Maybe you’re re-evaluating your budget and realize that you don’t have the money to care for your timeshare anymore. Or perhaps you and your family have decided to cut out unnecessary travel until things calm down. Regardless of your reason for doing it, you’re facing a big problem: canceling your timeshare.
There are a lot of people that are trying to figure out how to get out of a timeshare. Unfortunately, companies aren’t making it easy.
Timeshare lawyers can be what you need to formally and finally end your timeshare agreement. There are a lot of lawyers that are jumping on the timeshare bandwagon and advertising themselves as timeshare experts. How can you sort through the imposters to find the true experts?
The trick to finding the right lawyer is the ask the right questions when you’re searching for one. Luckily for you, we know exactly what to ask to find the best lawyer to handle your cause.
If you’re trying to negotiation a timeshare exit, make sure you ask any lawyers you consider working with these important questions.
1. Are You Affiliated With Any Resort?
It isn’t uncommon for some timeshares to have lawyers on their payroll. After all, getting a timeshare is like a different form of having property. There are plenty of legal matters a lawyer can assist with.
Some people may think that working with a lawyer that has connections with a certain organization can come in handy. They may know insider information that can help you navigate the legal system and give you a better chance of winning your case.
The truth is that you should be very wary of any lawyers that have a connection to resorts. Most of the time, they act more like salesmen that will try to convince you to keep your contract. To keep things safe, always go with independent lawyers.
2. Will You Sell My Timeshare?
Some timeshare lawyers may claim that they can help you sell your timeshare and have plenty of interested buyers. In fact, some may even claim that they’re interested in buying your timeshare from you.
Any lawyers that claim to double as listing or real estate agents are lawyers you shouldn’t be working with. The vast majority of places that make these claims won’t be able to help you and could even be trying to scam you.
Remember, you’re hiring a lawyer to help walk you through the legal process of ending your timeshare contract. In fact, selling your timeshare property may not even be possible, depending on your original agreement.
3. What Options Do I Have?
A good timeshare lawyer can help you break your agreement and free you from the contract you signed. A great timeshare lawyer will give you a list of options and potential outcomes so you can choose what’s best for you.
Perhaps instead of ending your contract altogether, you’d like to transfer it to a different family member or friend. You may even have the potential to renegotiate your contract, so the resort can keep you as a paying customer.
Don’t assume that you only have one way to deal with your timeshare. Find a lawyer that can give you different options so you can make a good choice. Also, be sure to work with one that can give you a solid strategy to follow for each option ahead of you.
4. What’s Your Timeshare Experience?
Beware of real estate lawyers that have decided to take on timeshare cases for some extra money. Real estate law and timeshare law are two very different realms of expertise.
You’re going to want to go with a lawyer that has a lot of experience with timeshares. Go with lawyers that have several years of experience under their belt to ensure that you’re working with a true expert.
5. How Long Will the Process Take?
This question serves two purposes: to give you an idea of how long everything will take and if the lawyer is being honest with you.
After you give your potential lawyer some important information about your timeshare situation, they should have an idea of how long the process will take. They may not be able to give you an exact day or timeframe, but they should be able to let you know if your case shouldn’t take long because it’s straight forward or if they’ll need more time.
Be suspicious of lawyers that tell you they can have your timeshare settled in a day or two. If exiting a timeshare was so fast and simple, you wouldn’t need to bring in a lawyer to help you! Anyone that gives you a too good to be true answer is more interested in signing a client than they’re interested in giving you the help you need.
6. Can You Ensure My Children Won’t Incur Any Fees?
It isn’t uncommon for some people to purchase timeshares in order to leave something to their kids when they pass away. It also isn’t uncommon to have your adult children to sign on as co-signers or even co-owners of the property.
This is why you should ask your lawyer to make sure that any work they’re doing will extend to the rest of your family. It’s important to have someone read the fine print to see what you’ve agreed to and what responsibilities your family members may have.
Even if you don’t have your children’s names anywhere on the deed or agreement, make sure you let your lawyer know that you have children. You don’t want any timeshare companies to come knocking on their door for missed payments or maintenance fees.
7. Can You Help With Vacation Club Contracts?
Vacation club contracts are very similar to timeshare agreements. The set up is the same in that you pay for the privilege to take a vacation. The main difference between the two is that you don’t have a designated week to visit and also won’t have a deed to any property.
Vacation clubs have been sold as a way to enjoy the benefits of a timeshare without having to follow rigid rules. Unfortunately, these contracts can be just as difficult to break as your timeshare ones.
Make sure to ask potential lawyers if they have experience dealing with vacation club contracts. Having particular expertise in the club area can be beneficial for your case.
8. Can You Help Me With Fees?
Sometimes the issue isn’t affording the timeshare itself. It’s managing all of the fees that come along with it. Maintenance fees, booking fees, resort fees, and other fees can start to add up.
Some people may be close to exiting their timeshare contracts but may still find themselves on the hook for a lot of other fees. This is why you should find lawyers that have experience helping their clients manage fees.
Your lawyer may be able to help negotiate future fees. Others may be able to help you completely wipe away fees so you can just focus on ending the contract without having to pay more.
9. Do You Offer Free Consultations?
If you find a lawyer that insists on getting money upfront before they’ve done work, consider working with someone else.
Some unscrupulous lawyers may demand money upfront and never follow up with you. Others may lure you in with a free consultation then give you an outrageous bill for post-consultation needs.
This is why we recommend being very clear about pay expectations as soon as you connect with a lawyer. You don’t want to get hit with any unpleasant or expensive surprises.
10. Are You Bonded and Insured?
One of the last things you need on top of the stress of ending your timeshare contract is to find out that you aren’t working with a legitimate timeshare lawyer.
Someone that answers yes to this question means that they have a legitimate business license and insurance to cover themselves and their clients. Working a bonded and insured lawyer won’t just give you peace of mind. It’s also an extra layer of protection.
11. Can You Show Me Reviews From Clients?
If you want to truly know what to expect from any lawyer you’re working with, ask them to send you some reviews and testimonials from their old clients. Client reviews can tell you a lot about a lawyer’s working style, overall satisfaction of services, and how successful they are at ending timeshare agreements.
Don’t just scan reviews to see if people successfully ended their contracts. See what they have to say about the firm and the lawyers they worked with.
Did the lawyers do their best to educate people on their options for ending their contract? Do they feel like they had timely responses to all of their questions? Would they, and have they, recommended the lawyer’s services to friends?
Meet Your Timeshare Lawyers
If you want to have a solid timeshare exit team, you’re going to have to have timeshare lawyers you can trust. Asking all of the questions we mentioned in the post can help you find the lawyers you need, but we already know who can help you get the results you need.
Whether you know that you’re ready to get out of your timeshare agreement or you’re trying to find out what options you have, we’re here to help. We’ve represented countless clients in timeshare cases, and we’re ready to help you.
Do you have questions about your situation? Contact us today so we can talk about the best way to handle your timeshare problems.
