bashful

Two couples travelling. Sharing villa (first week) and car expenses 50/50. Other couple has time share in a different place and wanted to use it for the second week. Question-how do we "pay" for this second week? I know there was an admin charge of $200 for the apt. but do we pay them half of that? the whole amount? Or should we be considering the value of the week at the timeshare and pay half of that? I know, I know,,,,we should have discussed this before travelling. But we didn't and I'd like some input before we do.

sandi_travelnut

Is there no way to contact this couple and settle your finances with them? This board may come up with good suggestions but the other couple may not agree with them.

Patrick

What a tricky issue. I would say, "I know the administration charge is $ 200 and we'd like to pay that full amount as our share. Does that sound fair to you?" I'm assuming they would have been staying there alone otherwise, so this actually puts them ahead of what they'd pay otherwise.
I don't see this as being much different than being someone's guest in their summer house or lake cottage. You certainly wouldn't offer to pay them actual rent or make their house payment, would you?

bashful

I KNOW they will tell us to pay whatever we think is fair...and I want to be fair...thoughts please??

bashful

Actually Patrick..we both have timeshares and we both put our names in for a timeshare for our second week together. We agreed that whichever one came in first, we'd take that timeshare. And their's came in first. But foolishly we didn't even talk about what the other couple would do.

Patrick

Ah then, what about your timeshare? Can't you have them join you there at a later date for "repayment". I still like my idea. I can't imagine asking or expecting someone to pay me if I asked them to join me in my property, whether I owned it outright or as a timeshare -- I mean, theorectically they are the same thing.

Sunnyboy

A lot would depend on what type of accomodations the time share offers. Is it a glorified hotel room or more like a 2 or 3 BR condo with full facilities? When we accept an invitation to stay with friends at their time share we treat it the same as we do when staying at their house. They don't expect us to pay anything as we were their guests. We, however, stock the refrigerator and pantry with liquid refreshments, foods and snacks. We also treated them to several very nice dinners during our stay. We can only assume they were happy with that arrangement as we've been invited back on several occasions.

Kayb95

As a timeshare owner, here are some of the charges they have probably incurred...

If it is a timeshare the couple owns, they pay a yearly maintenence fee - this differs at each resort. They pay this fee to their home resort regardless of whether they use their home resort or if they trade thru a company like RCI or II. But this would still be considered a cost they have paid toward the week.

If the timeshare week is something they've traded for thru RCI or II, they have also paid an exchange fee (RCI charges $179 for an international exchange.)

Of course, this does not take into account what they paid for the initial investment of their timeshare. But this should give you an idea of what they've "paid" for the week.

So basically, you've got three components that determine what a timeshare week "costs":

1. Considering their initial investment, what they determine a week at their home resort is worth;

2. The yearly maintenence fee they have already paid their home resort; and

3. Any exchange fees they have paid to the exchange company.

Does this help?

Kayb95

OK, didn't realize all the circumstances...

When we've "split the cost" with others using my timeshare week, they'll pick up the rental car for the week and we call it even.

Patrick

Am I crazy? I have guests in my home all the time. How is that different from having friends stay with you in the time share you own?

Next time I have house guests should I provide them with my condo maintenance fees, my property tax statement, my utility bills, and my mortgage payment book and collect from them? Gee, if you're friends and either has invited the other to share their home with the other, I really don't get why payment is somehow justified? Or did they buy the time share not as a place for themselves but as a source of income? When I have house guests I'm delighted if they offer to take us to dinner which I think is a generous offer.

Kayb95

Well, the OP said they were splitting things 50/50. I would consider a timeshare week as a vacation cost. Since the OP also owns a timeshare, he/she knows that that it's not quite the same thing as staying at someone's house for the week. It is costing the owners to use that week as well.

It would be no different than renting a cottage for the week - should one couple be expected to foot the whole bill?

Patrick

Wow, I don't get those comparisons at all. Guess I am crazy after all.

Kayb95

Well, bashful... If they say "whatever you think is fair" you can counter with "you know what you've paid for the week, why don't you tell us what you think is fair" and put the ball back in their court.

bashful

"I would say, "I know the administration charge is $ 200 and we'd like to pay that full amount as our share. Does that sound fair to you?"

I am leaning towards this approach from Patrick. If we have to pay much more than that, there is no reason why we wouldn't have just waited and used our own timeshare in the same location (assuming it would have come up). If we had gotten our timeshare first, I think I would have been happy with the other couple paying the exchange fee (their's is with RCI so I assume their exchange fee is $179 that Kayb95 refers to).