We own a timeshare but are thinking about renting one at another date so we can add another trip to Aruba to our vacation plans. We found someone via the boards and we may be interested in renting from them but I wonder if anyone has any tips to safely go about doing this. We don't know this person - they answered an internet inquiry. Can anyone who has done this give some tips?

Get their phone number and address. check it in the phone books or on google. pay half up front to hold it, and half 30 days before you go and AFTER you have a copy of the reservation in your hands.

Nancy, We rent out our units all the time and also rent units from private parties. What I have found that has been best is to get name and address and unit number and then confirm with resort. Then only make payments to that person at the address that is confirmed with the resort. Paypal is also a great payment option.

I have rented timeshares from different people and have not had any problems. There is a Timeshare Agreement that I was emailed and I signed that and have both of us sign the same.

We have rented twice directly from the Playa Linda BB and never had a problem. The first rental was from someone who lived not too far from me in MA, so I googled his name to see what came up and everything matched.

I think it's important to contact the resort as well to find out if the person is an owner.

Usually you can e-mail the resort and verify they are owners there! Due to privacy laws they can only give you a YES or NO but if you give them their name, address, Unit # and week they usually will answer back with confirmation of ownership.

We always check out ownership of the people we are renting from, but also to ,make sure that they are not in arrears on any maintenance fees, etc. Also make sure you get a confirmation from the resort that you have to show upon arrival.

We rent our Costa Linda timeshare out every year. I post it on Redweek.com. Once I am contacted I furnish the renter with my name, address and phone #. I then have them give me a good faith deposit of half the amount. Once I recieve the deposit, I contact the resort by email using their form and copy the renter on the email. Once I get the remaining rental money, I fax the contract I get from the timeshare resort to the renter with all the rental information.

Aruba, no other place like it !

Thanks for the info, everyone!

I have rented directly from various owners at the Costa Linda and the Casa Del Mar many times over the years, and I have never had any problems. Make sure that you get a letter from the owner authorizing you to use their unit. Usually, renting from a timeshare owner is quite a bit cheaper than renting from the Hotel directly.

Dom