweek and Koala hold the money until check-in, but I charge little more for those and have adjusted to that as well.

I have my contracts already filled out with resort name, address, phone numbers, my signature, everything I need. I just fill in the dates and the rental amount. It takes about 1 minute because I rent multiple units at the same resort, like my Grand Palms 3 bedrooms. I am renting six of those next summer, already rented two of them. I name them the same resort name, then put the dates like this for storing on my computer: GrandPalms8.2.23 That way I can find the exact contract I sent very easily.

I rented two yesterday, one Dolphin's Cove and one Grand Palms. Rented Dolphin's Cove on Koala, so no payment until next year.

 

[grgs]

Has anyone had an issue with a Redweek full service rental and a cancellation recently (meaning since RW added the COVID policy to their rental agreement)? I have a week I'd like to rent out. I'm used to DIY rentals, but like grupp, I'm getting a little tired of the back and forth with renters and would be willing to pay a bit extra to bypass all that. I can live with not getting the funds until check in. What I'm concerned about is a renter unfairly claiming there was an issue with unit, etc., and Redweek processing a refund or partial refund without my consent. Has this happened to any of you (again meaning since the great COVID cancellation debacle)?

 

[echino]

One other thing to keep in mind is that Redweek charges an extra fee to the guest, if booked via Redweek Full Service, or Redweek Verified and Protected. They started at 5%, then increased to 6%, and now to 7%.

No recent experience with Redweek cancellations. But during Covid, Redweek allowed guests to cancel non-refundable bookings and stole my money, even though the resorts were open and accepting check ins. More that that, Redweek reached out to the guests and actively encouraged guests to cancel those bookings. It was a business decision by Redweek to earn goodwill with the guests by screwing the owners. Make your own judgment.

 

[grgs]

One other thing to keep in mind is that Redweek charges an extra fee to the guest, if booked via Redweek Full Service, or Redweek Verified and Protected. They started at 5%, then increased to 6%, and now to 7%.

That's good to know. I assume this fee helps cover payment processing. In the past I covered the cost of PayPal. I assume I would no longer have that cost with a Full Service rental.

No recent experience with Redweek cancellations. But during Covid, Redweek allowed guests to cancel non-refundable bookings and stole my money, even though the resorts were open and accepting check ins. More that that, Redweek reached out to the guests and actively encouraged guests to cancel those bookings. It was a business decision by Redweek to earn goodwill with the guests by screwing the owners. Make your own judgment.

I remember this quite well and think this was egregious behavior on RW's part. I'd forgotten about them encouraging guests to cancel, so that is even worse. I also had a very negative experience with Vacation Candy over a rental. However, I hope both companies have learned and adapted.

 

[Jerrygomi]

If they cancel within the 60 days, you should get the full rental amount but I don't believe Redweek would release the funds until check in day. You would not be able to re-rent.

Do you mean Redweek would not let you list again? Surely, you could re-rent, use yourself or do whatever if the lesseee canceled the contract?

 

[Canuck80]

I rent through Redweek but use my own contract, which I got from TUG. It's Yvonne's contract. Works great. I take payments through Paypal but also by personal check and other venues like Zelle and Venmo. I have had good success renting with Redweek but I don't like having them doing everything for me. I like communicating with my renters through Redweek.

Go-koala.com is free to list and provides the service of full-service listings, and you would have no contact with the renter. I have not had as much success with my rentals through Koala as Redweek, but Koala is a very new company that is hopefully going to be a website that owners will use more. It's tough to compete with Redweek as a new and upcoming company. The only way to have choices for rental venues is if those of us who own timeshares start using the new companies. They will even manage your DVC points, but I wouldn't do that. I have had great success with Koala in renting my Shell Peacock Suites and my DVC reservations. I keep hoping they will work for my other rentals.

Everything I list on Redweek, I also list on Koala because it's free. I don't exclusively lose either website. I like Redweek and Koala.

No one talks about My Resort Network anymore, but it's also a great way to advertise rentals. It's just not as well known, which could be both good and bad. Not as many listings, but that could work in your favor. That is a listing site only and does have a cost.

Thank you for the fantastic information. What cut does Redweek and Koala take from each rental? Is it easier to rent out a floating week or pick a week in advance?

 

[hurnik]

That's good to know. I assume this fee helps cover payment processing. In the past I covered the cost of PayPal. I assume I would no longer have that cost with a Full Service rental.



I remember this quite well and think this was egregious behavior on RW's part. I'd forgotten about them encouraging guests to cancel, so that is even worse. I also had a very negative experience with Vacation Candy over a rental. However, I hope both companies have learned and adapted.

Even if Redweek has "learned" the fact is they did not follow their own written policly/agreement. So I will never trust anything they say again, including their new V&P listing scheme. They *may* pay you 3 days after check-in, but given their past behavior I don't trust them, nor will I ever, with holding my money and paying me what was stipulated.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Thank you for the fantastic information. What cut does Redweek and Koala take from each rental? Is it easier to rent out a floating week or pick a week in advance?

Koala takes 8% from the seller but takes it from the proceeds and pays after the rental starts, so it's a delayed payment. My own payments I require full payment by 60 days before. 50% at the time of booking, and 50% additional at 60 days. I mostly use Paypal, and as I long as I have a contract, I have no problem with chargebacks. Paypal sided with me twice on my rentals when a renter tried to cancel.

 

[davidvel]

Do you mean Redweek would not let you list again? Surely, you could re-rent, use yourself or do whatever if the lesseee canceled the contract?

I think the idea is that because Redweek doesn't give you the $$ until after checkin, and you would effectively be keeping 100% of the renter's $, they could "change their mind" and check in. If you changed the name and locked them out RW would likely give them their $ back, not allowing you to double dip.

 

[Jerrygomi]

Thanks for the helpful clarification. Seems like a waste of a unit.

 

[tink10]

If they cancel within the 60 days, you should get the full rental amount but I don't believe Redweek would release the funds until check in day. You would not be able to re-rent.

I just thought I'd chime in

For Full Service, if a renter cancels, we'll always re-post the week, as long as the check-in date is more than 10 days away. Unless the owner makes an arrangement with the renter that canceled, the owner will be paid two business days after check-in for the first rental and for the second (assuming the unit successfully re-rents)

I hope this helps!