Renting etiquette

[OneMoreTry]

OK. So what rules should I follow if I want to rent and not be burned at the stake? I've never rented out my points but now feel like the DIS sleuths will tap my phone lines if I do, which I probably will do in the future at some time.

Forget trying to "legally" define commercial renting. What do YOU think is proper/improper in terms of renting points? For example, if someone like Greenban (who evidently postponed his plans) has shored up a couple thousand points for retirement and was planning to rent them for a while until then -- what can they do in this "post-tribulation" crackdown dispensation? Or someone like me -- what can I do with 300 points if I don't want to use them for a couple years because of college tuition?

Can I book at 11 months for early April? Or should I wait and speak with a potential renter first and then book what they want? Should I wait for 7 months to be fair????

 

[dumbo71]

OK. So what rules should I follow if I want to rent and not be burned at the stake? I've never rented out my points but now feel like the DIS sleuths will tap my phone lines if I do, which I probably will do in the future at some time.

Forget trying to "legally" define commercial renting. What do YOU think is proper/improper in terms of renting points? For example, if someone like Greenban (who evidently postponed his plans) has shored up a couple thousand points for retirement and was planning to rent them for a while until then -- what can they do in this "post-tribulation" crackdown dispensation? Or someone like me -- what can I do with 300 points if I don't want to use them for a couple years because of college tuition?

Can I book at 11 months for early April? Or should I wait and speak with a potential renter first and then book what they want? Should I wait for 7 months to be fair????

I'm sure this won't surprise you coming from me (not sure if you wanted my input, honestly) but here goes.

It would depend on what route or method you use to rent. Will you use the rent/trade board here on the Dis? or will you use another method like EBay, Redweek, etc.?

If you use these boards (which I wouldn't recommend) then you have to wait and find a renter first or at least wait until the Dis's specified time to post rental weeks (5 months out????, not sure) You could still pre-book and then just list the week at the legal time here on the Dis.

You could also pre-book and list on Ebay withut and copoyright infringement and you'd be fine. This I would recommend.

There is nothing wrong with using your points how you see fit. If that means recouping some of your intial investment by renting then go for it. If you wanted to gain some type of moral gratification then wait until 7 months then pre-book a week at ANY DVC resort and then list it.

PM if you'd like and I'll tell you the route I went for the 24 or so rentals I've had over the past 12 years.

Good luck with this and remember you don't need permission from anyone here on the Dis to rent.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I personally don't rent out points, but I would define a commercial renter as someone who specifically owns many thousands of points, but who rarely if ever uses them for their own vacations. It is certainly someone who actively tries to rent out those thousands of points each year rather than using any of them for their own enjoyment. The person who "buys up" distressed points and turns them into a ressie, the person who speculates by booking many prime time weeks BEFORE there is someone to stay in them, and someone who could essentially be making a living from their rentals is what I would call a commercial renter. IF you are purely renting points to make a profit, then you should be suspect. Certainly the person who has a website specifically to rent out DVC trips is being a commercial renter. Dumbo, I don't consider you to be commercial, because I KNOW you use points yourself. Greenban does too. BTW, I do not consider 24 rentals in 12 years to be very commercial.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Haven't you seen Rink's ad yet? His number has already been disconnected. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

 

[greenban]

Dumbo gave you excellent advice.

Here are some additional thoughts.

I find that deciding how many points I want to rent, then I scan the R/T forum here for someone close to my # of points. It is much less work to make 1 rental transaction for your points than to make 3 rentals.

I then PM the person and make sure they are still looking, and will meet my rate. Then I call MS and make the ressie (with the rentee's info).

I find it very easy to rent here and at other DVC related boards. However, you will get much more money per point by using ebay and pre-booking high demand weeks. Just don't admit to doing that here, unless you like it hot!

I only prebooked 'spec' ressies when I had a new contract with 545 'bonus banked points' that expired 6 weeks after my closing. I felt that I could do whatever I needed to, to prevent those points from going to waste. Many here disagreed. Other than that, I don't spec book, because I like being part (the outskirts) of the DIS community.

Dumbo is correct they are your points, you can do with them as you want. Agressive prebooking and selling can easily get you $14.00+ per point. And with tuition coming up, that is a lot more than $10.00 per point.

The choice is yours, good luck....


....


and


....


welcome to the dark side

-Tony

 

[dumbo71]

Dumbo, I don't consider you to be commercial, because I KNOW you use points yourself. Greenban does too. BTW, I do not consider 24 rentals in 12 years to be very commercial.

Thank you Diane. I was actually using close to 1000 per year and renting in the 400 +- range.

The true "commercial renters" are never heard from here on the Dis. They have nothing constructive to add here and would never admit to a public forum what they were doing.

Greenban offered some excellent advice and once you have a reputation as a good renter you'll likely never have to work to rent again. People will start pm'ing you.

For the record nobody has pm'd me looking to rent. Geeze, I wonder why????? Not that I have points to spare now anyway.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I personally don't rent out points, but I would define a commercial renter as someone who specifically owns many thousands of points, but who rarely if ever uses them for their own vacations. ....

I guess my question is, how would people here feel about someone who rents maybe once every 5 years out of necessity who reserves 11 months in advance at Xmas to get an extra $4 per point rather than wait until the 7 month window? (So the kids can get their mouthful of cavities filled and buy the new shoes they've been waiting 5 years for.)

 

[tacomaranch]

Once we close we will have 26 points that will have to be used by March 31, 2007. They were banked. I don't want to loose the points but thought renting them or a transfer would be a good way to get a little money for our next trip.

I don't see us ever renting points out after our first time.

Good luck, April

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I guess my question is, how would people here feel about someone who rents maybe once every 5 years out of necessity who reserves 11 months in advance at Xmas to get an extra $4 per point rather than wait until the 7 month window? (So the kids can get their mouthful of cavities filled and buy the new shoes they've been waiting 5 years for.)

Don't ask -- don't tell.

Booking prime dates specifically for rental purposes is definitely a hot topic. I don't necessarily agree with doing it, but I do believe the owner of the points has a right to use them whatever way they want to. It's up to their conscious from there.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I...(So the kids can get their mouthful of cavities filled and buy the new shoes they've been waiting 5 years for.)

Maybe the teeth and shoes should have been a consideration 5 years ago before DVC????

 

[greenban]

Maybe the teeth and shoes should have been a consideration 5 years ago before DVC????

Right on!

-Tony

BTW: Back to the OP, When I initially rented, I posted a "I have 2,000 points to rent" thread on the R/T board.

What a mistake, my PM box filled up, people looking for 22 point rentals, and others trying to lowball my price (assuming I had too many points to get rid of). I strongly recommend avoidong posts like that, unless you have distressed points (holding or expiring), or have no 'reputation' here on the DIS.

If you do that type of post, update the thread often.

To Tacoma:

Welcome Home (Finally!!!! Yeah!!!), you can only rent your points, banked points can not be transferred.

-Tony

 

[BlakeNJ]

Like a few have posted, I have points that were bonus points to our contract that we would like to rent since our first trip won't be until '08 and by then they will be expired. Since we are planning a small trip this March, it's a small amount that might be best used as a transfer to a current DVC owner. For those of you who do the occasional renting/transfer, do you use a contract or is it really just based on trust?
(Boy, and I thought I wouldn't ask anymore questions once I bought! Ha! Was I wrong! )

Thanks,
Blakely

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Sooo many differing opinions. I don't have enough points to satisfy my vacation desires let alone rent out, but I think a good rule of thumb should be you have to personally use 50% or more of your point holdings. Now, how this could be policed seems near impossible, but I would personally spare you from the stake in such a scenario.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Like a few have posted, I have points that were bonus points to our contract that we would like to rent since our first trip won't be until '08 and by then they will be expired. Since we are planning a small trip this March, it's a small amount that might be best used as a transfer to a current DVC owner. For those of you who do the occasional renting/transfer, do you use a contract or is it really just based on trust?
(Boy, and I thought I wouldn't ask anymore questions once I bought! Ha! Was I wrong! )

Thanks,
Blakely

When we had some points about to expire because of a resale purchase, we just added a day to our trip. Could you upgrade your stay to a larger, more spacious villa or add a few more days? I'm of the school that prefers to use my points (if you didn't already realize that one). Add a couple of nights at the GF or AKL in concierge.

 

[OneMoreTry]

Maybe the teeth and shoes should have been a consideration 5 years ago before DVC????

I take that as a nay.

Yowza.

(Guess we'll just have 'em all pulled. It'll look cute in next year's Christmas pics at the Grand Floridian.)

 

[Slakk]

I take that as a nay.

Yowza.

(Guess we'll just have 'em all pulled. It'll look cute in next year's Christmas pics at the Grand Floridian.)

My opinion FWIW is when someone has extra points I have no issue but when you spec reserve dates that irritates me to no end because it then takes away from legit owners who want to book at 7 months. If you look on the R/T board you will see most renters want BCV and BWV which takes up more of those rooms prior to the 7 month mark - then SSR gets blamed for the rush on those resorts

Then again I get irritated when I see renters wanting to rent at 11 month at peak times - I think all DVC owners should get a crack at rooms before any renter. But life is not fair and I am not Queen of Disney....

 

[CarolMN]

...(snip)..... But life is not fair and I am not Queen of Disney....

True, but sad.

I would be your loyal subject. And I don't think I would be the only one.

 

[starbox]

If I ever ended up with additional points, my top ways to 'dispose of them" would be:
1. Gift a trip to family/friends.
2. Donate a trip to a charity fundraiser (like a silent auction at the kid's school)
3. Do a point transfer for the complete amount to another DVC member.
4. Rent locally via. cragslist so that I could do the $$ exchange and phone call for reservations in person.

 

[OneMoreTry]

My opinion FWIW is when someone has extra points I have no issue but when you spec reserve dates that irritates me to no end because it then takes away from legit owners who want to book at 7 months. If you look on the R/T board you will see most renters want BCV and BWV which takes up more of those rooms prior to the 7 month mark - then SSR gets blamed for the rush on those resorts

Then again I get irritated when I see renters wanting to rent at 11 month at peak times - I think all DVC owners should get a crack at rooms before any renter. But life is not fair and I am not Queen of Disney....

In actuality, the different DVC resorts are just that: separate resorts. As an OKW owner I don't have any more legal interest or equity in BCV or BWV than any non DVC owner. As I understand it, the only reason I have access to those resorts is through a mutual agreement that is revocable at any time. We were all told that the privilege to rent at other resorts is not guaranteed at any time in the future.

That said, I think one could make a good argument for the case that an owner has a moral right for priority to spec reserve and rent a room at 11 months over and above an owner at another DVc to reserve for personal use at 7.

I'm not saying we SHOULD do that. Just playing devil's advocate.

 

[Slakk]

In actuality, the different DVC resorts are just that: separate resorts. As an OKW owner I don't have any more legal interest or equity in BCV or BWV than any non DVC owner. As I understand it, the only reason I have access to those resorts is through a mutual agreement that is revocable at any time. We were all told that the privilege to rent at other resorts is not guaranteed at any time in the future.

That said, I think one could make a good argument for the case that an owner has a moral right for priority to spec reserve and rent a room at 11 months over and above an owner at another DVc to reserve for personal use at 7.

I'm not saying we SHOULD do that. Just playing devil's advocate.

But you do have more of a right by DVC's own policy we have the ability to reserve at the seven month mark.

If I was a non DVC member I cannot reserve at ANY time a room through DVC as a DVC owner I do for any non-home resort.

If an owner wishes to make money off of their ownership then they should - but don't expect some people to jump for joy when they reserve a busy time of year and owners don't get to travel because renters are getting deluxe accomodations for dimes on the dollar.

I also don't want to hear room shortages blamed on us dirtbag SSR owners when it seems the majority of renters want BCV BWV or VWL.

As I said - I wish renting could only be done after all DVC owners had a chance to reserve - I know this is not the rules but I wish it was the case.