Time Share Troubles

Friday, October 07, 2005

Time shares are a popular vacation choice, but there are risks involved - - especially when you can't take advantage of your scheduled week.

Timeshare Register touts itself as "your time share solution." That promise got Carol Lee to hire the company in June. She paid a one-time fee of $698 to advertise her Florida time share for rent.

As weeks went by, Lee thought things were moving forward. When no renters answered the company's ad, she had second thoughts.

"If they couldn't rent it in the summertime when people take vacations, I felt they couldn't rent it at all," Lee said.

She called the company and tried to cancel, but no one called her back. That's when Lee called the Troubleshooter hotline. Diane Wilson contacted Timeshare Register's owner. He said Lee is not giving his company a chance to do their job.

He said there are no guarantees that the time share will be rented. He says it typically takes six to eight weeks to find a renter.

The owner said Timeshare Register tried to communicate with Lee, but could not get across their point. He said the company prides itself on customer service and has more than 1,400 clients.

The company greed to refund the $698 to Lee for customer service reasons. Lee says she is happy with the refund and says she has learned a lesson.

"If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is," Lee said.

If a company approaches you about reselling or renting your time share, do not agree to anything over the telephone. Ask them to send you the written materials, so you know the services before you pay any money up front.

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