Potential Damage Fees at Timeshares

[flexible Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close flexible]

We have too many timeshares and hope to rent some of the excess timshares. Also we have a two bedroom Mayan Palace unit for 6 weeks per year and wish to rent the 'lock off' side.

Someone replied to one of our ads and mentioned they have two children aged 2 and 3. My husband's first comment was that the children could scribble on the walls or do damage and we might be liable.

We also have reservations during Spring Break to rent out. Not sure if we should charge deposits from college students or get their parents to sign a rental agreement accepting responsibility for potential damages.

Has anyone ever been charged damages by timeshare companies.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I really doubt that any timeshare or hotel would charge you back for damage done by young children. Scribbling on the walls, spilling on the carpet, wiping hands on the curtains--those kinds of things are usually considered normal wear and tear.

Unsupervised teenagers, on the other hand--those I would worry about!

[brucecz Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close brucecz]

We have too many timeshares and hope to rent some of the excess timshares. Also we have a two bedroom Mayan Palace unit for 6 weeks per year and wish to rent the 'lock off' side.

Someone replied to one of our ads and mentioned they have two children aged 2 and 3. My husband's first comment was that the children could scribble on the walls or do damage and we might be liable.

We also have reservations during Spring Break to rent out. Not sure if we should charge deposits from college students or get their parents to sign a rental agreement accepting responsibility for potential damages.

Has anyone ever been charged damages by timeshare companies.

Yes, $200. They snuck a dog in and caused other problems and damage.

If you do not get a security deposit unfortunately a lot of today’s parents enable bad behavior and would not honor their promise and not pay up. So IMHO get the security deposit up front.

Also asking for money if anything is damaged after the fact leaves one huge problem. If they do not want to honor their word it would be expensive to go after them and you are still on the hook for any problems or damage.

By getting a security deposit upfront you encourage better behavior because they know they will lose their security deposit if they do damage, etc. We in all of our rental agreements only rent to people 25 and up. On our Keys rentals we get a $200 security deposit.

One time we rented a spring break week in Wisconsin Dells to someone that was under 21 years but got a $500 security deposit. (The minimum . age limit at that time was 18) They had the unit spotless when they checked out.

Even if damage by a 2 or 3 year old is unintentional, it still costs money and most resorts will not or should IMHO subsidize that damage that the owners would have to pay for through their maintenance fees.

I also point out other behaviors in our rental agreement that can l cost them money like sneaking animals into the unit.

You need to cover your butt legally on rentals as much as you can as not to have to pay for problems you did not cause.



Bruce

[brother coony Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close brother coony]

See if you can talk with someone in owner services at your resort and ask them if the take guest credit cards and if any damadge they charge to there credit cards, and not you, lot of resort does that,not all
Howard

[brucecz Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close brucecz]

See if you can talk with someone in owner services at your resort and ask them if the take guest credit cards and if any damadge they charge to there credit cards, and not you, lot of resort does that,not all
Howard

The problem is that the card holder could have this credit card company fight it. Or that the credit card is maxed out.

Bruce

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

I really doubt that any timeshare or hotel would charge you back for damage done by young children. Scribbling on the walls, spilling on the carpet, wiping hands on the curtains--those kinds of things are usually considered normal wear and tear.

As a landlord, those things are considered damage, not wear and tear. Maybe a different issue at a resort (and I would not want to walk into a place with crayon all over the wall) so they would not charge for that type of damage.

[bunnyhop Member Find all posts View Profile Close bunnyhop]

That was a good concern that
you thaught of.

I never thought about people
you rent out to, that cause
dammage, could really cost you
money.

It's a good think you thaught
about this situation before you
went ahead and did it.

It's too bad that many people
forget they have kids and just
let them do anything
that makes them happy/quiet.

However, I would worry more about
the teens. Most teens tend to do
pranks all the time just to have fun.

Hmmmm. Does this sound like maybe
they had parents that let them do
anything they wanted that made them
happy?

But it seems as though the teens would
be more of dammage than children....Unless
the parents are the ones you need to look
out for.

I think Brucecz has a well thought out plan.
Getting a deposit would be good and
not letting anyone rent unless they're 25
and older.

Unfortunantly, this sucks for the young ones
who are responsable. I was serprised I was
able to rent a car in my name at age 21!
(I'm very respecful and honest)
Again...I think that's because that's just
how my parents raised me.

Good luck.
Hopefully everything turns out
well in the end

[brucecz Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close brucecz]

I do not collect a security deposit on our Christmas Mountain rentals but do collect $100 to $200 Security deposits on our other resorts in Florida, Florida Keys, Mexico, Las Vegas, etc.

They are made aware that if they cause problems it may cost them in several ways in all of our rental agreements.

I have posted a couple of those items that are on our rental agreements let the renter are going to be held responsable. This takes away the excuse that they did not know.

1. Please NOTE, Our policy requires the renter of the rental party must be able to prove that they are at least 25 years old upon check in to permit use of the unit by the renter. A credit card imprint will be required upon check in to cover any possible damages to the unit or resort.

The person who’s name that is to be put on the rental lease must be willing to send proof of their age being 25 years or older by the use of some type of official picture ID in order to rent from us. The person who’s name is on the rental lease must be present in order for their group to be allowed to be checked in without advance emailed permission from us the landlord to the resort. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in meeting requirement on verifying age requirements.

Please note that only 'Service dogs ' are entitled to stay at the resort because of the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable State laws. But no regular 'pets' are allowed. To avoid possible Denial of Occupancy please call the resorts front desk at 1-608-254-3941 to verify that your dog meets the requirements to be considered a 'Service' dog before renting this unit from us.

Please be aware that any extra cleaning needed or damage caused by your 'service dogs' actions may result in a extra fees to be billed to the service dogs owner(s).

Please note that as per the resorts rules, absolutely no animals of any kind are allowed ( excepting Service Dogs) in any of our resort’s units. Violate this rule and you will have to leave and face a $250 or more sanitizing cleaning charges and in addition the definite LOSS of your $100. security deposit.

Maximum sleeping occupancy is 6 people per unit according to the resort rules.


4. Length of rental week number 26 is for 7 nights. Your rental begins upon check in at 3:00 PM Sunday June 29, 2008 and check-out is on or before Sunday July 6, 2008 at 10:00 AM. If you do not plan to check in on your assigned check in date, but plan to check in on a later date we suggest that you contact the resort and advise them of that fact one or two days before your reservation check in date as stated on your confirmed reservation. By calling them a head of time they will know that you still plan to use it and not mistakenly assign your unit to someone else.

IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE, in order to try to be fair to all interested potential interested renters the first prospective tenant to send the landlord payment in full will secure the unit fot thier use. Other later arriving payments will be returned. The EARLIEST POSTMARK gets our unit if two checks arrive for the same confirmed reservation unit- check in date.

There is a no refund policy once the timeshare is rented. The only type of refund that would be allowed is if the this unit is if it is uninhabitable as stated in part numbered section 7 of this rental lease agreement, and no other similar units are available for the same week at this resort. The parties have signed their names below to evidence their agreement to the terms and conditions of this rental lease.

5A. Rent for this unit as listed for the date above is $_________. (in US Dollars) )
There is no Housekeeping fee to be paid on this type of Bluegreen Points owners reservation.
PLEASE NOTE, NO PERSONAL CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED if with in 30 days of the check date, DO NOT SEND CASH. If with in 30 days of reservation check in date please send BANK CASHIERS CHECK, MONEY ORDER, ETC. Payment required to secure unit is 100% of rental price as show above for this confirmed reservation.

OR
5B. In most cases for special request for a non existing reservation check in date that we do not have a confirmed reservation for, there is NO CHARGE to have us check for availability for your special request that we do not have reserved at that time.

But a $200 good faith Pay Pal Good Faith down payment is required before we will CANCEL one of OUR confirmed reservations and try for a period of 2 business days after the Pay Pal good faith down payment is received to reserve your special request time period.

The main reason for this policy is that we may have already reserved a hard to reserve high demand reservation and may have to cancel that high demand reservation to try and accommodate your request.

The reason we have the rule as it is not fair to the owners to have the owners cancel a high demand and book a sprcial request week, so their efforts and time is not wasted by people who made that special request and then not rent.

Once the confirmed reservation is made the renter-tenet after being emailed is to send in the remaining balance due with in 24 hours.

6. The tenant agrees to rent the Unit from the landlord, and the landlord agrees to lease the Unit to the tenant.

7. The term of the lease is only for the exact period designated in paragraph 4. The tenant may use the Unit during the term without interference subject to the terms of this lease. If the Unit is not habitable on the day that the term starts by reason of flood, fire, storm, or for any other reason, the landlord shall refund the rent forthwith and will there after have no further liability to tenant.

Here are some links to renter's Travel Insurance that could help lessen any financial loss because of unforeseen circumstances of storms and other weather problems, travel problems like airline strikes or Airline Bankruptcies, health , etc problems or any other problems causing financial loss the landlord did not cause and is not responsible for.

You may also want to contact local travel agents and check out the cost of the of a level of a Travel Insurance package that you feel comfortable to protect your self against unforeseen circumstances that may affect or end your vacation plans.

http://www.globaltravelshield.com

Travel Insurance: Travel Guard - Trip, Medical/Health & Accident Coverage

AIG Travel Guard: Affiliate Program

Travel Insurance - InsureMyTrip.com

http://www.totaltravelinsurance.com/...CTWAodxmNj ZA

Default PLESK Page

8. The tenant agrees to pay the rent as set forth in paragraph 5 at the times stated in that paragraph. If the rent is not received by landlord on or before the date specified, the landlord may declare the tenant in default by written notice sent by either certified mail, e-mail, or fax. If the default is not cured within 3 days after receipt of the notice, the landlord may rent the Unit to others.

9. The tenant may use the Unit only in accordance with the rules and regulations of the resort in which the Unit is located. No pets are allowed. If the tenant's or their guests violate the resort rules which results in resort kicking them out, there will be no refund of any portion of the rent for the unused time.




Bruce

[crwisconsin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close crwisconsin]

I have posted a couple of those items that are on our rental agreements let the renter are going to be held responsible. This takes away the excuse that they did not know. Bruce

Bruce,

Would you be willing to share an electronic copy of your rental agreement. From what you have told me personally, it is almost foolproof.

Charles

[brucecz Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close brucecz]

Bruce,

Would you be willing to share an electronic copy of your rental agreement. From what you have told me personally, it is almost foolproof.

Charles

Charles, you can type out the Main Legal reason I told you when I talked to today you why I will NOT Legallt authorize any one to use any one of my COPYRIGHTED rental agreements because of potental legal liability issues to us.

That is one of the few things I will not share because of potental legal liability issues to me if someone else missed used it in someway. The Copyright helps protect us if a unauthorized person missed used it or part of it in someway and then tryed to claim that we were at fault for their rental contract.

I know that some have stolen parts of my rental agreement because of MY age usage quoted in some of the other peoples rental contracts is the same as mine, but are not the resorts requires, but my requirement.


Bruce

I

[crwisconsin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close crwisconsin]

Bruce, you make sense

Charles, you can type out the Main Legal reason Bruce

The first thing I thought of when we started talking was the person suing McDonald's because they spilled hot coffee in their lap and won the suit. We are a sue happy society. I can understand that if you gave someone permission to use your legal document and that person lost a lawsuit or incurred some financial loss because something in your document either wasn't covered or expressed in the right legalese, they could then sue you for not furnishing a satisfactory document, maybe even get you for practicing law without a license. So, you can protect yourself with a copyright. Of course, people might read your agreement in your ads and be inspired to write their own.

I noticed in your agreement a clause about "no pets". I did not see a clause about "no smoking". In both cases the tenant could leave and you, the landlord, could be stuck with a steep deep cleaning fee.

Charles

[longtimer Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close longtimer]

I am a DRI owner, so I don't know if this information is relevant for you. I have rented out to friends two times when I couldn't use one of my weeks. Both times, I made the reservations, then changed the name of the person checking in. In both cases, the people knew they had to present a valid credit card at check-in. These were people I knew and trusted, so I didn't anticipate any problems. However, I believe if the reservation and credit card was in their name, they would be responsible for any damages/ missing items - not me.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I have not read any of the other replies.

Although some of the things mentioned in your OP are troubling, to answer the only question you asked, in more than 110 exchanges over 20 years we have never been charged any damage fees.

[Larry Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Larry]

rental agreement

You can purchase a timeshare rental agreement as well as timeshare sales agreement from Timesharing Today. I don't remember the cost but it was pretty reasonable.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

timeshare rental agreements - Google Search