How to cancel a Vacation Village Resort timeshare

Last updated 2026-07-26

How do you cancel a Vacation Village Resorts timeshare right after buying it?

Every state that regulates timeshare sales gives buyers a short window to cancel for any reason, no explanation needed. This is called a rescission period, and it's the cleanest, cheapest way out. Vacation Village Resorts operates properties across states including Florida, Virginia, South Carolina, and others, so your exact deadline depends on where you signed, not where the resort's home office sits. Florida, where a chunk of Vacation Village's portfolio sits (Bonaventure Resort, Vacation Village at Parkway near Orlando, for example), gives buyers 10 days to cancel a timeshare purchase contract. Florida Statute 721.10 states that a purchaser may cancel the contract 'until midnight of the 10th calendar day following the date on which the purchaser executes the contract' ^[1]. Virginia's Real Estate Time-Share Act allows cancellation within 7 days of signing or receipt of the public offering statement, whichever is later ^[2]. South Carolina's timeshare law gives buyers 5 days ^[3]. These numbers are not interchangeable, so confirm your state's rescission window using your actual contract state, not a guess. The method matters as much as the deadline. Most state statutes require written notice, and many specify it should go by certified mail with return receipt, or hand delivery with a signed receipt. Do not rely on a phone call or a verbal promise from a salesperson that 'it's handled.' Keep a copy of everything, note the date you signed, and mail your cancellation letter before the window closes, not on the last day if you can help it. If you're unsure how to word the letter, see how to get out of a timeshare for a walkthrough of what a rescission letter needs to include.

What if my rescission window already closed?

If your rescission period has passed, you can't undo the contract just by asking nicely, but you still have real options. The three legitimate paths are a deed-back to the resort (sometimes called a deedback or surrender program), reselling the ownership, or working through the resort's own owner-services department to explore a release, especially if fees have become unaffordable or the deed passed to you through inheritance. Vacation Village Resorts has, at various points, offered internal exit or deed-back arrangements for owners current on their maintenance fees, though these programs are not universal, not advertised the same way across every resort in the group, and can change or disappear without notice. Call the resort's owner services line directly and ask what deed-back or surrender options exist for your specific property. Policies differ by individual resort even within one branded portfolio. Get any offer in writing before paying anything or signing anything. Don't confuse a resort's official deed-back program with a third-party 'timeshare transfer' service that charges you thousands upfront and claims a relationship with the resort. If a company can't name the exact resort department and program you'd be using, be skeptical.

How do you get out of a timeshare you no longer want?

Outside the rescission window, getting out of a timeshare generally means one of four things: a resort deed-back, a private resale (usually for pennies on the dollar or even free plus closing costs), donating or gifting the deed to someone willing to take on the fees, or hiring a licensed, transparent service to help you negotiate a release. The Federal Trade Commission's guidance on timeshare resales and exits warns that some companies charge large upfront fees and then fail to deliver a sale or release, and it directs owners to check with their homeowners association or developer about a deed-back option before paying anyone ^[4]. That's the first call, every time, before any paid service. Deed-back and surrender programs work best when your maintenance fees are current, the resort still wants the inventory back (some do, some don't, depending on occupancy and demand), and you're willing to walk away with nothing rather than expecting a payout. Realistically, a used timeshare has almost no resale value; the market is flooded with owners trying to give theirs away. If you go the resale route, list at a realistic price (often $1 to a few hundred dollars for older weeks-based units) and budget for a transfer fee and closing costs, which the buyer sometimes covers, sometimes doesn't.

How do you sell a Vacation Village timeshare?

Selling is legal and possible, but expect a low number, not a windfall. Points-based and weeks-based timeshare interests in secondary markets commonly sell for a small fraction of the original purchase price, sometimes $1, sometimes a few hundred dollars, because the ongoing maintenance fee obligation scares off most buyers. That recurring cost is exactly why resale values stay so low; a buyer is inheriting a bill, not a bargain. Before listing anywhere, check with Vacation Village directly, since many resorts hold a right of first refusal on transfers, meaning the HOA can step in and reclaim the unit before an outside sale completes. Skip any resale 'broker' who asks for money upfront to list your unit or who claims to have a buyer already lined up. A legitimate broker or transfer agent generally gets paid at closing, from proceeds, not before.

Are timeshares scams?

The timeshare product itself is legal and regulated at the state level, so calling all timeshares scams overstates it. But the industry has a real, well-documented scam problem clustered around two points: high-pressure sales presentations at the point of purchase, and fraudulent exit or resale companies at the point of trying to leave. The FTC's guidance on timeshare resales warns that fraudulent operators may ask for an upfront fee and then do little or nothing to help the owner sell or exit the timeshare ^[4]. State attorneys general in Florida, Tennessee, Missouri, and elsewhere have brought or supported actions against timeshare exit companies that collected large upfront fees, sometimes $3,000 to $10,000 or more per owner, without delivering the promised cancellation. The honest read: the purchase experience is where the pressure tactics live, and the exit industry is where the outright fraud concentrates. Treat any unsolicited call about your specific timeshare, especially one claiming a buyer is already lined up or that you must act within 24 hours, as a red flag. Cross-check any exit company against your state attorney general's consumer complaint database before paying anyone. For a rundown of tactics to watch for, see timeshare exit companies.

How much do timeshares cost, really?

Purchase price (new, developer-sold)	$15,000 to $30,000+	One-time
Annual maintenance fee	~$1,000 to $1,400	Every year, rising most years
Special assessment	$500 to $3,000+	Occasional, unpredictable
Resale value	$0 to a few hundred dollars	If/when you sell	Maintenance fees have generally outpaced general inflation in many resort systems over the past decade, which is exactly why so many long-time owners start looking for an exit. If rising fees are your main trigger, our timeshare call list breaks down who to actually contact first.

The upfront purchase price and the ongoing annual fee are two separate numbers, and both matter more than most buyers realize at the sales table. Industry-linked data has placed the average timeshare purchase price in the range of roughly $20,000 to $24,000 depending on the year and study cited, with average annual maintenance fees around $1,170 ^[5]. Special assessments, additional one-time charges for major repairs or storm damage, come on top of that and are not optional; owners are contractually obligated to pay them. Here's a rough cost table based on published industry averages: | Cost type | Typical range | Frequency |

How do you get rid of a timeshare you inherited?

Inheriting a timeshare deed doesn't automatically obligate you to keep paying, but it also doesn't disappear on its own. If you're named as heir or the deed passes through probate, you generally have the option to disclaim the inheritance formally (check your state's probate rules on disclaiming an interest, usually done through the probate court within a set timeframe) before the deed and its fee obligations transfer to you. If the deed has already transferred to your name, you're in the same position as any owner: contact Vacation Village Resorts owner services about a deed-back, look at resale, or consult a local estate attorney about the disclaimer process if it's not too late. Do not assume ignoring maintenance fee bills makes the debt vanish; unpaid fees can lead to a lien on the timeshare interest and, depending on the state and contract, collections action or credit reporting. A number of state legislatures have specifically taken up 'inherited timeshare' bills in recent sessions because this exact situation, an heir stuck with fees on a property they never wanted, has become common enough to draw legislative attention. Check your state legislature's site for pending or passed timeshare heir-relief bills before assuming you have no options.

What should you never do when trying to cancel a timeshare?

Never stop paying maintenance fees or your loan as a strategy to force a cancellation. Missed payments lead to late fees, potential foreclosure on the timeshare interest, and credit damage; they do not pressure the resort into releasing you, and no legitimate advisor will tell you otherwise. Never pay a large upfront fee, often demanded as a flat $2,000 to $10,000+ 'exit fee' or 'transfer fee,' to a company that promises it can make your timeshare problem disappear. The FTC's guidance on timeshare resales and exits is clear that owners should be wary of large upfront payments and should verify a company's standing with their state attorney general and the Better Business Bureau first ^[4]. Never sign a new contract, timeshare 'upgrade,' or points conversion offered as a way to 'help you exit faster.' This is a common upsell disguised as an exit solution, and it usually adds cost and years to your obligation rather than ending it. And never wire money or pay by gift card to anyone claiming to represent a government mediation program for timeshare owners; there is no federal program that cancels timeshares on your behalf.

How do you spot a timeshare exit scam targeting Vacation Village owners?

Warning signs cluster around a few repeated patterns. A caller who reaches out unsolicited, claiming to have 'a buyer already interested' in your specific Vacation Village unit, is very likely running a resale advance-fee scam; real buyers don't materialize from cold calls to owners who never listed anywhere. A company that demands full payment before doing any work, refuses to put fee structure and refund terms in writing, or pressures you to decide same-day, is showing classic high-pressure tactics regardless of what industry it claims to operate in. Check the company's name against your state attorney general's consumer alerts page; Florida's Attorney General, for instance, maintains a public consumer protection complaint portal covering timeshare-related complaints. A legitimate transfer or deed-back path involves the resort's own recorded transfer department, a licensed real estate attorney, or (for a fee-based service) a company that discloses its total cost, timeline, and what happens if the exit doesn't succeed, in writing, before you pay anything. If a company can't answer 'what happens if this doesn't work' clearly, that's your answer.

What does a legitimate paid exit path actually look like?

A reasonable, transparent paid option gives you a flat, disclosed cost, a description of the actual steps taken (contacting the resort's transfer or deed-back desk, preparing and recording a deed transfer, confirming fee accounts are closed), and no promise of an outcome that no company can honestly make, since exit success depends heavily on your specific deed, resort, and state. This is where a self-directed toolkit can make sense for owners who want structure without paying a large exit company fee. ExitHonest's $149 one-time Exit Kit Builder walks you through your state's rescission rules, drafts the documents for a resort deed-back or surrender request, and lays out the resale and hardship paths in plain language, all at a fraction of what many exit companies charge for the same basic groundwork. It's a toolkit, not a guarantee, and it won't contact Vacation Village Resorts or the developer on your behalf; you stay the one holding the pen. You can start at /exit-kit-builder. Whatever path you take, keep records: every letter sent, every call log, every fee payment. If a dispute ever comes up about whether you cancelled properly or transferred cleanly, your paper trail is what protects you.

Where can you report a timeshare exit scam?

File a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, which the agency describes as the place consumers should go to 'report fraud, scams, and bad business practices'. This feeds directly into federal enforcement data used to track patterns across the exit-scam industry. Also file with your state attorney general's consumer protection division; Florida's Attorney General, for example, runs a consumer protection complaint portal covering timeshare-related fraud. Many states specifically track timeshare exit and resale complaints because the volume has been high enough to warrant a category of its own. If you paid by credit card, dispute the charge with your card issuer as soon as you realize something's wrong; card networks have chargeback windows, typically 60 to 120 days depending on the card brand and reason code, so speed matters. If you wired money or paid by gift card, recovery odds drop sharply, which is exactly why scammers push those payment methods.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get out of a timeshare with Vacation Village Resorts?

First confirm your state's rescission deadline (varies by state, for example 10 days in Florida) and cancel in writing if you're still inside it. If that window has closed, call Vacation Village owner services directly to ask about a deed-back program, and consider resale or a paid documentation service only after confirming the resort has no free option.

How do you get out of a timeshare after the rescission period ends?

Contact the resort's owner services department first and ask about deed-back or surrender programs; many resorts will take back a paid-off unit with fees current at no cost. If that's not available, look at resale, gifting the deed, or a transparent paid exit service. Never pay a large fee upfront to a company that promises to make your obligation disappear.

How much does a timeshare cost, on average?

Industry-linked data has put average timeshare purchase prices around $20,000 to $24,000, with average annual maintenance fees near $1,170. Special assessments for major repairs come on top and vary widely by resort and event.

How much is a timeshare resale worth?

Very little in most cases. Because ongoing maintenance fees transfer with the deed, resale prices for older weeks-based or points-based timeshares often run from $0 to a few hundred dollars, sometimes listed for $1 just to move the fee obligation off the seller's books.

Are timeshares a scam?

The product itself is legal and state-regulated, so it's not accurate to call all timeshares scams. But high-pressure sales tactics at purchase and outright fraud in the exit and resale industry are both well documented by the FTC and state attorneys general, so caution is warranted at both ends of ownership.

How do I sell my Vacation Village timeshare?

Check whether Vacation Village holds a right of first refusal on transfers before listing anywhere. List through a licensed resale channel at a realistic (often very low) price, and never pay a resale company that demands money upfront before finding a buyer; regulators have pursued enforcement against exactly this scam pattern.

What is the rescission period for Florida timeshares?

Florida Statute 721.10 gives buyers until midnight of the 10th calendar day after signing the purchase contract to cancel for any reason, with written notice required. Other states set different windows, so confirm the rule for the state where you actually signed.

Can I cancel my timeshare if I inherited it?

If the deed hasn't transferred to you yet, you may be able to formally disclaim the inheritance through probate court, check your state's rules and any filing deadline. If the deed already transferred, you have the same options as any owner: resort deed-back, resale, or a documented exit path.

What happens if I just stop paying my timeshare maintenance fees?

Stopping payment doesn't cancel the timeshare. It typically leads to late fees, a lien on the timeshare interest, possible foreclosure of that interest, and potential damage to your credit, depending on the resort's contract terms and your state's law. It is not a recommended exit strategy.

How do I know if a timeshare exit company is legitimate?

Check the company against your state attorney general's consumer complaint database and the Better Business Bureau before paying anything. Legitimate services disclose full costs and timelines in writing and never promise a specific outcome. Avoid any company demanding a large upfront fee or pressuring same-day decisions.

Where do I report a timeshare exit scam?

File a complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FTC's consumer fraud reporting portal, and separately with your state attorney general's consumer protection division. If you paid by credit card, also dispute the charge with your card issuer as soon as possible, since chargeback windows are time-limited.

Does Vacation Village Resorts have a deed-back program?

Vacation Village Resorts has offered deed-back or surrender arrangements at some of its properties for owners current on fees, but availability and terms vary by individual resort and can change. Call owner services directly for your specific resort and get any offer in writing before paying or signing anything.

Sources

1. Florida Legislature, Florida Statutes: Florida gives timeshare purchasers until midnight of the 10th calendar day after signing to cancel the contract
2. Virginia General Assembly, Code of Virginia: Virginia's Real Estate Time-Share Act gives buyers a cancellation right within 7 days of signing or receipt of the public offering statement
3. South Carolina Legislature, South Carolina Code of Laws: South Carolina's timeshare law provides a cancellation window for timeshare purchase contracts
4. Federal Trade Commission, "Timeshare Resales" consumer guidance: FTC guidance warns owners to check with the developer or HOA for a free exit program before paying anyone, and describes exit scam tactics
5. American Resort Development Association, ARDA press release on vacation ownership industry data: Average annual timeshare maintenance fees and purchase price data published by the timeshare industry's trade association
6. Federal Trade Commission, FTC v. Timeshare Sales & Marketing Inc. et al. press release: FTC enforcement action against a timeshare resale/exit operation that charged upfront fees without delivering promised results