4 Things Your Timeshare Attorney Won't Tell You Before You Pay the Bill

Ever watch those sleazy lawyer ads on late-night TV that consist of brash attorneys marketing their services with about as much tact and integrity as a carnival barker exhorting passersby to enter a circus sideshow? Some of these cheesy “Better Call Saul” type commercials feature so-called “timeshare attorneys” who make various outrageous and unsubstantiated claims in a desperate attempt to get your business. In many instances, you will find out that the legal cost of paying to exit a timeshare by utilizing a timeshare attorney is simply not worth the risk. And in other scenarios, you might discover that the timeshare attorney or firm that you're looking to do business with, is nothing but a scammy timeshare resale company under investigation, with a laundry list of timeshare resale complaints lodged against them from every corner of the internet. Don’t let timeshare attorneys talk you out of your hard-earned money. Discover what timeshare legal experts don’t want you to know before you hire a timeshare attorney and get stuck with an exorbitant bill:

#1: Legal Fees Can Escalate Quickly

Are timeshare attorneys worth the cost? Before you consider choosing a timeshare lawyer and wasting a lot of time and energy in the process, you need to examine all of the issues related to such a move – most significantly the various legal fees you will invariably have to pay. For example, a timeshare attorney may offer a free initial consultation to get you in the door before hitting you with hidden fees and additional charges. One red flag is if the timeshare attorney asks you for an upfront free – making you pay in advance for their legal services before actually reviewing the intricacies of your individual situation (rather than work for you on a contingency basis). The bottom line is that you need to review your budget to determine if you can afford to hire a timeshare attorney and beware of the hidden fees frequently associated with hiring legal help. You do not want to find yourself in a situation where you pay for legal services that the law firm doesn’t deliver.

#2: They May Lack the Necessary Experience

How knowledgeable is the timeshare attorney about the specific issues related to your vacation ownership? Just because a lawyer claims to be a “timeshare attorney” in a legal advertisement does not mean that he or she has the necessary experience or qualifications to help you. A lawyer can claim to have in-depth knowledge of vacation ownership, but in reality is just using the “timeshare” keyword to drum up new business for his or her law firm. In fact, very few attorneys actually specialize in timeshare law even though they claim as much in their various advertisements and most know nothing at all about vacation ownership. Is the timeshare attorney willing to provide you with a list of references of previous timeshare clients they have worked with at the law firm? A lawyer should never be hesitant to share with you how he or she has handled similar cases to yours in the past. You may find yourself spending significant time and effort trying to find a competent and professional lawyer that even has a basic knowledge of all the details of vacation ownership and will guarantee you quality services. The bottom line is that most attorneys will simply lack the required skills and knowledge to effectively assist you.

#3: Lack of Transparency Can Be an Issue

One of the considerations you need to address when seeking a timeshare attorney is trustworthiness. It’s amazing how many people hire a legal representative based on nothing more than a colorful 30-second commercial spot or eye-catching billboard along the interstate without first doing comprehensive research. And beyond the fact the real estate law and timeshare law require some pretty specialized experience in both legal procedure and process, most alleged 'timeshare' lawyers fail to really disclose the details behind their timeshare 'exit' strategies, precisely because they may not have all the necessary mechanisms or processes in place to even be able to facilitate their promised transfer or exit from and timeshare or fractional ownership deeding scenario. Here are just a few pertinent questions to ask yourself before hiring a timeshare attorney:

• Are they actually working in my best interest?

• Have they been completely transparent when it comes to what their fees are?

• Do they have the ability to communicate straightforwardly in clear terms without a lot of legalese?

• Are they well-versed in the specifics of my case?

#4: Easier Alternatives are Available

Last but not least, timeshare attorneys do not want you to know that as a timeshare owner you have plenty of other easier and less expensive options available to you than simply paying a fortune for legal advice that may be misleading or inaccurate. For instance, one option is to simply contact your timeshare company directly and find out all of the different options available to you on how you can take full advantage of your vacation ownership – as opposed to dealing with the hassle of hiring an attorney and selling your timeshare. Westgate Resorts, for example, offers its owners comprehensive information on how they can maximize their vacation ownership through exclusive discounts and promotions, as well as vacation exchanges.

If you are debating whether or not to contact a timeshare attorney to help you transition out of vacation ownership, contact the Westgate Legacy Program as your first step. Designed to help assist owners find safe and secure exit options based on their individual circumstance and ownership, the Legacy Program is the only developer-guaranteed release option. The Legacy Program at Westgate Resorts works directly with owners to discuss all of their various options in an effort to determine the best solution for each individual situation.