Original Message:
Renting a timeshare unit without escrow services (by Bernadette M.):
I am not a timeshare owner but I like staying in a timeshare when I go on vacation. This is a good site for finding timeshares for rent to popular locations. However I have run into situations where timeshare owners will list their unit for rent but do not subscribe to the verified, payment, or escrow services that Red Week offers. Nor do they offer similar services privately. Seems like that should be a standard business practice. They want 100% upfront before transferring the reservation. If these verified/escrow services are not offered it puts 100% of the risk on the renter and we have all heard the horror stories of vacation scams.
Yes, I can choose not to rent with that owner but on some occasions the week I needed to travel only had owners that refused to use Redweek verified/escrow services. Both times this has happened everything work out fine but I was unhappy that I did not feel secure in the transaction.
It seems like most in the forum are owners but has anyone else run into this problem? Any suggestions on how to minimize the risk? Or as an owner what terms do you offer to potential renters?