When you first heard the pitch, it sounded incredible. Years of vacationing at your favorite spot, with guaranteed availability and plush accommodations.
Then, the reality of owning a timeshare set in. You began to notice the unexpected fees, long-term contracts, and lack of flexibility. Suddenly, it wasn’t all butterflies and beach days.
If you feel this way, you’re not alone.
Research shows that 84% of timeshare owners eventually regret their decision. If you’ve found yourself feeling stuck, a well-written timeshare cancellation letter can offer a way out. Today, we’re sharing five simple tips that can help make yours as compelling and convincing as possible.
1. Make Your Request Clear
There are times when you need to wax poetic to get your point across. This is not one of those times. Instead, try to make your timeshare recession letter as clear and to the point as possible.
Instead of shooting off an email, type out a formal letter, which you’ll print and mail to your timeshare provider. At the top, between the recipient address and salutation, include a subject line with a phrase like “Official Timeshare Cancellation Request” or “Letter to Cancel Timeshare Mortgage.”
As you begin the body of your letter, state your intentions as early as possible. Don’t try to sneakily weave it in, which could confuse your reader. The easier it is for them to understand your intentions, the more receptive they should be.
2. Be Proactive
When you sit down to cancel a timeshare, you should already be thinking about the ways your provider might respond. Remember: These companies are accustomed to locking people into deals they can’t get out of. They’re going to look for every opportunity possible to get you back on some type of contract.
That’s why you need to beat them to it. State that you’re not interested in any type of related offer, including:
- Resales
- Beneficiary transfer
- Ownership opportunities
The more you can think like a provider, the easier it will be to anticipate and kindly turn down their follow-up ideas. At the same time, resist the urge to dive into a laundry list of reasons why you’re unhappy with your contract. This isn’t the space to air your grievances and share all the times that the provider has upset or disappointed you.
If you find yourself getting too emotional, take a break and walk away from the computer. Come back in a few minutes when you’ve collected your thoughts. Keep it simple and brief, only including as much information as you need to.
3. Request a Reply
If you take the time to learn how to cancel a timeshare, write a letter, and pay for postage, you deserve an official reply. However, if you don’t state this in writing, it’s all too easy for your provider to read your request and file it away for later. Meanwhile, you’re waiting by the mailbox every day for a reply that might never come.
Most of the time, cancellation requests are time-sensitive. This is especially the case if you’re in a financial bind and can no longer cover your contract. That’s why it’s critical to request a written response by a certain timeframe.
Before closing your letter, state that you expect a response, submitted via Certified Mail, no later than 30 days from the date posted at the top. This gives the provider a defined timeline to work from and should encourage them to send you something in return.
Don’t be disheartened if it isn’t an immediate “yes”, though. It can take months or even years for providers and contract holders to agree on the terms of a cancellation. Your letter can get the ball rolling and open those doors of communication, so don’t give up hope during this time!
4. Get the Small Details Right
If the recipient of your letter has even one mistake in it, that could be grounds for non-acceptance. The person reading it will be looking for every way possible to hold you to your contract and prevent cancellation.
You’ll need to go through each line with a fine-toothed comb and make sure all your key information is in there. Some of the most important details to include are:
- The exact name of your timeshare (refer to your contract)
- The contract number
- The name of the contract holder
- The date you purchased the contract
- Your membership ID number (if applicable)
Instead of listing all of this data in the body of your letter, it can help to create bullet points so the details are easier to find. Put all major points in bold. Again, the goal is to make your request clear and concise.
5. Track Your Letter
One tactic that some timeshare companies will use is telling you that they simply didn’t receive your letter. To make sure this doesn’t happen, send it via Certified Mail and make sure to request tracking.
With Certified Mail, the recipient has to sign to confirm receipt. This way, you’ll have irrefutable evidence that your correspondence reached the right person and location. If you have any further correspondence with the timeshare provider, remember to send all of those follow-up replies via Certified Mail, too.
If the risk of writing and sending your own letter sounds too daunting, remember you can always hire an expert to take the reins! There are third-party experts who know exactly what to say to increase your chances of a successful timeshare cancellation, so rest assured you don’t have to tackle everything by yourself.
Write the Perfect Timeshare Cancellation Letter
Getting out of a timeshare contract might sound like an impossible feat. After all, you signed all those documents stating you’d hold up your end of the deal for the designated length of time.
However, the reality is that situations and feelings change. You should be allowed to reclaim your finances and remove yourself from a policy that no longer serves you or your family. Now that you know how to write an effective timeshare cancellation letter, you can take the first step toward freedom.
While you wait for a reply, check out our Lifestyle section for more tips on how to work, live, and play!