complaint about members renting during holidays

[MichelleB]

First let me say that I've rented my pts before to another member via transferring. My complaint is not about renters per se, but the prime reservations that are made and then rented out for a profit. An example: there are 2 listings on the rent/trade board - 1 is for New Year's and another is for Christmas. Both are reservations in a 2 bdrm. (I think) and are asking $13.50 and $14 per point. I do not go during the holidays, so this is not a complaint because I couldn't get what I wanted, but for those that tried so hard to get a holiday reservation and couldn't. I know the waitlist is long for those holidays. I am going on the assumption that someone made the ressie and then found they themselves could not go (yes, giving them the benefit of the doubt). Why not cancel and let someone that truly can go and is probably praying their waitlist comes through, have that reservation instead of now trying to make a profit on it? I'd like to see MS make restrictions on the holidays that one of the occupants must be a member. I know that opens a can of worms, but why should these prime ressies be rented out when a member would really like to have one?

 

[disneynutz]

Why not cancel and let someone that truly can go and is probably praying their waitlist comes through, have that reservation instead of now trying to make a profit on it?

In a perfect world, that's a nice idea. In the real world, people are people. I think that Disney should better explain how hard it is to get DVC reservations, and that the Timeshare Resellers should lower their commissions.

Will it happen in my lifetime, don't hold your breath.

 

[BroganMc]

Why not cancel and let someone that truly can go and is probably praying their waitlist comes through, have that reservation instead of now trying to make a profit on it?

Could be the member is beyond their banking window so would take a loss unless they rent. I know I made my New Year's ressie with the backup plan of renting it if I couldn't go, because my banking window closed in May.

 

[Cruelladeville]

At one time, there was a lottery for the rooms at Christmas, and only those who were chosen could get a room. The rest of us couldn't stay in a DVC room, no matter what. This way is much better! We all have the same chance to get a room, and if someone wants to sell it and make a profit, well, it's a free country.

 

[kimberh]

Michelle, You have posted a very tacky post on both of those rental threads, which is against posting guidelines. The rent/trade board is strictly for rental /trades or point transfers. It is not a board for posting ones feelings. You need to read the rules for the rent/trade board. We all have the same booking window, if we wanted Christmas, and I didn't... then we could have called at the 11 month window and booked it. I am going earlier in Dec. It is not my place to tell another DVCer how to rent or not rent their points. They pay the maintenance fees on those points, not me. We all have different banking windows, we don't know the family situations that may have occured in each family, since the reservation was booked.

 

[Inkmahm]

Did you see this?

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1505180

Make sense to me. I'm glad the change was made to posting existing reservations only within 30 days.

 

[Deb & Bill]

MichelleB, you are going to probably get two very different responses to your statement. The subtle renters who do this all the time will stress that all is equal between DVC members and making a reservation. The anti-renting owner will state that this is wrong and unfair to the other members.

I know my feelings on this one and I'm with you. But stopping it really isn't going to happen. However, they won't be posting these reservations For Rent on the R/T Board anymore since they have to wait for 30 days out to do so. You'll have to go over to Redweek, craigslist or Ebay to find these now. Or, you'll find the covert posts (many, many posts), that will state to a non-owner seeking this time "I sent you a PM.".

 

[poggs]

First let me say that I've rented my pts before to another member via transferring. My complaint is not about renters per se, but the prime reservations that are made and then rented out for a profit. An example: there are 2 listings on the rent/trade board - 1 is for New Year's and another is for Christmas. Both are reservations in a 2 bdrm. (I think) and are asking $13.50 and $14 per point. I do not go during the holidays, so this is not a complaint because I couldn't get what I wanted, but for those that tried so hard to get a holiday reservation and couldn't. I know the waitlist is long for those holidays. I am going on the assumption that someone made the ressie and then found they themselves could not go (yes, giving them the benefit of the doubt). Why not cancel and let someone that truly can go and is probably praying their waitlist comes through, have that reservation instead of now trying to make a profit on it? I'd like to see MS make restrictions on the holidays that one of the occupants must be a member. I know that opens a can of worms, but why should these prime ressies be rented out when a member would really like to have one?

Well said. Renters are destroying western civiliation as we know it......

 

[mprewitt]

MichelleB, I agree with you!.

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=19584388&postcount=14

 

[Starr W.]

I really don't think this board is going to stop people renting rooms at prime times. Like someone else said they can just pm people looking for those reservations(you know those posts, got to take Grandpa who's on his deathbed to VWL for Xmas ).

Also Redweek has just started a rather interesting exchange program(I think to compete with II & RCI, cheaper rates) plus they have the Redwishes for people trying to "trade weeks".

TUG also has rent ads or private exchange ads. Then add Craiglist and Ebay and there are many more places to place your rent ads.

Go on Redweek or TUG and look at the list of rentals, you can find Xmas, Easter, prime weeks for all the popular timeshares.

 

[MichelleB]

Inkmahm, I hadn't seen that! I'm glad they've made that change!

I'd like to stress again, that I'm not against someone renting out their points (there are lots of us "occasionally rent out my points members"), I just don't think it's fair to have a reservation during the prime holiday times and then try to rent it out when there are so many that are waitlisting to receive their reservation.

Kimberh, you're right, I should not have posted there. And you're also right that I don't know their situation - however I am sure that there was some other option besides renting a prime time at at increase in price. I don't want to start an argument, but I simply believe it's not acceptable to take a ressie from another owner for such a prime time. If banking window was a problem, then look for another "member" to work out something with. That's my source of contention is that the prime times should be reserved for members -make your own ressie at the appropriate time and hope with the rest of us. Don't make a prime ressie and not be able to go and then ask more because you know it's a prime time.

In a perfect world, we'd all consider each other, but that doesn't happen. I know there are always going to be loopholes in the system and there will always be someone looking for them. Some day, I believe MS will find a way to sqelch some of this and I'll be all for it.

 

[Judique]

First let me say that I've rented my pts before to another member via transferring. My complaint is not about renters per se, but the prime reservations that are made and then rented out for a profit. An example: there are 2 listings on the rent/trade board - 1 is for New Year's and another is for Christmas. Both are reservations in a 2 bdrm. (I think) and are asking $13.50 and $14 per point. I do not go during the holidays, so this is not a complaint because I couldn't get what I wanted, but for those that tried so hard to get a holiday reservation and couldn't. I know the waitlist is long for those holidays. I am going on the assumption that someone made the ressie and then found they themselves could not go (yes, giving them the benefit of the doubt). Why not cancel and let someone that truly can go and is probably praying their waitlist comes through, have that reservation instead of now trying to make a profit on it? I'd like to see MS make restrictions on the holidays that one of the occupants must be a member. I know that opens a can of worms, but why should these prime ressies be rented out when a member would really like to have one?

I would have a hard time putting my trust in the renter who has 5 posts - 4 of which say 'bump' to begin with. Buyer beware - someone trying to profit from DVC and who has not ever posted on the Dis before - at least under that name.

I am looking to book some days in the time frames posted to stay at BWV. I've used all my BWV points to book at 11 months but had to wait til 7 months to get my whole vacation. I'm now waitlisting while someone is trying to sell the same days at a profit. I won't rent those points. I'll wait and get a backup in the event the waitlist bombs.

 

[MichelleB]

Judique, I sincerely hope your waitlist comes through. You are the type of member that I had in mind with my post.

I posted something similar on the rent/trade board and it was not allowed and I should not have done that (should've read those rules before reacting to the posts). Have to admit that when I saw the posts, I was hoping they'd be left with those ressies in the long run and trying to figure out what to do with them.

 

[tomandrobin]

I have no problem with the renting/transfer of points between owners. I do not and have liked seeing the booking and renting of "choice" weeks for profit. I foor one, am glad they are helping to limit this practice.

 

[lippylulu]

I am a non DVC owner and recently rented points from a member. It is for a non holiday/peak time so don't shoot me. I also just purchased my first timeshare on Cape Cod. I think there are some real advantages for letting the system remain as it is. First of all, one of the selling points for a time share is that it is an investment---and an investment is defined as something with money making potential. The other reason renting out points or weeks is that it benefits the resort. We rented a prime week (July 4th) from an owner on Cape Cod and loved the place so much we bought a timeshare ourselves directly through the resort (first asking the people we rented from as a courtesy, checking rates on TUG classifieds, redweek, etc). Actually we bought 2 weeks--one prime and one non prime with the intention of renting or exhanging the non prime week when we can. In short, renting points or weeks is the best advertising there is---and much cheaper than giving away useless freebies, expensive weekends, or boring nonwilling guests with 90 minute speeches. I don't know much about time shares, exchanging, renting, etc, but it seems to me that an owners best option is to stay glued to whatever calander for advanced reservations their property allows, hope for the best, and rent what they can't or don't want to use.

I have no idea if we rented from a scheming money making owner or just a nice person with points for rent. All I know is he got us the week we wanted at the price we hoped to pay, and the best part is that we are going on our first trip to Disney in October at SSR! Can't wait!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I am a non DVC owner and recently rented points from a member. It is for a non holiday/peak time so don't shoot me. ... All I know is he got us the week we wanted at the price we hoped to pay, and the best part is that we are going on our first trip to Disney in October at SSR! Can't wait!

Actually, October is a peak DVC time. About the only time that is not peak DVC time is late January, late August and early September.

When you purchase DVC they point out to you that you shouldn't consider it an investment, but just a prepaid vacation plan. DVC is not your typical timeshare.

Finally, we don't want no steenking renters here. [Just a joke, just a joke! Not intended to rile anyone up. ]

 

[mprewitt]

I am a non DVC owner and recently rented points from a member. I have no idea if we rented from a scheming money making owner or just a nice person with points for rent. All I know is he got us the week we wanted at the price we hoped to pay, and the best part is that we are going on our first trip to Disney in October at SSR! Can't wait!

Congrats, Lippylulu! I hope you enjoy your Disney vacatuon at SSR.

I have no problem with transferring points to other DVC members. I don't have a problem with renting points to non-DVC members. Yes, it does expose DVC to outsiders and probably helps Disney sell more memberships. Even more importantly, it doesn't hurt other DVC members.

I just have a big problem with DVC members booking "choice" reservations with the intent to selling the reservation for profit. This practice does tend to harm other DVC member's vacation wishes.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Count me in the camp of not liking booking on spec with the intent of renting. Yes, we all have the booking windows, etc. but I just find this to be in poor taste. Certainly, it is withing the letter of the law (so to speak), I just find it to be distasteful.

If you can't use your points one year...then fine...rent 'em out. But why book on spec? Only to command a premium price.

 

[mjy]

Actually, October is a peak DVC time. About the only time that is not peak DVC time is late January, late August and early September.

Late January, late August and early September? That would be about 6 weeks? The rest of the year is "Peak?"

NO WONDER I can never get my res when I want it!

 

[mjy]

Count me in the camp of not liking booking on spec with the intent of renting. Yes, we all have the booking windows, etc. but I just find this to be in poor taste. Certainly, it is withing the letter of the law (so to speak), I just find it to be distasteful.

If you can't use your points one year...then fine...rent 'em out. But why book on spec? Only to command a premium price.

The only "speculation" I book on is which of my friends might be able to come down with me.

I like to do New Year's at Disney. More specifically, I love to do New Year's Eve at EPCOT!

This coming season I have two one-bedroom units booked at BWV (couldn't get a two-bedroom). As it stands, two of my friends cannot finagle their vacation dates so I -might- have to dump one of those two units for New Year's week.

However, if I have to do that, the decision will be made soon and I will simply call to cancel. I know that I could rent it out (December 30th to January 5th), but I would want it to go to a waitlisted person. After all, I have been in those shoes plenty of times myself (and presently am, since I have a two-bedroom waitlisted).

Anyway, I just wanted to say that not all "speculators" book because they want to profit. Some book to see if they can get them and then try to match up vacation times from their employers.