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Re: Re: Maintenance Fee went to collections

[Q=pamh411]My income is restricted and I cannot afford the ever increasing maintenance fees. What would happen if I just stopped paying the maintenance fees? We have never gotten our use out of it and have always paid our fees and I’m really getting tired of it with especially my new limited income.[/Q] If you stop paying maintenance fees, the worst that would happen is that you will face a barrage of annoying collection calls and letters. In rare cases, a person who stops paying maintenance fees might face a bad mark on his credit score or rating. If those don't bother you, then just stopping payments might be an option. However, since it is paid for and the maintenance fees are up to date, you can try a couple of other options: 1) Try giving it away. Advertise it here on RedWeek's Bargain Basement or other reputable timeshare resale sites such as E-bay, Craigslist, or Timeshare Users Group (aka "TUG"; tugbbs.com) where you can advertise for free that you want to give your unit away. 2) Ask the resort's Homeowners' Association (HOA) if it will take your unit back. It might ask you to pay closing costs and maybe even the next maintenance fee. But it will be a clean, legal, certain, and easy transfer without worrying about collection calls or credit scores. if you try this, make it vary clear to the HOA that you will not be paying another penny in maintenance fees (unless it's for the transfer to the HOA) so it would be in everybody's best interest that the HOA take the unit back amicably. The one big caution is to not go seeking the services of these many outfits out there that claim they can "cancel" your timeshare.