DVC cracking down on point rentals...

[tjkraz]

Maybe I'm missing the boat here.... I've been asked, for the last 2/3 years, to list all occupants in the room and their ages. How is this different now?

January 10, 2007 Vacation Magic

"Vacation Magic E-mail Update has learned of a new policy affecting vacation reservations for Members' Guests.

Effective immediately, Members making vacation reservations for a Guest through Member Services must provide Member Services with the Guest's name, address and phone number."

 

[LarryKeith]

I usually do the 11 month window at BCV but just found out last week that son is doing the disney college program starting in June till Jan. So it was at 8 month window I could only book sun thru tues at home resort BCV. All booked up for wed and thur. Couldnt book anywhere else till today 7 month window. Only avalible was SS and that was almost full. Had to take it DW has to see son T giving day! I am sure that I will get my BCV from waiting list as soon as renters have to cxl ressies, (hope so) always have b4 about 2 months from arrival. Have AKV pts and will try to book there when we are allowed to book there but that will be like hitting a lottery with only a few rooms avalible there. It is frustrating to think that you have to do the day by day calls to rent even at a home resort if its a holiday week. But I would say that someone renting points out has the same rights as a person actually using there own points for there own vacation. I mean he pays dues he has to do the 11 month window same as me. They could make like a 10 and 6 month rule for reserving rooms that are not for the owner of points but those kind of rules would have to have been declared b4 a person bought there points. We all know the rules its just that there are 3x as many competing for prime weeks as there was just a few years ago. I mean come on, if a person has a ton of points and is renting multiply studios in prime weeks year after year, something needs to be done. Even if its just to make it more difficult to make a ressie. That really is the only thing DVC can do to combat it. WE do have contracts, with rules, that all must follow even DVC. There will always be a group of people out there that exploit the loopholes!

 

[MissMet]

Reading all these posts gives me the idea that maybe Disney is really only trying to stop renters because it hurts their DVC sales.

If people know that they can rent DVC points & it will cost them less than to book thru Disney for the same room, maybe that's Disney's real push to stop renting. Not so much for the members benefit but for their own. Just thinking out loud. Any thoughts?

 

[DebbieB]

Reading all these posts gives me the idea that maybe Disney is really only trying to stop renters because it hurts their DVC sales.

If people know that they can rent DVC points & it will cost them less than to book thru Disney for the same room, maybe that's Disney's real push to stop renting. Not so much for the members benefit but for their own. Just thinking out loud. Any thoughts?

I became a member after staying in a room with another member. It was a group of friends staying in an OKW 2 bedroom, we paid one of the friends to use her points. I never had any intention of buying DVC before that. So people tryiing out DVC by renting may increase sales.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Reading all these posts gives me the idea that maybe Disney is really only trying to stop renters because it hurts their DVC sales.

If people know that they can rent DVC points & it will cost them less than to book thru Disney for the same room, maybe that's Disney's real push to stop renting. Not so much for the members benefit but for their own. Just thinking out loud. Any thoughts?

Maybe I'm a little slow, but I don't see how it would affect sales. DVC must sell the points that are eventually rented, so that would be a wash.
Actually, renting may increase sales. Many folks rent because they don't want to fork over that much loot. If more guests are willing to go for the less expensive route of renting, than that will create more demand for points. The "commercial renters" will then purchase more points.

MG

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Now, if DVC requires the names/addresses/phone numbers of all guests at the time of the reservation and then insists on cancelling and rebooking in order to make any changes later, then I'd assume that would be rental related.

That's what I was thinking too.

 

[Chuck S]

Low cost DVC rentals also may make folks not want to pay the price CRO asks for DVC resort rentals...that, long term, could affect members availability to trade points for other locations and dues. If rooms turned over to CRO aren't rented, no "breakage" income...dues go up, trade options go down.

 

[WolfpackFan]

Personally I applaud this policy. I think renters are taking advantage of DVC. I bought DVC to use the points myself not operate a timeshare rental business. Sure I know there are emergencies that cause you to have extra unused points, but when I see post after post here of folks coming in and wanting to know how to rent so they can get a cheap "deal" on a DVC rental it really bothers me. Makes me feel like they are taking advantage of my buying in. Why buy if you can get the advantages of buying without paying the big money. Plus I don't think renters care anything about the long term care of the resorts. Why report a problem at the unit, if you have no plans of ever staying at that resort again. In fact, why care at all how you leave the unit when you checkout. I think of my DVC resorts as my second home and I would like to think that others who stay there feel the same.

 

[OneMoreTry]

..... I wonder what would be in place to stop people from making up names ......

It's been in place since the beginning of time:

Something called INTEGRITY!!

What a concept, huh?

 

[MissMet]

Personally I applaud this policy. I think renters are taking advantage of DVC. I bought DVC to use the points myself not operate a timeshare rental business. Sure I know there are emergencies that cause you to have extra unused points, but when I see post after post here of folks coming in and wanting to know how to rent so they can get a cheap "deal" on a DVC rental it really bothers me. Makes me feel like they are taking advantage of my buying in. Why buy if you can get the advantages of buying without paying the big money. Plus I don't think renters care anything about the long term care of the resorts. Why report a problem at the unit, if you have no plans of ever staying at that resort again. In fact, why care at all how you leave the unit when you checkout. I think of my DVC resorts as my second home and I would like to think that others who stay there feel the same.

Well put. That's what I'm thinking.

 

[OneMoreTry]

...

Now, if MS suddenly pulls a rabbit out of their hat wherein you cannot delete or add an occupant to a ressie that was booked @ 11 month mark, that would be a trick on the average, non-commercial renter.

....

If that happened I would sell my points. I bet a lot of others would too. I go through a lot of headache and hassle to plan my trips more than 7 months in advance. I have been fortunate so far not to have to cancel or change, but I could see it happening.

I would also want to sell if I didn't have the option to rent -- but in that case I doubt I'd get much for the points.

EDIT
I want to clarify that I have 300 points and use them myself every year and have no plans to rent.

 

[jarestel]

It's been in place since the beginning of time:

Something called INTEGRITY!!

What a concept, huh?

That should work fine.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Low cost DVC rentals also may make folks not want to pay the price CRO asks for DVC resort rentals...that, long term, could affect members availability to trade points for other locations and dues. If rooms turned over to CRO aren't rented, no "breakage" income...dues go up, trade options go down.

I totally agree. I have always felt that the low cost renting of DVC properties devalues them in a way. Both for me as an owner, and for DVC.

 

[reesecup]

I became a member after staying in a room with another member. It was a group of friends staying in an OKW 2 bedroom, we paid one of the friends to use her points. I never had any intention of buying DVC before that. So people tryiing out DVC by renting may increase sales.

I agree . IMHO , I think Disney could hurt themselves by becoming too strict with the renting dilemma. When we first bought, we had extra points in our contract that we knew there was no way we could use all of our points. So, we decided to rent through the boards here to help cover our maintenance fees. Jump ahead a couple years later, and the family we rented to, are now owners as well.

I just wonder if that maybe is the main reason for the address and phone request....so Disney can market to those people in order to get them to join.

I don't really agree on not being able to change names on a ressie at a later date. We , too, take my family with us a lot and have already experienced the "original family member ends up not being able to go but other family can" and had to change their names.

As far as renting goes in general, I just really don't think it is fair to hurt those little people occasionally renting their little bit of points as to those who have a ton of points and are doing it on a regular basis. There will be times I am sure where we will not be able to travel to Disney / HHI as much . There may be budget issues, illnesses (hope not), or , what will be coming our way soon.... payment of our children's college education! We bought in b/k we liked the idea of being able to do that if we ever NEEDED to. We will probably sell if it gets too strict like the OP is stating.

 

[MissMet]

I agree . IMHO , I think Disney could hurt themselves by becoming too strict with the renting dilemma. When we first bought, we had extra points in our contract that we knew there was no way we could use all of our points. So, we decided to rent through the boards here to help cover our maintenance fees. Jump ahead a couple years later, and the family we rented to, are now owners as well.

I just wonder if that maybe is the main reason for the address and phone request....so Disney can market to those people in order to get them to join.

I don't really agree on not being able to change names on a ressie at a later date. We , too, take my family with us a lot and have already experienced the "original family member ends up not being able to go but other family can" and had to change their names.

As far as renting goes in general, I just really don't think it is fair to hurt those little people occasionally renting their little bit of points as to those who have a ton of points and are doing it on a regular basis. There will be times I am sure where we will not be able to travel to Disney / HHI as much . There may be budget issues, illnesses (hope not), or , what will be coming our way soon.... payment of our children's college education! We bought in b/k we liked the idea of being able to do that if we ever NEEDED to. We will probably sell if it gets too strict like the OP is stating.

IMO, I don't think Disney will get that strict. I think all these new rules that are supposed to be starting are more for the commercial renters. The ones who have maybe 400 points but only use 200 a year & rent out the other 200 EVERY year. Disney says themselves that you can "rent out" to family & friends, they just frown upon renting for profit.

I do feel that they need to get a little more strict to stop the commercial renters but still stay a little lenient to members who really can't go one year & will lose their points if they don't. I hope Disney can find that happy medium. But something definitely has to be done.

For example, I have never stayed at BC. I'm dying to but I've never been able to get a room. Then I go on ebay or DIS & see tons of listings for BC. The thought that me, as a DVC member, would have to rent out my points so then I could turn around and then rent a BC villa is absurd. I couldn't buy into BC when they were available. Financially it would have been tight, being that I was 16 when they started selling & the local grocery store didn't pay THAT well. Yes, I could have bought thru resale but I'm young- those extra years I got with going with SSR are really important to me. So what do I do. If I knew that I would not be able to stay anywhere but my home resort (which I'm NOT a fan of-thank God for AKV) I probably wouldn't have bought.

There has to be a happy medium. If Disney doesn't put their foot down a little it will end up hurting them.

I know no one would like it if all of us AKV owners rented out all the rooms leaving all the other DVC members to never be able to get a room there.

It goes both ways. I'm a fan of being able to rent out my points if I was ever in the situation where I couldn't use all of my points- which I never see happening, but I also want to have to opportunity to stay in other DVC resorts- that's the reason I bought into DVC instead of a "traditional" timeshare.

I don't know what the answer is, but all I know is that if any company can find a happy medium, it's Disney.

 

[reesecup]

I agree with you MissMet. I , too, as a member want the opportunity to go to the other resorts and don't think it is fair. I just don't understand why Disney can not tell the commercial renter , as in renting to others all the time, and having lots of points they rarely use, as opposed to the families like us who maybe need to rent on occasion. Of course, if life was perfect, we would be going to Disney all the time. But, life just doesn't allow us that opportunity.

I didn't want my orig. post to this thread to sound like I was against Disney completely doing something about commercial renters. I was just saying I hope they don't put an end to it completely.

 

[spiceycat]

I don't think Disney can.

it is in the contract.

my brother cancelling on me for Thanksgiving week - a few weeks before - was what started me renting in the first place.

don't have alot of points so I stay in studios to be able to rent.

it doesn't hurt that I happen to love DVC studios.

you know I don't the old contracts (like the one I got for DVC now OKW) was designed with the DVC expansion.

 

[Daddio]

Personally I don't see the logic in doing that. In pre-booking a room you are limiting your market to people who are seeking the exact resort, room size AND dates that you've chosen. The only upside is that you MIGHT be able to get another dollar or two if you book a small resort for high-demand dates. But people renting points aren't known for advance planning and I think the room could sit unrented for well over 6 months. If you can't find a renter for some reason, then the reservation is cancelled and you start all over again.

By comparison, if you simply post that you have X points available for any reservation thru X date, you have a potential market of hundreds of members and non-members looking to stay at any resort, any room size, any dates for months to come. Those points could be rented in days with the money in-hand.

Exactly. Most people renting have no idea of the 11 month concept. They are looking for a spur of the moment trip, usually two to five months
in advance.

 

[3DisneyKids]

We are definitely in a wait and see time. We know about "the letter" and this may or may not be another step to try to curb commercial renting. I think that DVC is trying several different tactics in order to at least make the appearance that they are cracking down on commercial renting and waiting to see if any of this (sending letters and taking names, addresses, phone numbers, etc.) will start to have any effect.

 

[jekjones1558]

I sure hope that as Disney looks for commercial renters they examine points history carefully. We almost always bring friends or family. We always book them a separate room, so it could appear that these rooms are rented because they don't have our names on them. Also, we have had some health issues which have caused us to do some cancellations, which could also look suspicious at first glance. We have 1000 points and are in the process of another add-on, which could look like someone who is a commercial renter, but we just use up a lot of points taking people with us. We have never rented, but at some point I would guess that life will take a turn that may make this necessary. Bottom line: please be very careful, Disney, so DVCers don't get mislabeled as commercial renters.