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Help— owner doesn’t use rental agreements (by KC):

eileenh177 wrote:

I’m trying to rent a time share in Orlando for the first time through Redweek. It is not a verified listing, but it is the only one with the right dates and size. I asked the owner for copy of the rental agreement or whether he would use an escrow company. He said that he does not use rental agreements. He takes a deposit through PayPal and when the reservation shows in my name, he wants the balance through PayPal. I could use your help! Could he change the reservation once I’ve paid?

You don't identify the resort or the system involved in this prospective rental but generally speaking, any owner has the right to change a reservation at any time prior to occupancy date. That being said, someone who is a paid RedWeek member who has paid additional money to place an a rental ad on Redweek is (in my opinion) highly unlikely to be dishonest or a scammer.

Nonetheless, one has to wonder why any owner would decline to execute a formal rental agreement. One major problem for you as the prospective tenant is that with no contract, you have no idea of the owner's policy or intentions in the event that you have to cancel before occupancy, for whatever reason. Additionally, if the ad / owner is not already "RedWeek verified", do you somehow have other proof or documentation that the person offering this rental is, in fact, the actual owner of the week being offered, with the legal standing and authority to even be conducting this rental at all in the first place?

It is my belief and personal experience over a fair number of years now (on both sides of RedWeek rentals) that 99.9% of all rentals on RedWeek are completely legitimate and conducted by honest owners. That being said, you have to make a personal decision whether you want to "roll the dice" on that remaining tiny minority in the absence of a formal rental agreement / contract. An owner who won't provide (or participate in) a mutually signed formal rental agreement spelling out all pertinent details of the rental (including clearly stated cancellation / refund terms, conditions and time frame) is an owner with whom I personally would not choose to do business, but that's ultimately a personal choice and decision that you need to make for yourself.