Original Message:
Is there any EFFECTIVE way to dump a wyndham timeshare...??? (by Lance C.):
irenep59 wrote:Lance, I used to agree with you until I listened to 836 timeshare members, mostly overwhelmed and desperate. I help as many as I can for free (30 to 50 per month) along with our team of volunteers, but there are thousands and thousands contacting exit companies....file with the BBB, AGs and Real Estate Division, reach out to the media, accompanied by webinars and podcasts. I used to work for Family Court as a CASA supervisor, writing court reports.
It was only because of this past legislative session I got to know four exit companies. They agree, like getting a divorce or selling your home, you can do it yourself. Few people are as lunatic as I am to devote 40 to 50 hours a week helping these people.
Well, I applaud your efforts to help many of these desperate owners but I'll add these tidbits. First of all, filing a complaint with the BBB is next to useless. All a person is doing is venting. The BBB has no authority or power to stop these scams or get owners out of timeshares. All the BBB can really do is discredit a questionable or scam company. It does nothing for the owner filing a complaint.
As for these exit companies, yes you are partially right. They are like divorce lawyers where you pay them to do something you can do yourself. The reasons why I and others come on these boards warning against these exit companies is that many have been scams. They would take owners' money and then do nothing. Just read on these boards about companies like Castle Law Group. And if these exit companies do do something to help, it's sometimes an illegal or questionable method such as what's commonly known as the Viking Ship.
Lastly, if the exit company does help an owner get out of his timeshare legally and ethically, I repeat, the company is charging thousands of dollars to do something the owner can do himself for a lot less money. it just takes a little time and effort. For instance, some have been known to take an owner's unit through Wyndham's Ovation program. Wyndham has that set up so that, among other things, an owner can easily surrender his unit back to Wyndham for minimal cost without having to go through these exit companies. Many other resorts and timeshare companies (Diamond and Westgate come to mind) are allowing owners to surrender their ownership back to the company or resort if the mortgage and maintenance fees are paid up. They might charge closing costs and possibly the next maintenance fee, but that will always work out cheaper than using these questionable exit companies.
If some of these owners feel that it is worth it to pay these exit companies thousands of dollars to do what they can do themselves (rather easily, I might add), then that is certainly their prerogative. It's their money. I just come on these boards offering suggestions how to save thousands of dollars and, in the case of some of these exit companies, protecting themselves from scams.