Last updated 2026-07-24
TL;DR
There's no official government list of "reputable timeshare exit companies." To vet one yourself: check your state attorney general's consumer complaint database, confirm they don't demand full payment upfront, verify any attorney claims through the state bar, and never pay before services are rendered. The FTC has sued multiple exit companies for deceptive practices.
Are timeshares scams, or is it the exit industry that's the problem?
Timeshares themselves are legal contracts, not scams, though plenty of owners feel misled by high-pressure sales presentations. The bigger scam risk sits on the other side of the transaction: companies that promise to "cancel" or "exit" your timeshare for a large upfront fee and then disappear or do nothing. The Federal Trade Commission has brought multiple enforcement actions against timeshare exit and resale operations for exactly this pattern. In FTC v. Consumer Advocacy Center Inc. et al., the agency alleged the defendants collected large upfront fees per consumer from thousands of timeshare owners while providing little or no actual relief, and the case resulted in a settlement order with a judgment in the tens of millions of dollars against the operation [1]. The FTC's own guidance warns that timeshare owners "may not be able to sell their timeshare, or may have to sell it for a lot less than they paid for it," which means promises of an easy resale are often hollow [2]. So the honest framing is this: the timeshare product is often overpriced and hard to unload, and a real industry of predatory "exit" companies has grown up around that frustration. Both things are true at once. Your job is to solve the underlying problem (get out of a contract you don't want or can't afford) without handing thousands of dollars to a company that can't actually deliver what it promises.
How do you get out of a timeshare?
There are four real paths out: rescission, deed-back, resale, and third-party exit help. Almost every other option you'll hear pitched (timeshare-specific loans to "buy your way out," transfer companies, some attorney-run cancellation programs) is either a variation on these four or a red flag. Rescission is the fastest and cheapest if you're still inside the window. Every state gives new timeshare buyers a right to cancel within a set number of days after signing, no reason required. The exact window varies by state and can run anywhere from 3 to 15 days depending on where you bought, so confirm your state's rescission window before assuming you've missed it. If you're still inside it, you send a written cancellation notice by the method your contract specifies (often certified mail) and you owe nothing further. See how to get out of a timeshare for the mechanics of the notice itself. Deed-back (sometimes called a "surrender" or "deedback" program) means the resort takes the deed back voluntarily, usually because you're current on fees and the resort would rather cancel your interest than chase you for nonpayment. Many major resorts and management companies (Marriott Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations, Bluegreen, and others) run some version of this, though acceptance isn't guaranteed and rules change. Resale means selling the timeshare on the secondary market, typically for a fraction of what you paid, sometimes for $1 or less, because as the FTC notes, demand is thin [2]. Third-party exit help is a paid service, usually a company or attorney who negotiates with the resort, works a deed-back angle, or in rare cases litigates. This is where the scam risk concentrates.
How do I know if a timeshare exit company is reputable?
A reputable timeshare exit company won't demand full payment before doing any work, will show you its complaint history, and will put its refund terms in writing. None of that guarantees success, but the absence of any one of those things is a serious warning sign. Check these things before you sign anything or pay anything: 1. State attorney general complaint database. Most state AG offices publish consumer complaint search tools or let you call and ask about a specific business. The Washington State Attorney General's office sued Reed Hein & Associates (which operated as Timeshare Exit Team) in 2019, alleging violations of the state's Consumer Protection Act tied to large upfront fees and misrepresented success rates; the case ended in a court-approved settlement requiring restitution to consumers [3]. Search the company name plus "attorney general" and the state where it's incorporated and where you live. 2. Payment structure. Legitimate escrow-based fee structures exist (money held by a third party, released only when the exit is confirmed), but a lot of "escrow" language in this industry is marketing, not a real regulated escrow account. If a company wants the full fee wired or charged to a card on day one with no milestone-based release, that's a bad sign. 3. Attorney involvement, verified independently. If a company says "our attorneys handle your case," look up that attorney's bar number yourself on your state bar association's website. Don't trust a name on a brochure. 4. Written refund policy. Ask for it in writing before paying anything, and read the conditions closely. Many refund promises are conditioned on the company's own definition of "successful exit," not yours. 5. How long they've operated under the same name. Timeshare exit companies that fold and reopen under a new name after bad press are a recurring pattern flagged in FTC actions [1]. A quick search for the company name plus "formerly" or "complaints" often surfaces this. For a running list of company names and complaint patterns owners have reported, see timeshare exit companies.
How much do timeshares cost, and how much does getting out cost?
| Rescission (in-window) | $0 (postage/certified mail only) | Days to a few weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deed-back / surrender program | $0 to a few hundred dollars in resort admin fees | 1 to 6 months | |
| Resale (private sale or licensed broker) | $0 to list, broker commissions vary; sale price often near $0 to a few thousand | Months, sometimes years | |
| Third-party exit company | $2,000 to $10,000+ upfront, per multiple state AG actions and consumer complaints | 6 months to 2+ years, no guarantee | |
| DIY document/negotiation kit | Flat one-time fee (typically under $200) | Self-paced | The exit-company price range above isn't a single official figure, it's a pattern that shows up repeatedly across state attorney general complaints and FTC filings, so treat it as a range to expect, not a quote. The Washington AG's case against Reed Hein & Associates (Timeshare Exit Team) alleged consumers paid fees frequently in the thousands of dollars for services that didn't deliver the promised cancellation [3]. |
Buying in: timeshare purchase prices vary widely by brand, location, and season, but industry survey data compiled by the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) has put average purchase prices for a timeshare interval in the low-to-mid $20,000s in recent years, with average annual maintenance fees in the $1,000 to $1,200 range [4]. Maintenance fees climb almost every year, and special assessments for storm damage or renovations can add thousands more in a single bill. Getting out costs money too, whichever path you take. Here's the honest range: | Exit path | Typical cost | Timeline |
How to sell a timeshare (and why it's harder than selling a house)
Selling a timeshare yourself means listing it, pricing it realistically (often near $0 for older weeks-based products), and using a licensed timeshare resale broker if you want help, not an upfront-fee "transfer" company. The resale market for timeshares is genuinely thin. The FTC's consumer education page states plainly that owners "may not be able to sell their timeshare, or may have to sell it for a lot less than they paid for it" [2]. A few practical rules if you're going this route: Never pay an upfront fee to a company that claims it has a buyer already lined up. That's one of the oldest patterns in timeshare resale fraud: a call claiming a buyer is waiting, followed by a request for a "closing fee" or "tax fee" before the sale can close. The buyer doesn't exist. Use licensed real estate or timeshare resale brokers where your state requires licensing for this kind of transaction, and confirm the license through your state's real estate commission website. Expect to net very little, and possibly nothing. Many sellers on legitimate resale marketplaces list weeks for $1 just to transfer the deed and stop owing maintenance fees. That's a real outcome for a lot of older timeshare products, not a worst case. Check whether your resort has a deed-back or take-back program before you spend a dime marketing a sale. It's often faster and it's usually free or low-cost.
How to get rid of a timeshare when you're not in the rescission window anymore
Once your rescission period has closed, your options narrow to deed-back, resale, or paid exit help, and the resort's own program is almost always the first thing to try. Call the resort's owner services line and ask directly: "Do you have a deed-back, surrender, or exit program for owners in good standing?" Being current on maintenance fees actually helps here. Resorts are far more willing to take back a deed from someone who has paid on time than from someone in default, because a deed-back that clears a delinquent account just shifts the resort's own collections problem. If you're behind on fees, expect the resort to want you current, or close to it, before considering a take-back. If the resort says no, or you inherited a timeshare with fees you never agreed to (see the section below), a paid exit service or an attorney experienced in timeshare contract law becomes a more reasonable option, provided you've vetted them against the checklist above. Some state bar associations offer attorney referral services if you want a licensed professional rather than an exit company, and using your state bar's referral tool is a way to sidestep the marketing entirely. Whatever you do, don't just stop paying maintenance fees hoping the resort will write off the debt. Unpaid timeshare fees can go to collections, get reported to credit bureaus, and in some states result in a lien on the property interest itself. If you're behind, contact the resort or your state's consumer protection office before ignoring the bills.
What if I inherited a timeshare I never wanted?
You can usually disclaim (formally refuse) an inherited timeshare interest before accepting it, which stops the debt and maintenance fee obligation from transferring to you. This has to happen through the probate or estate process, typically with a written disclaimer filed within the timeframe set by the estate's state law, so this is a case where talking to the estate's probate attorney matters more than calling an exit company. If you've already accepted the inheritance (for example, by using the timeshare or paying a fee on it), disclaiming becomes much harder or impossible, and you're back to the deed-back, resale, or paid-exit options above. A lot of exit-company marketing specifically targets heirs, because heirs are often emotional, unfamiliar with the contract, and eager to make an inherited problem go away fast. That combination makes this one of the higher-risk moments for upfront-fee scams. Slow down, get the estate's paperwork, and check with the probate attorney handling the estate before signing anything with a company that called you first.
What does a legitimate exit process actually look like, step by step?
A legitimate path out generally follows a predictable order: confirm your rescission status, contact the resort about deed-back, explore resale, and only then consider a paid third party if nothing else works. Skipping straight to a paid exit company before trying the free or low-cost options is the single most common mistake owners make. Step 1: Pull your original purchase contract and check the date against your state's rescission rule. If you're still inside the window, cancel in writing per the contract's instructions and you're done, no fee required. Step 2: If rescission has passed, call the resort directly and ask about deed-back or surrender programs. Get any answer in writing or by email, more than verbally from a call center rep. Step 3: If deed-back isn't offered or you're declined, research resale through a licensed broker or a reputable timeshare resale marketplace, understanding you'll likely net little or nothing. Step 4: If none of that works and you decide paid help makes sense, vet the company against the checklist in this article, check your state AG's site, and never pay in full upfront. Step 5: Keep every piece of correspondence. If something goes wrong at any stage, your state attorney general and the FTC both take complaints, and a paper trail matters enormously if you need to dispute charges or file a complaint later. The FTC's complaint intake is at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
What red flags mean I should hang up or walk away?
Certain phrases and tactics show up over and over in timeshare exit and resale fraud complaints, and any one of them is reason to end the call. "We already have a buyer lined up" combined with a request for money before the sale closes is close to a guaranteed scam, per FTC guidance warning that resale offers requiring fees paid in advance deserve skepticism [2]. Unsolicited calls claiming to be from "the government" or a "timeshare compliance division" are not real government agencies. No government office runs a timeshare exit hotline. If someone claims to be calling on behalf of the FTC or your state AG about your specific timeshare, that's identity misuse, not a real referral, and it's worth reporting. Pressure to decide today, especially paired with a discount that expires if you don't sign now, is the same high-pressure tactic used in the original timeshare sales pitch, just aimed at getting you out instead of in. A legitimate exit or resale process doesn't require a same-day decision. Guarantees of success are another one. No company can lawfully guarantee your timeshare will be canceled, and any company that promises this in writing (or verbally, get it in writing if they say it) is overstating what it can deliver. We won't guarantee an exit outcome here either, because nobody honest can.
Do I need a lawyer, or is a DIY approach enough?
For a straightforward rescission within your state's window, you generally don't need a lawyer, you need the correct notice sent the correct way by the contract's stated deadline. For deed-back requests to a cooperative resort, you often don't need one either. Where a lawyer earns their fee is in genuinely contested situations: the resort disputes your rescission timing, there's fraud in the original sale that needs to be proven, or you're facing a lawsuit over unpaid fees. Attorneys licensed in your state (verify through your state bar's attorney search tool) carry malpractice obligations that exit companies simply don't have. For everything in between, a lot of owners are paying $2,000 to $10,000 for what amounts to letter-writing, contract review, and deed-back coordination that a well-organized owner can do themselves with the right documents and templates. That's the gap the ExitHonest $149 Timeshare Exit Kit is built for: it gives you the rescission notice templates, deed-back request letters, and a state-by-state framework to run the process yourself, without paying exit-company markup for administrative work. It's not a lawyer, it's not a guarantee, and it won't contact the resort for you, but for owners who just need the paperwork done right, it's a fraction of the typical exit-company fee. Build your packet at /exit-kit-builder.
What should I do if I already paid an exit company and nothing happened?
File a complaint with your state attorney general's consumer protection division and with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and dispute the charge with your credit card issuer if it's still within the dispute window. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act's billing error resolution rule, you generally must submit a written billing error notice within 60 days of the statement date on which the disputed charge first appeared [5]. Credit card disputes are genuinely one of the more effective remedies here, because card networks have their own fraud and non-delivery dispute processes separate from any lawsuit. If you paid by wire transfer or check, recovery is much harder, which is exactly why scam operations often push for those payment methods. Document everything: the contract you signed with the exit company, every payment, every promise made verbally (write down dates and what was said as soon as you remember it), and any response from the company when you asked for progress updates. That record matters if your state's AG office decides to investigate a pattern of complaints, which is often how these enforcement actions start in the first place [1] [3].
Frequently asked questions
How do you get out of a timeshare?
Four real paths: cancel during your state's rescission window (free, but time-limited), request a deed-back or surrender from the resort if you're current on fees, sell on the resale market (often for very little), or hire vetted third-party help as a last resort. Check your state's rescission rule first; it's the cheapest and fastest option if you're still inside it.
How to get out of a timeshare after the rescission period ends?
Contact the resort directly and ask about a deed-back or surrender program; many resorts, including major brands, run these for owners current on fees. If that's declined, try resale through a licensed broker, and only then consider paid exit help, after vetting the company through your state attorney general's complaint database.
Are timeshares scams?
The underlying contracts are legal, not scams, though sales presentations are often high-pressure and resale value is typically far lower than the purchase price. The bigger scam risk is in the exit and resale industry, where the FTC has sued multiple companies for taking large upfront fees and delivering little or nothing.
How much is a timeshare?
Industry survey data compiled by ARDA has put average timeshare purchase prices in the low-to-mid $20,000s in recent years, with average annual maintenance fees in the $1,000 to $1,200 range, and those fees typically rise most years. Resale value is usually a small fraction of the original price, sometimes near $0, because demand on the secondary market is limited.
How much do timeshares cost to get out of?
Rescission costs nothing but postage if you're in the window. Deed-back programs are often free or a few hundred dollars in admin fees. Paid exit companies typically charge $2,000 to $10,000 or more upfront, per patterns documented in state attorney general actions, with no guarantee of success.
How to sell a timeshare?
List it yourself or through a licensed timeshare resale broker, price it realistically (often near $0 for older weeks-based products), and never pay an upfront fee to anyone claiming they already have a buyer. Check your resort's deed-back program first; it's often faster and cheaper than trying to sell.
How to sell timeshare without losing money to scams?
Avoid any company that asks for payment before a sale closes or claims a buyer is already lined up; that combination is one of the most common timeshare resale fraud patterns tracked by the FTC. Use a licensed broker, verify their license through your state's real estate commission, and expect a low sale price.
How to get rid of a timeshare I inherited?
If you haven't formally accepted the inheritance, you may be able to disclaim it through the probate process, which stops the obligation from transferring to you; talk to the estate's probate attorney about your state's disclaimer deadline. If you've already accepted it, you're back to deed-back, resale, or vetted paid exit help.
What is a reputable timeshare exit company?
There's no official certification for this, so "reputable" means verifiable: check the company against your state attorney general's complaint database, confirm any attorney involvement through the state bar, insist on a written refund policy, and refuse to pay the full fee upfront before any work is done.
Can I stop paying maintenance fees to force an exit?
No, and you shouldn't; unpaid fees can go to collections, damage your credit, and in some states result in a lien on the property interest. If you can't afford fees, contact the resort or your state's consumer protection office about options rather than simply stopping payment.
How long does a timeshare rescission period last?
It varies by state, generally in a range from about 3 to 15 days depending on where you purchased, and the clock usually starts on the date you signed the contract. Confirm your specific state's rescission window and the exact notice method required in your contract before assuming you've missed the deadline.
Is it worth paying a timeshare exit company thousands of dollars?
Often no, especially before you've tried the free options: rescission if you're in the window, and a direct deed-back request to the resort. Many owners pay $2,000 to $10,000 for services that amount to paperwork and negotiation a well-prepared owner can attempt themselves at a much lower cost.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, FTC v. Consumer Advocacy Center Inc. et al., Case No. 2:19-cv-00722 (D. Nev.): FTC has brought enforcement actions against timeshare exit companies for deceptive upfront-fee practices, resulting in a stipulated settlement order
- FTC Consumer Advice, "Timeshares and Vacation Plans": limited resale market for timeshares and warning against upfront resale fees
- Washington State Office of the Attorney General, press release on State v. Reed Hein & Associates LLC (Timeshare Exit Team) settlement: state AG action against a timeshare exit company alleging Consumer Protection Act violations and upfront fees in the thousands of dollars
- American Resort Development Association (ARDA), industry data cited in ARDA press materials and state legislative testimony: average timeshare purchase price and average annual maintenance fee figures
- Federal Trade Commission, Fair Credit Billing Act consumer guidance, "Disputing Credit Card Charges": credit card dispute rights and the 60-day billing error notice window