BBB accredited timeshare exit companies: how to check

Last updated 2026-07-26

what does bbb accreditation actually mean for a timeshare exit company

BBB accreditation means a business applied, paid an annual fee based on its size, and agreed to follow the BBB Code of Business Practices. It does not mean the Better Business Bureau audited the company's contracts, verified its refund promises, or confirmed it can legally do what it claims. That matters a lot in the timeshare exit space, because this industry has a real scam problem sitting right next to legitimate businesses. A company can hold an A+ BBB rating and still be the subject of an active attorney general lawsuit. That has happened. Missouri's Attorney General has sued multiple timeshare exit and timeshare-adjacent companies over the past several years, alleging deceptive upfront-fee practices and failure to deliver promised cancellations. You can search the Missouri AG's consumer complaint and enforcement records directly through the state's consumer protection portal to check any specific company by name ^[1]. BBB accreditation is a floor, not a ceiling, and it's mostly about complaint-handling process, not outcomes. So when you see "BBB Accredited" on a timeshare exit company's homepage, treat it the way you'd treat a business license on a wall. It tells you the company exists, filed paperwork, and hasn't (yet) been kicked out for gross misconduct. It tells you nothing about whether the specific exit method they're selling you will actually cancel your contract.

how do i verify a timeshare exit company before paying anything

Start with the BBB profile itself, but read past the letter grade. Look at the actual complaint text, more than the count. A company with 40 complaints and 40 resolutions reads very differently from one with 40 complaints and 15 unanswered. BBB profiles show complaint closure reasons; look for patterns like "company failed to respond" or repeated refund disputes. Then go to your state attorney general's consumer protection division and search the company name plus "lawsuit" or "complaint." State AGs, not BBB, are the ones with subpoena power and the ability to sue for restitution. Check for a few concrete things before you sign anything or wire a dollar: - Is the fee held in escrow or a bonded trust account, released only on completion, or do they want it all upfront?

• Will they put the cancellation method in writing (deed-back, buyback, litigation, negotiated release) rather than vague language like "we'll get you out"?
• Do they have a physical business address you can verify, more than a call center number?
• Are they a law firm, or non-attorney sales staff describing legal strategy?
• Does their contract include a right to cancel the exit contract itself within a few days? None of these questions is about BBB status. They're about contract terms and money flow, which is where nearly every timeshare exit scam actually goes wrong.

is bbb accreditation a good filter for avoiding timeshare exit scams

It's one signal among many, and a weak one on its own. BBB accreditation correlates loosely with a company having a real office and someone answering the phone. It does not correlate with the company's exit method actually working, or with them refunding you if it doesn't. State attorneys general and the FTC have pursued timeshare exit and relief operations for deceptive practices regardless of BBB status. Some of these companies had reasonable-looking BBB profiles at the time they were sued. A BBB rating is generated largely from self-reported information and complaint volume relative to size; it isn't a licensing check or a legal audit. A better filter combines several sources. Your state AG's enforcement history, online court records (many state court systems let you search civil case filings by defendant name for free), and BBB complaint detail read in full, more than the summary grade, all matter more than the badge itself. If a company shows up in state AG litigation, that outweighs a decade of clean BBB standing every time.

how much does hiring a timeshare exit company cost

Upfront fees for third-party timeshare exit companies commonly range from about $2,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on the number of contracts, the resort, and whether litigation is involved. Some companies charge in installments tied to milestones; others want the full amount before starting anything. There's no standard price because there's no standard service; you're paying for a mix of paperwork, negotiation, and sometimes attorney time. That's the single biggest financial risk in this category: paying $5,000 upfront to a company that then does very little, with no escrow protection and no refund path once your credit card dispute window closes. Compare that to a deed-back program through the resort itself, which many developers now offer for free or a small administrative fee, or a rescission during your state's rescission window, which costs nothing but a certified letter. Paying a third party thousands of dollars should be a last resort, not a first move, and only after you've confirmed the resort has no deed-back option and you're well outside your rescission window.

how much is a timeshare and how much do timeshares actually cost

The average timeshare purchase price was $24,140 in 2023, according to the American Resort Development Association's owner survey, with average annual maintenance fees around $1,170 ^[2]. Those are averages across several property types (points-based systems, fixed weeks, fractional ownership), so individual contracts run much higher or lower. The bigger cost problem isn't the purchase price; it's that maintenance fees rise most years, often faster than general inflation, and special assessments for roof repairs, storm damage, or renovations can add thousands more with little warning. A $1,170 average fee in 2023 compounding at even 4-5% a year adds up fast over a 20-year ownership horizon, and that's before any special assessment year. This fee trajectory is exactly why so many owners start searching for an exit years after the buyer's-remorse window closed. If rising fees are your main problem right now rather than a fresh purchase, look at our maintenance fees coverage for how assessments get triggered and what owners can realistically negotiate.

are timeshares scams and is the exit industry the same thing

Timeshares themselves aren't legally scams; they're a real, regulated form of vacation property ownership, heavily disclosed at the point of sale under state real estate law. What generates the "timeshare scam" reputation is a mix of aggressive sales tactics during the original purchase (high-pressure presentations, undisclosed fee escalation) and a separate, genuinely scam-heavy exit industry that sells desperate owners a way out. State attorneys general have repeatedly targeted exit companies specifically for collecting upfront fees while failing to deliver a completed cancellation. That's the exit-side scam pattern, distinct from the original timeshare product. So the honest answer is: the timeshare purchase is a legitimate contract you agreed to, even if the sales pitch was pushy. The exit industry built around helping people leave that contract is where the scam risk concentrates, specifically around upfront fees, fake legal threats to resorts, and "credit protection" fees that don't protect anything. Our exit scam awareness coverage breaks down the specific red-flag scripts these companies use.

how to get out of a timeshare, step by step

The cheapest and cleanest way out is rescission, but it only works in a short window right after signing. Every state that regulates timeshare sales sets its own rescission period, ranging from as short as 3 days to as long as 15 days depending on the state; Florida, for example, gives buyers 10 calendar days after signing or after receiving the public offering statement, whichever is later, under its timeshare statute ^[3]. The statute states cancellation is effective "if the notice of cancellation is delivered" within that window and any refund is due back to the purchaser under the terms Florida law sets out ^[3]. Confirm your state's rescission window before assuming it's closed; some states count differently and some require the cancellation notice to be sent a specific way. If you're past rescission, work through options roughly in this order: 1. Contact the resort or developer directly and ask about a deed-back or surrender program. Many major chains (Wyndham, Marriott Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations, Diamond Resorts legacy properties) have run some version of these programs; terms and eligibility change, so ask current details directly. 2. Check whether you still owe money on the contract. Deed-backs are far more likely to be accepted if the timeshare is paid off. 3. If deed-back isn't available, look at a legitimate resale, understanding that timeshares resell for a small fraction of purchase price, often near zero on the secondary market. 4. Only after those are exhausted, consider a paid exit company or attorney, and vet them hard using the steps above before paying anything upfront. Our how to get out of a timeshare guide walks through each state's rescission mechanics in more detail, and timeshare cancellation covers the paperwork for sending a valid rescission notice.

how do you get out of a timeshare if you're already outside the rescission period

Once rescission has closed, you're negotiating rather than canceling as a matter of right. The main paths are a resort deed-back program, a resale (often at a steep loss), a negotiated release through the developer's owner services department, or, in genuinely difficult cases, an attorney who handles timeshare contract disputes. Deed-back is usually the fastest and cheapest legitimate option because the resort wants the unit back in inventory rather than dealing with a delinquent or unhappy owner forever. Some developers charge an administrative fee for deed-back; others don't. Eligibility commonly depends on the loan being paid off and fees being current, so check with the specific resort's owner services line rather than assuming. If the resort won't take it back and resale isn't realistic, a paid exit company becomes a genuine option for some owners, particularly inherited timeshares with no clear beneficiary willing to take the deed. Just apply the same verification steps: escrow-held fees, written cancellation method, no guarantees of outcome (nobody legitimate can guarantee a resort will agree to anything), and a state AG search before signing. See how do you get out of a timeshare for a longer walkthrough of the deed-back negotiation process.

how to sell a timeshare if you'd rather not go through an exit company

Selling is legal and sometimes works, but you need to reset your price expectations completely. Timeshares almost never appreciate, and resale platforms routinely show weeks and points packages listed for $1, with the seller covering closing costs and the current year's maintenance fee just to get rid of it. ARDA's own owner survey data shows most owners bought their timeshare directly from a developer rather than on the resale market, which tells you where the actual demand sits ^[2]. If you want to try selling yourself: list on a timeshare-specific resale marketplace, price it near what similar weeks or points packages are actually selling for (not what you paid), and never pay an upfront "marketing fee" to a company that contacts you unsolicited claiming they have a buyer ready. That specific pitch, an unsolicited call claiming a buyer is waiting if you just pay a transfer or advertising fee first, is one of the most common timeshare resale scams state consumer protection offices warn about. Realistically, if your timeshare has any maintenance fee balance and no rental income stream, selling for real money is unlikely. Deed-back or a paid exit becomes the more honest path for a lot of owners once they've tried resale for a few months with no offers.

how to get rid of a timeshare when you inherited it and never wanted it

Inherited timeshares create a specific legal wrinkle: you can disclaim (formally refuse) an inheritance under most state probate laws, but the window to do that is often short and the paperwork has to go through the estate, not the resort. If the estate has already closed and the deed transferred to you, disclaiming isn't available anymore, and you're an owner with the same options as anyone else: deed-back, resale, or a paid exit. Many resorts have specific inherited-owner deed-back policies since this situation is common and they'd rather take the unit back than chase a reluctant heir for fees. Call the resort's owner services line, explain the inheritance, and ask directly whether they have a heir or estate release program. Don't assume a paid exit company is necessary before you've made that one phone call; it costs nothing and resolves a meaningful share of inherited-timeshare cases on its own.

what red flags mean a timeshare exit company is likely a scam

Watch for these specific patterns, all of which show up repeatedly in state AG timeshare exit enforcement actions: - A large upfront fee with no escrow account and no refund policy in writing.

• Pressure to sign the same day, especially from an unsolicited cold call.
• Vague claims like "we have a legal team" without naming the attorneys or bar numbers involved.
• Instructions to stop paying your maintenance fees or mortgage while the exit is "in process." This is a serious red flag: unpaid fees can lead to foreclosure and credit damage regardless of what the exit company promises, and no legitimate company should tell you to stop paying obligations you still legally owe.
• "Credit protection" or "credit repair" add-on fees sold alongside the exit service.
• Refusal to give you a copy of the contract before you pay a deposit. If you see two or more of these, stop and verify with your state AG's office before paying anything.

what should i actually do this week if i'm stuck in a timeshare

First, confirm you're actually outside your rescission window; a lot of owners assume it's closed when it isn't, especially if the resort never sent the required disclosures that start the clock in some states. Second, call the resort directly and ask about deed-back before spending a dollar anywhere else. Third, if you decide a paid exit route is genuinely your best option, run the verification checklist above (escrow, written method, state AG search) on any company before signing. If you want a structured, low-cost starting point instead of guessing at forms and letters yourself, ExitHonest's $149 one-time Exit Kit Builder walks through your specific state's rescission rules, generates the cancellation or deed-back request paperwork, and gives you a documented paper trail, without charging the thousands of dollars a full-service exit company typically asks for upfront. It's a self-help tool, not a law firm and not a guarantee of any outcome; some situations genuinely need an attorney, and the kit will tell you when that's the case rather than pretending otherwise. Start at /exit-kit-builder. Whatever path you pick, keep every letter, email, and payment receipt. If this ever ends up in a state AG complaint or small claims filing, the paper trail is what makes your case, not how the initial conversation went.

Frequently asked questions

How to get out of a timeshare?

Confirm your state's rescission window first (it's short, sometimes as little as 3-15 days depending on the state). If that's closed, contact the resort about a deed-back program, try resale with realistic pricing, and only consider a paid exit company as a last resort after verifying it with your state AG's office.

Are BBB accredited timeshare exit companies safe to use?

BBB accreditation means the company paid a fee and agreed to BBB's code of conduct, not that regulators cleared its practices. Some accredited companies have still faced state AG lawsuits over upfront fees. Check the complaint detail, search your state AG's enforcement record, and verify escrow terms before paying anyone.

How much does it cost to hire a timeshare exit company?

Typical upfront fees run roughly $2,000 to $10,000 or more depending on the contract and whether litigation is involved. Watch for companies demanding large sums before any service is performed. Compare that cost against a free resort deed-back program before hiring anyone.

Are timeshares scams?

The timeshare product itself is a legal, regulated ownership structure, not inherently a scam. The reputation comes from aggressive original sales tactics and a separate exit industry where upfront-fee scams are common. State AGs have repeatedly sued companies that charge fees to sell or exit a timeshare and then fail to deliver.

How much is a timeshare?

The average purchase price was $24,140 in 2023 with average annual maintenance fees around $1,170, according to ARDA's owner survey. Actual prices vary widely by property type, location, and whether it's a fixed week or points-based system, and fees typically rise most years.

How to sell a timeshare?

List on a timeshare-specific resale marketplace and price it near recent actual sale prices, not your purchase price; most timeshares resell for very little or nothing. Never pay an upfront fee to anyone who calls claiming a buyer is already waiting. That's one of the most common resale scam patterns state consumer protection offices track.

How to get rid of a timeshare I inherited but never wanted?

If the estate hasn't closed yet, ask a probate attorney about formally disclaiming the inheritance, which has a short legal window. If the deed already transferred to you, call the resort about an heir or estate deed-back program before considering a paid exit company; many resorts have one.

What does BBB accreditation actually verify about a company?

BBB accreditation means a business paid an annual fee and agreed to BBB's code of conduct. It does not audit contracts, verify refund practices, or confirm legal compliance. Accreditation is not an endorsement or guarantee of business performance, and it says nothing about whether a specific exit method actually works.

Should I stop paying my timeshare maintenance fees while trying to exit?

No. Unpaid fees can trigger foreclosure, collections, and credit damage regardless of what any exit company promises about a pending cancellation. Continue paying obligations you legally owe until the contract is actually terminated or transferred, confirmed in writing by the resort.

How do I check if a timeshare exit company has complaints against it?

Search the company name on your state attorney general's consumer complaint database, read the full BBB complaint history (more than the letter grade), and check for state AG press releases or court filings naming the company before signing anything.

Is a deed-back program better than paying a timeshare exit company?

Usually yes, when available. Deed-back goes directly through the resort, often for free or a small administrative fee, versus $2,000 to $10,000+ for a third-party exit company. Eligibility often requires the loan to be paid off and fees current, so ask the resort's owner services line directly.

What is the timeshare rescission period and how long do I have?

It's a short legal window right after signing when you can cancel without penalty, and it varies by state, from about 3 to 15 days depending on where you signed. Florida requires 10 calendar days after signing or receiving the offering statement, whichever is later. Confirm your specific state's rule before assuming it's expired.

Sources

1. Missouri Revised Statutes, Chapter 407 (Merchandising Practices), Section 407.020: Missouri's deceptive merchandising practices law is the statute state enforcement actions against timeshare exit companies are typically brought under
2. Missouri Attorney General, Consumer Complaint Database: Missouri AG maintains a searchable consumer complaint and enforcement record for companies operating in the state
3. Code of Federal Regulations, 16 CFR Part 310 (Telemarketing Sales Rule): Federal rule governing upfront fee disclosures and prohibited practices for telemarketed recovery and exit services, which covers many phone-solicited timeshare exit offers
4. Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 45: Core federal statute prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices, the legal basis for FTC and state actions against timeshare exit operations
5. American Resort Development Association (ARDA), 2023 ARDA/Ragatz Owner Update Survey summary, cited in ARDA press materials: Average timeshare purchase price of $24,140 and average annual maintenance fee around $1,170 in 2023
6. Florida Statutes, Chapter 721 (Real Estate Timeshare Act), Section 721.10: Florida gives timeshare buyers a 10-day rescission period after signing or receiving the public offering statement