Redweek ripoff "verify and protected" payment scam

[robleland]

Hi all. It used to be that Redweek Verify was something like $10. Now when you are trying to rent your timeshare, it gives you two options - do it yourself, or Redweek verify. The redweek verify clearly says: $10 upfront fee, then $99 success fee when rented. However when you chose this option, instead, they add a 10% commission to your rental! So if i post on redweek $5,000, the actual posting ends up $5,500! I've asked them several times to make this transparent, as a 10% increase ended up making my rental not competitive. They have done nothing. I'd like to ask each of you that uses redweek to write them to complain about this. email support@redweek.com and complain about it!
For example:
Why are the fees you show on the rental manager different from the 10% commission you actually charge?

or
Why are your fees so high? It is no longer reasonable? the $99 success fee seems reasonable, but 10% is not. I'd rather use VRBO.

or simpy: dear Redweek- you have gotten to greedy with your 10% verify and protect fee. I'll rent elsewhere.

I think if 100 of us complain, they will do something about it.

thanks

Rob

 

[WorldT]

Might want to read through this thread..I believe there is a way to bypass your problem.

Redweek listings are just sitting online, not many are renting, a new phenomena and a waste of money for owners at $59 for verify/ protect

Redweek collects the tax. Koala doesn't yet, and they expect owners to maybe do that? Redweek doesn't collect tax for Hawaii rentals but I thought they did, so I was surprised by that info. Redweek collects the tax IF the listing says On-line Booking. Otherwise, no.

tugbbs.com

 

[dioxide45]

The extra 10%, $500 in your situation, is paid for by the renter. It is made clear to the renter at the time of booking that they have to pay this fee. Why do you need to know about the fee? You get paid the same amount. Booking fees are quite common in the rental industry, Koala, Airbnb, Vrbo. They all charge a similar fee to the renter. This fee is to cover escrow costs as well as credit card merchant fees. Along with profit to Redweek.

 

[5finny]

I rarely rent and when I do I do not use verify and protected
When I rent on Redweek I do try to be one of the lower if not the lowest renters
I would want to know that a prospective renter would be paying 10% more as that would make me 10% less competitive
I would not call Redweek's way of doing it a scam but I think complete and upfront disclosure would be appropriate

 

[rickandcindy23]

Definitely list with go-koala.com, as it's free to list, but they also add a percentage to the rental that the renter pays, and they do charge you 8% but you don't really feel it because you are seeing what you will get when it rents. It's a better business model.

Redweek is no longer a mom and pop company like it was. It's a big business that operates it. I have a thread about this very thing, except my complaint is that nothing is renting on Redweek. I go to every Disney property, and listings abound but not many are grayed out to show they rented, so RW is raking it in on upfront listing fees. Someone said I was whining that RW was making money and I wasn't making money. That was never the point. The point is that for the verify/ protect, RW will advise you on what to charge, and they really don't have any recent rentals to go by to even offer advice. It's a joke.

 

[robleland]

The extra 10%, $500 in your situation, is paid for by the renter. It is made clear to the renter at the time of booking that they have to pay this fee. Why do you need to know about the fee? You get paid the same amount. Booking fees are quite common in the rental industry, Koala, Airbnb, Vrbo. They all charge a similar fee to the renter. This fee is to cover escrow costs as well as credit card merchant fees. Along with profit to Redweek.

Appreciate your response. First, as i said, Redweek when you are choosing options, does not disclose this fee. Second, sure, the renter pays the fee. But I know after 14 years what the market price is for my units. And when they added the 10% to my unit without my knowing it, i was priced above the market and so haven't rented as yet.

 

[Ski-Dad]

The extra 10%, $500 in your situation, is paid for by the renter. It is made clear to the renter at the time of booking that they have to pay this fee. Why do you need to know about the fee? You get paid the same amount. Booking fees are quite common in the rental industry, Koala, Airbnb, Vrbo. They all charge a similar fee to the renter. This fee is to cover escrow costs as well as credit card merchant fees. Along with profit to Redweek.

I rent occasionally. I do not own units with a view to making a profit. I own primarily to use for exchange, but I may have an excess unit from time to time. When I rent, I look at what the market is (asking price) and I price towards the low end. Cover my MF and maybe make a little money to offset my other units, but I own primarily to use. The OP's point is valid. The mark-up changes where your unit sits in the market. The lack of transparency for the first time lister is an issue.

 

[davidvel]

Definitely list with go-koala.com, as it's free to list, but they also add a percentage to the rental that the renter pays, and they do charge you 8% but you don't really feel it because you are seeing what you will get when it rents. It's a better business model.

Redweek is no longer a mom and pop company like it was. It's a big business that operates it. I have a thread about this very thing, except my complaint is that nothing is renting on Redweek. I go to every Disney property, and listings abound but not many are grayed out to show they rented, so RW is raking it in on upfront listing fees. Someone said I was whining that RW was making money and I wasn't making money. That was never the point. The point is that for the verify/ protect, RW will advise you on what to charge, and they really don't have any recent rentals to go by to even offer advice. It's a joke.

This is untrue. I never said you were "whining that RW was making money and I wasn't making money." I said that I found it was hilarious that you were "hurt" that you got emails from RW after you were caught trying to rent around them, directly to a customer.

 

[Ski-Dad]

This is untrue. I never said you were "whining that RW was making money and I wasn't making money." I said that I found it was hilarious that you were "hurt" that you got emails from RW after you were caught trying to rent around them, directly to a customer.

In fairness to @rickandcindy23, she got tagged by Koala, not Redweek. She admittedly was trying to go around their system, which she disclosed. She was doing so as the Koala system was not working, and she was at risk of losing the imminent rental.

 

[rickandcindy23]

This is untrue. I never said you were "whining that RW was making money and I wasn't making money." I said that I found it was hilarious that you were "hurt" that you got emails from RW after you were caught trying to rent around them, directly to a customer.

Well, that didn't happen. Redweek? You have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[rickandcindy23]

In fairness to @rickandcindy23, she got tagged by Koala, not Redweek. She admittedly was trying to go around their system because, which she disclosed, but she was doing so as the Koala system was not working and she was at risk of losing the imminent rental.

I definitely deserved the hand slap from Koala. It was actually painful, still stings a lot, but I deserved it.

 

[Red elephant]

Appreciate your response. First, as i said, Redweek when you are choosing options, does not disclose this fee. Second, sure, the renter pays the fee. But I know after 14 years what the market price is for my units. And when they added the 10% to my unit without my knowing it, i was priced above the market and so haven't rented as yet.

That is what happened to me when I could not travel to Hawaii and listed with them. Did not see my listing as I was looking at the listed price. Just to find out they had added their fee on top of my listed price which is a new thing and they did not even tell me. They said it was the law now to add the fee as the total price for the listing. It was a verified and protected listing.

 

[Red elephant]

I rent occasionally. I do not own units with a view to making a profit. I own primarily to use for exchange, but I may have an excess unit from time to time. When I rent, I look at what the market is (asking price) and I price towards the low end. Cover my MF and maybe make a little money to offset my other units, but I own primarily to use. The OP's point is valid. The mark-up changes where your unit sits in the market. The lack of transparency for the first time lister is an issue.

That’s is exactly what happened to me and I was furious. I did not find out till months later when I was trying to figure out why it was not renting and was going to reduce the price.

 

[rickandcindy23]

That is what happened to me when I could not travel to Hawaii and listed with them. Did not see my listing as I was looking at the listed price. Just to find out they had added their fee on top of my listed price which is a new thing and they did not even tell me. They said it was the law now to add the fee as the total price for the listing. It was a verified and protected listing.

Did you rent the week? I think total price is a good thing for a buyer to see, but it's definitely something you didn't see before and do see now.

 

[Red elephant]

Did you rent the week? I think total price is a good thing for a buyer to see, but it's definitely something you didn't see before and do see now.

I agree that the buyer should make an informed decision when renting so the know the total price upfront. But the seller should know as well what is actually being reported as the total price. I am not too familiar with renting as I don’t rent much hence why I use verify and protected so I had no idea what the fee was which I probably should have so I can price accordingly.

 

[montygz]

As hotel / resort shopper, it is clear that the price you pay isn't revealed until you check out and get to the final "pay" button.

The same can be said for airline and event tickets.

Sadly, it's the world we live in now. No one wants to show the total price upfront. Redweek is just playing along with everyone else.

 

[davidvel]

In fairness to @rickandcindy23, she got tagged by Koala, not Redweek. She admittedly was trying to go around their system, which she disclosed. She was doing so as the Koala system was not working, and she was at risk of losing the imminent rental.

Ok, she was using RW to go around Koala, and complaining she was hurt they emailed her (twice), but now acknowledges she "deserved" it. I guess that is my fault.

Well, that didn't happen. Redweek? You have no idea what you are talking about.

Yes, it started with Koala, but morphed to Redweek.

The feature actually got me into trouble. I had someone who asked if I could cut down a stay to four nights, she asked me last week, and I said I couldn't do that because as soon as I cancel this week at Peacock Suites, I will probably lose the entire week because that has been what happened in the past. It was a week starting 12/7, peak time for Christmas lights.

I happened to cancel the week on Friday and saw the four nights the woman wanted. I told her I have the four nights. Well, Koala takes days to confirm the dates, and of course they have to get their part of the money, I don't even know what they charge because I don't look at my listings for the final amounts. I would lose the points by Monday, so I offered to rent to her outside of Koala and put the ad on RW.

I received a much-deserved reprimand from Koala. Edited to say, now I am unable to even use private messaging. I have been punished handily.

 

[Ski-Dad]

Ok, she was using RW to go around Koala, and complaining she was hurt they emailed her (twice), but now acknowledges she "deserved" it. I guess that is my fault.

Yes, it started with Koala, but morphed to Redweek.

Not sure what your problem is. @rickandcindy23 disclosed openly on the forum that she f'ed up (not her words, but mine). She said "I received a much deserved reprimand".

YET you felt it necessary to call her out a month later.

It must be great to be perfect. I have never personally met Cindy, but anyone who can look at the facts, and acknowledge that they were wrong, are OK in my books.

 

[dioxide45]

Appreciate your response. First, as i said, Redweek when you are choosing options, does not disclose this fee. Second, sure, the renter pays the fee. But I know after 14 years what the market price is for my units. And when they added the 10% to my unit without my knowing it, i was priced above the market and so haven't rented as yet.

My point is though, you are really competing against other Verified and Protected listings. The 10% fee is getting added to all of them. If you are pricing your Verified and Protected to somehow compete against DIY, then in effect you are the one paying the 10% fee out of the lower rental proceeds. Your V&P listing isn't necessarily above market. There is a market out there that wants to rent Protected listings and they are willing to pay more for it. They may also be willing to pay more for online booking and the ability to use a credit card directly with Redweek. That is what the renter is paying for. If you are willing to pay that instead by reducing your V&P listing to compete on price of DIY then you are undercutting yourself. I do agree that it would be good if Redweek disclosed the fee to the owners.

All that said, it may not be the 10% fee that is making your rentals not move. 2024 is a different kind of rental year. There is a lot more competition with many more listings out there. Then there is also the consumer that is past the post covid travel high. Rentals just aren't moving like they did the past couple years.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Then there is also the consumer that is past the post covid travel high.

I think this hits it on the nail. Post-Covid travel messed with everything because people that travelled every other year, or every third year, all took their trips at the same time. Add to that the increase in domestic travel and decrease in international travel, and now you have a rebound effect.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I think this hits it on the nail. Post-Covid travel messed with everything because people that travelled every other year, or every third year, all took their trips at the same time. Add to that the increase in domestic travel and decrease in international travel, and now you have a rebound effect.

It's certainly affected many businesses. Our son owns a fireplace store between Denver and Castle Rock. Covid year and the year after were great for his business. It's much slower this year. People were buying things and even remodeling houses in place of vacations, I think. Who knows? One can only guess.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

It's certainly affected many businesses. Our son owns a fireplace store between Denver and Castle Rock. Covid year and the year after were great for his business. It's much slower this year. People were buying things and even remodeling houses in place of vacations, I think. Who knows? One can only guess.

I redid and installed two closet systems in two different bedrooms and painted two rooms in my house during the lockdowns. I was an essential government employee who still had to work,, but there was not a lot to do on the weekends or after work…

 

[rickandcindy23]

I redid and installed two closet systems in two different bedrooms and painted two rooms in my house during the lockdowns. I was an essential government employee who still had to work,, but there was not a lot to do on the weekends or after work…

The year after Covid, starting about spring of 2021, was when we remodeled our rental townhouse to sell. It was a big remodel, really every room received a major facelift. I even redesigned the kitchen to add a huge pantry in place of a small eating area (there was already a dining area attached to the kitchen). It sold for more money than we ever dreamed possible.

 

[GT75]

I have never personally met Cindy, but anyone who can look at the facts, and acknowledge that they were wrong, are OK in my books.

@rickandcindy23, I honestly don’t know what the incident was that you were referring to but I was also impressed that you acknowledge the blame.

 

[rickandcindy23]

@rickandcindy23, I honestly don’t know what the incident was that you were referring to but I was also impressed that you acknowledge the blame.

Thank you! I did do something stupid and unthinking. I admit it here and admitted it to the CEO of Koala.