Are you looking for a way out of your timeshare contract? Good news: while you likely won’t recoup the costs of your ownership, there are safe, relatively convenient ways to walk away from your unwanted timeshare. Hiring a so-called timeshare lawyer, however, usually isn’t one of them. You’ve probably seen the ads: call such and such lawyer to get out of timeshare ownership for good. Nothing weird about that, right? After all, handling legal documents is what lawyers do! Not so fast. While a lawyer might be able to find a loophole in your contract, more often than not, hiring a lawyer costs more, takes longer, and produces fewer results than pursuing in-house exit programs or resale specialists. Here’s what you need to know to avoid becoming a victim.
Why Timeshare Owners Turn to Lawyers for Help
A timeshare is meant to be a lifelong product. That being said, lifelong vacation ownership doesn’t always work out the way you’d planned. Maybe you can no longer afford your maintenance fees. Maybe obligations at home have forced you to put travel on hold. Perhaps you even feel trapped in your timeshare contract. When timeshare ownership becomes untenable, any solution can look attractive. In truth, there just aren’t very many safe, legitimate ways to get out of a timeshare contract. But of course, that doesn’t stop certain bad actors from trying to make a buck.
The timeshare industry is full of lawyers claiming they can cancel or get you out of your contract. These timeshare lawyers use their perceived authority to gain the trust of unsuspecting owners. And why wouldn’t you trust them? After all, if anyone can get you out of a legally binding contract, a lawyer can, right? Not necessarily. A timeshare contract is like any other contract; you can’t simply cancel it. If someone is claiming otherwise, approach with caution.
Why Timeshare Lawyers Can Be Tempting
Timeshare lawyers don’t just exploit owners’ trust. They also take advantage of the desperation and frustration many owners face when finding themselves locked into a timeshare they don’t want. Whether you’ve been burned by an “exit company” that promised to cancel your timeshare contract and did nothing, or you went the resale route, only to have your listing go stale after too much time on the secondary market, getting rid of a timeshare the “right” way requires patience, luck, and realistic expectations. Here’s where a timeshare attorney can really be tempting. Having legal representation can feel like having a bully who’s on your side against the bullies who aren’t. In reality, only a few circumstances – misrepresentation, estate disputes, proven fraud, etc – benefit from legal action.
Why Hiring a Timeshare Lawyer Usually Backfires
1. Timeshare Attorneys Cost a Lot and Deliver Little
Lawyers are expensive, and timeshare lawyers are no exception. Hiring an attorney to help you get out of a timeshare can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars. Moreover, many timeshare lawyers require large upfront retainer fees before they even look at your case. These attorney fees can sometimes exceed the value of the timeshare, and still, there’s no guarantee your lawyer will be able to extricate you from the contract.
2. Limited Understanding of Timeshare Processes
Timeshare law is highly specialized. Unless the lawyer has insider knowledge of brand policies and resort-specific contracts, they probably can’t do anything that a resale broker or the resort itself can’t do better.
So, what does a timeshare lawyer do exactly? Well, in most cases, timeshare lawyers spend their time harassing your resort with emails requesting that they cancel your contract. Timeshare resorts are not required to honor these requests. Unless they have clearly violated the terms of your ownership, your contract remains valid until you sell or transfer it.
3. Using a Lawyer to Get Out of a Timeshare Contract Can Be Lengthy and Stressful
Timeshare developers are generally very careful not to break the law. But what if your lawyer does find evidence of foul play on their part? Get comfortable, because you’re in for a long haul. Legal proceedings can drag on for months or even years, and there’s no guarantee the court will rule in your favor. Meanwhile, you’ll still be responsible for annual maintenance fees and other ongoing costs – including the lawyer’s.
Should I Use a Timeshare Exit Company?
We’ve covered how hiring a lawyer to get out of a timeshare usually backfires. But what about hiring an exit company? An umbrella term encompassing a variety of scams, “exit companies” often claim to work with attorneys or even have their own lawyers on staff to appear trustworthy. But whether they present themselves as a timeshare cancellation company, resale timeshare company, donation company, or timeshare relief company, these scam organizations are anything but.
Here are some red flags to help you identify and avoid timeshare exit scams:
- Vague Promises: If a company offers guaranteed cancellation or claims, for instance, that it can eliminate your ownership in 90 days, beware. No legitimate company can promise results.
- Large Upfront Payments: Another red flag is hefty upfront fees. Many scam companies charge thousands of dollars upfront, only to fall off the face of the earth after they get your money.
- Pressure Tactics: Timeshare exit scams rely on aggressive sales tactics to get you to sign before you have a chance to research them. Watch out for “urgency phrases” such as “limited-time offer” and “act now.”
- Borrowed Legitimacy: Many exit companies form loose partnerships with law firms to create the illusion of legitimacy. Some even appropriate the names of lawyers without their permission!
Whether you’re looking to hire a timeshare exit attorney or to work with a company that claims to have one of its own, always verify their state bar credentials, check their reviews, and make sure they actually specialize in timeshare contracts.
Smarter, Safer Alternatives to Hiring a Timeshare Cancellation Attorney
Hiring a timeshare termination lawyer may not be a safe bet. But if you’re looking for a way out of your ownership, you do have options. Below are two proven alternatives to timeshare lawyers that have helped tens of thousands of owners relinquish their timeshares.
1. Work Directly with Your Resort or Timeshare Company
If you’re not satisfied with your timeshare, your first course of action should always be to contact your resort. Ask if your recission period is still in effect – this is the window within which owners may return their timeshare penalty-free. If your recission period has elapsed, ask about deep-back programs. Many vacation ownership brands, including Hilton, Wyndham, Marriott, and more, offer surrender or deed-back programs that allow qualifying owners to return their timeshare at little to no cost.
If your recission window has closed and you don’t qualify for your resort’s deed-back program, don’t panic. Many top brands offer other types of relief programs to help you get more out of your ownership (through vacation exchange platforms like RCI and II, for example) or find legitimate resale solutions (like Fidelity Real Estate). Examples include Horizons by Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Wyndham Cares, Bluegreen Customer Care, Exit Diamond Timeshare, and The Legacy Program by Westgate.
2. Sell Your Timeshare Through a Licensed Resale Brokerage: A Safe, Legal Way Out of Your Ownership
A licensed real estate brokerage specializing in timeshare resale is the safest, most reliable way to legally transfer your ownership. Timeshare brokers possess in-depth knowledge of the industry’s intricacies. Thus, they can help you negotiate the red tape, scam artists, complicated laws, and other obstacles you’ll face as you endeavor to sell your timeshare. Moreover, as a licensed brokerage, they can assist with all your closing needs, including drawing up contracts, title and escrow services, and more.
Here’s what you can expect when you choose Fidelity Real Estate as your resale brokerage:
- Listing: Fidelity can help you gather the details of your ownership, accurately price your timeshare based on its fair market value, and create an eye-catching listing to share with our expansive, dedicated client base.
- Closing: Once you accept an offer, Fidelity Real Estate will refer you to a trusted title company to handle the timeshare transaction through a secure and transparent closing process.
- Freedom: Once your timeshare is no longer in your name, you can say goodbye to maintenance fees, timeshare mortgage payments, and other timeshare obligations, and say hello to financial freedom!
Can Fidelity Real Estate Help Me Sell My Timeshare?
If you’re looking for a safe, convenient way out of your timeshare contract, don’t hire a lawyer. Let the experienced timeshare brokers at Fidelity Real Estate help you exit right. With over 25 years in the industry, we’ve helped hundreds of owners successfully list their weeks and points on the resale market. And as an ARDA-recommended reseller with an A+ rating from the BBB, we’re a resale solution you can trust. Fill out the form below to get started. Or, call or email us today to speak with one of our licensed brokers.
