Original Message:
If you are a renter and you want an option to save 7 %, read this post. (by IBGZ):
Redweek Alert. If you are not aware of how Redweek now lists Rentals, it could cost renters 7 % to 15% or more on top of the Rental.
What is the Change . - Now when you go to the resort you are looking to stay and click on rentals, the default rental listing that come up are all the Featured listings. Featured listings are the Verified & Protected listings. Redweek is hiding all the verified and regular ads after the very last date of all dates in the Featured list. If you are unaware Redweek did this, you would never know to page through the complete list of Featured listing to get to the other ad options. When the default featured listing come up, you can find it on the upper right and sort by date to get all ads sorted by date. .
Verified & Protected is a renamed service offered by Redweek. – T his offering starts out with the same protection offered by a verified week. Redweek verifies that the renter owns the week at the resort. This is what is most important to the integrity of the rental for those concerned. This Verified & Protected service requires on line booking and provides the agreement to the renter to sign. Seems like a valuable service for some but it also adds a 7 % fee and in some states like Florida and South Carolina, it adds State tax that can be 8 % or more. You do not see these charges until you “request to book “ and they are on top of the rental price. On a unit you rent for $3000, it adds a minimum of $210 and in SC, it adds $500 with state tax.
Who cares, if you don’t want the service don’t take it. Here lies the problem. - In the past when you looked for rentals, the listings were sorted by date for all ads. You saw regular ads, verified ads and ads managed by Redweek for your dates of interest. . This gave you a complete view so you could compare prices and decide if you wanted to pay 15% for the managed service. Now, all you see are the verified and protected so the renter would think this is the new normal because they see no other rentals.
What can be done to give me choice again. Complain to Redweek- When the default featured listing come up when you click on rental, you can reset the sorting by date. In the upper right portion of the listing, change the sort from Featured to date. You get all the ads for the timeframe you are looking for to choose how you want to do business. If knowing what Redweek is doing, you can page through to the rest of the ads at the end of the last dated Featured ads.