When You Should Cancel a Timeshare Within 5 Days

If you’re reading this, you probably just returned home from vacation. Some of you might still be in the midst of your travels. Either way, you’ve just bought a timeshare and something has caused you to second guess the decision. Whether the resort has already rubbed you the wrong way or you actually read the contract, canceling within the first week is on your mind. Sadly, many buyers don’t realize time is of the essence here. Some states don’t even give you 5 days to cancel. So, wondering if you should cancel a timeshare within 5 days is a legitimate concern. Fractional ownership comes with perpetual ties that timeshare companies aren’t necessarily looking to relinquish. With that in mind, getting out of your obligations requires a sense of urgency, a level of contractual understanding and a lot of self control.

Should you have said “No” to the Timeshare Experience?

When you think about the day of your purchase (even if it was this morning), do you recall being overwhelmed by opportunity? Did the thought of traveling more often appeal to you? What about feeling like you ought to commit to vacationing? Most people end up choosing timeshare travel because they have an urge to change up their routine. Being on vacation allows them to escape the reality of their everyday lives. This is why timeshare companies offer free gifts and hotel stays. They’re essentially wining and dining their targets. It’s easier for them to persuade when people are out of their element and feeling special. The euphoria of traveling in general encourages people to make the emotional commitment.

The Effect of Timeshare Presentations on Vacationers.

When you think about it, people tend to be a lot more joyful and easy-going while on vacation. Especially when it comes to spending habits. Most of us can attest to this. There’s just something about maximizing every experience while we’re away from home. Even when we know we’re paying premium prices for basic things, we still fork over the cash. For vacationers, convenience is always high in demand. But back in reality, paying a premium may not be the vacationer’s cup of tea.

Not everyone chooses dry cleaning over the laundromat or Uber X over a cab. Some people prefer to wash their own car or park and walk instead of paying for valet parking. Believe it or not, there are parents out there that prefer to endure one hotel room with six kids instead of just getting two. The point is, a lot of timeshare owners are led to believe they’re getting a smokin’ deal but they’re actually paying a premium to travel. Buying a timeshare isn’t something they would normally do. But since they were on vacation, they leaned on emotion instead of reason. If you’re wanting to cancel a timeshare within 5 days, then you can probably relate.

Buying a Timeshare Shouldn’t Be Taken Lightly.

Understanding why you made the purchase and sobering up to the decision needs to be done quickly. Unless you want to incur penalties, you only have one true chance to walk away. Nearly all of our clients wish they hadn’t put off cancellation. Some initially thought the purchase could be a mistake but they decided to wait and see how it played out. Some even knew about their timeshare rescission period. If they could get back all of the time and money they wasted trying to make the purchase worth it, they would. But they can’t. In other words, the decision to cancel a timeshare within 5 days is an important one.

A good number of timeshare owners eventually find themselves uninformed because they don’t ask questions. Even though excitement can be blinding and disclosure is minimal (during sales presentations), there’s never a good enough reason not to double check a purchase of this magnitude. If you bought a new car, would you wait a few weeks to inspect everything? If you found something wrong, wouldn’t you tell them right away? Your timeshare purchase should be treated the same way.

It’s why we’re urging you to review the terms of the contract right now. Everyone makes impulse decisions; but not all decisions come with a lifetime obligation. If something doesn’t feel right, then reconsidering the purchase isn’t a bad thing. When it comes to timeshare ownership, you should never wait for something to go wrong before taking action. If you’re having doubts, listen to them. You aren’t given a lot of time to change your mind. With that being said, let’s take a look at a few ways to inspect your purchase before canceling it for good. 

Confirm the Requirements for Rescinding Your Timeshare.

Although the title of this article references canceling within 5 days, it’s important to remember that every state has a different requirement. Timeshare rescission periods can be anywhere from 3 to 14 days. If you wait until day 5, it can be too late. Florida, one of the most popular timesharing states, only gives buyers a few days to cancel timeshare contracts. Before signing the dotted line, you need to know how much time you have to ponder the purchase. 

In order to see how your timeshare agreement is governed, you must look at the statues for where the contract was purchased. There are a number of online resources available to new fractional owners regarding timeshare rescission periods. You can also find this information by studying the “canceling and/or rescinding” clause of your contract. Arizona, for example, just increased the length of time buyers have to cancel. So make sure you double check everything. Once you know how long you have to cancel, try to use the contract to answer as many of your questions as you can.

Good Enough Reasons to Cancel Timeshares Within 5 Days.

If the salesman persuaded you by promising additional perks or guarantees, make sure they’re included in your copy of the agreement. This is one of the easiest ways to spot a problematic purchase. Timeshare companies heavily incentivize their sales teams which results in an awful lot of misconduct during the presentation. Since it’s highly unlikely buyers will ever interact with them again, salesman will pretty much say anything to sign attendees up for fractional ownership.

In order to prevent further deceit, try to avoid speaking with the resort about your cold feet. Additional sales tactics are in place to deter you from looking for a way to cancel a timeshare within 5 days. Customer service teams have been trained to stall or distract users until the timeshare rescission period expires. Anything you’re told could be inaccurate or misleading. 

If you absolutely have to speak to the resort, try to keep everything cordial while following the cancellation instructions explained in your contract. Canceling a timeshare within a week has nothing to do with sales reps anyways. If you decide to proceed with cancellation, do your best to prove the dates and times of your decision by documenting every step you take. Last but not least, always remember to send your request to rescind through a priority mail service with tracking. Over the years we’ve talked to hundreds of timeshare owners that barely missed the cut because they relied on the resort to confirm the cancellation request.

Additional Tips for a New Timeshare Purchase.

One of the best ways to preview experience in the first few days is to try to use the timeshare right away. While digging around can be fruitful, availability concerns should be enough for you to walk away from fractional ownership. Sitting on the purchase doesn’t allow you to experience frustrations until it’s too late. Besides, you probably won’t want to keep the timeshare if your points package is limited or you can’t travel to the desired destinations your salesman promised.

How to Immediately Tell if the Purchase is Promising.

1. Availability, locations and amenities match the sales presentation.

2. No element of the purchase is confusing, questionable or unclear.

3. Certain perks or your favorite benefits are included in the contract.

4. You don’t feel pressured to upgrade every time you contact the timeshare.

5. Your monthly invoices and annual costs are understood.

6. Minimal complaints on the resort and proven consistency in resolving problems.

At Vacation Ownership Consultants, we’re not an enemy of timeshare travel. We simply want buyers to experience the purchase they envision. Since misconduct occurs far too often in the travel industry, we’ve committed to educating travelers on potential outcomes. In the end, we prefer that you don’t have to spend more money to get out of something that’s already been costly to you.

At the same time, if you’re looking for more information about our proven attorney based system, we’d be more than happy to explain. While many timeshare exit services harass fractional owners, we believe in a patient approach that allows you to be confident in your decision. You can either schedule a free consultation or proceed with our qualification form below.