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Renting a Marriott week from owner - need advice

tmartin1

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Hi,

I answered an ad in the TUG classifieds for a Marriott rental. It looks like the owner is able to reserve the week I've requested, so I'll rent directly from her.

I don't know the Marriott system, so I'm unclear about the process. I want to make sure that I'm getting what has been advertised and that the week will be there for us when we arrive.

A couple of questions:
1. How do Marriott owners transfer their week for renting on their own?
2. Can I contact the resort directly to verify?
3. Do I receive some type of guest certificate?
4. Can the owner change anything with Marriott without my knowledge (after I've paid)?

Thanks for any information you can provide!

Theresa
 
I had the same questions about a month ago.

The owner adds your name to the reservation and you can call the resort directly to confirm that it's there. If you are lucky, the front desk person will fax you some sort of print-out that shows that your name is in the system [I was told that this works but the front desk person at Manor Club had no idea what I was asking for when I tried to explain it to her]. The thing is that the owner can just as easily remove your name from the reservation - so you need some sort of rental contract to protect yourself. There is a sticky in the buying/renting section that talks about how to go about renting.

In my case, I talked to the owner a couple of times and exchanged a few e-mails. My comfort level is high enough that I did not go the contract route - I'm not one to take anyone to court for a couple of hundred dollars anyway; too much misery. I'll call the resort a day or two ahead to confirm the reservation just to be sure and that will be the end of it.

Charles
 
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1. The owners simply call Marriott Owner Services to add your name (not replace their name) to the reservation.

2. No need to. See #3.

3. Ask the owners to instruct Marriott to list your name first in the reservation and have a copy sent out so that you can get verification. If your name is not listed first, the printed confirmation will not have your name on it.

4. Yes. Although there is a small risk there, no one has ever reported here of that being a problem. There is a good reason for allowing such a change. Suppose, for example, that the agreement is that you'll get a written Marriott confirmation after making a 50% deposit. Then suppose you fail to pay the remaining 50%. The owner will want to get your name off of the reservation so that you can't check in. Or suppose you ultimately can't go that week and ask the owner to try to get a different week.

The option to make changes is important and only owners can make changes. If it really concerns you, tell the owner you are a worry wort and ask the owner if you can conference with Marriott Owner Services just before you leave home to verify that you are still on the reservation. If I were renting to you, I would have no problem with such a request. Alternatively, you can call the resort - not Marriott Owner Services - just before leaving home and confirm.
 
And in the fairly likely case that the owner has rented the week before, you can ask for a reference to a previous renter.
 
How about adding your Marriott Rewards number to the reservation?

I have rented out a Marriott week in the past, and I seem to remember you can give the renter's MR number along with his/her name.

Then the renter can log onto the MR website and it *should* show up under "existing reservations" like any other hotel reservation.
 
We've rented before with no problems. We always stayed in email contact with the people, becoming friendly. This time, the woman emailed me the confirmation - it had the number AND my name on it. I did the same for her (we did a private exchange). She's in Aruba now. She emailed and said she had no problem at all, but they did ask about my husband and her words - sounded disappointed not to see him. They gave her our ocean view as promised (since they went in as owners - that's the nice thing about renting or exchanging privately - you go in as owner, thus receiving their view).:cheer:
 
I have been on the owner side of many rentals. I find that the easiest way to minimize risk is to make sure you have a good telephone conversation. I find that in 5 minutes you will know where you stand 90% of the time. Nothing like direct human interaction vs. only emails and faxes.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies and advice.

We've been in contact through e-mails and my comfort level is much better. She's given me the confirmation # for her week and all her contact numbers. She will transfer the week to my name when I pay in full. She's also e-mailed me a rental agreement, so I feel comfortable.

I was never too paranoid about the situation - I was mostly curious about the Marriott system and how it works. I have a much better understanding of it now.

I don't have a Marriott Rewards number, but like your idea about adding one to the reservation. I'll check to see if I can get one.

Thanks!
 
I don't have a Marriott Rewards number, but like your idea about adding one to the reservation. I'll check to see if I can get one.
It takes about two minutes to get a Marriott Rewards number. Click here, fill out the form and you will start earning points when you spend money while staying at a Marriott.
 
It does take a little trust on the buyers side...

Hi,

I answered an ad in the TUG classifieds for a Marriott rental. It looks like the owner is able to reserve the week I've requested, so I'll rent directly from her.

Thanks for any information you can provide!
Theresa

I've rented and direct traded (even to one of the posters in this thread) our Hawaii unit a few times and the actual process is as easy as previously posted. Just contact Marriott, have the renters added to the reservation and ask Marriott to email a confirmation to the renter.

Lots of personal contact via email and phone contact can really make the renter feel confident that everything is on the up-and-up and have a successful vacation...
 
I have been on the owner side of many rentals. I find that the easiest way to minimize risk is to make sure you have a good telephone conversation. I find that in 5 minutes you will know where you stand 90% of the time. Nothing like direct human interaction vs. only emails and faxes.

What arrangement is reasonable and fair for both parties - i.e rental terms, deposit, refundability etc, if you are reserving a week for a renter that you wouldnt normally reserve - say renter wants a June 08 week and I want aug b/c I can use if not rented - and they back out in Jan which means my aug week is long gone??
 
squiggle -

See Perry's sound advice for landlords (the quoted text) at the bottom of the how to rent article, located at the top of the list of topics for the Buying, Selling, Renting forum. As Perry suggests:
Get 100% of the money up front – there are so many flakey renters out there who change their mind that taking a deposit and finding out 30 days before check-in that the renter is not going forward means a loss of a lot of money.
That 100% payment upfront also applies because of your scenario.

Similarly, no refund unless the landlord can rent the week out and limit the loss. Even then, the refund should be something less than 100%. That's something to be spelled out in the rental contract. See sample contracts in the TUG Advice section.
 
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