How can I get out of my Wyndham timeshare?

Last updated 2026-07-25

Can I still cancel my Wyndham contract if I just bought it?

Maybe. Every state that regulates timeshares gives buyers a rescission period, a short window after signing where you can cancel for any reason and get your money back. This is the fastest, cheapest, cleanest way out, but only if you're still inside it. The length depends entirely on where you signed, not where Wyndham is headquartered. Florida, where a lot of Wyndham resorts and sales offices operate, sets a 10-day rescission period under its timeshare statute ^[1]. Other states set shorter or longer windows. There's no federal rescission law for timeshares specifically, so you have to confirm your state's rescission window using the contract itself and your state attorney general's consumer page ^[2]. To rescind, follow the instructions printed in your purchase documents exactly. Most states require written notice (not a phone call) sent to the address listed in the contract, often by certified mail so you have proof of the date. Do this even if a Wyndham rep tells you it's not necessary. If you're inside the window, this is genuinely the best option available. Nothing else on this list is as fast or as certain. If you're past the window, keep reading, because you still have real options. Just none of them are instant.

What if my rescission period already ended?

Then you're looking at slower paths: Wyndham's own exit programs, resale, a deeded transfer, or in rare cases letting the resort take it back through deed-in-lieu or foreclosure. None of these are certain, and all of them take longer than a rescission letter. Wyndham has run internal exit or surrender programs over the years, sometimes marketed as "Certified Exit" or handled through owner services, aimed at owners current on fees who want out and whose points have little resale value. Availability and criteria change, and Wyndham doesn't publish a public, permanent policy promising acceptance, so you have to call and ask what's currently offered for your specific contract, deeded week, or points ownership. Don't assume you qualify. Don't pay a third party a large upfront fee to "apply" for something Wyndham itself administers for free. Resale is worth trying, especially for deeded weeks, but you should walk in with realistic expectations (more on that below). A licensed timeshare transfer or closing company can also handle a deed transfer if you find a buyer, even a buyer who pays nothing, sometimes called a "deed back for a dollar" arrangement between owners. The worst outcome, and one some owners eventually choose deliberately, is defaulting: stopping maintenance fee payments and letting the resort pursue foreclosure or collections. This isn't a strategy we'll recommend. It damages your credit, can result in a deficiency judgment in some states, and the resort may still pursue you for fees owed up to that point ^[3]. Keep paying what you owe while you pursue a real exit path.

How do I ask Wyndham for a deed-back or surrender?

Call Wyndham's owner care line directly and ask, in plain language, whether they currently offer a deed-back, surrender, or exit program for your specific ownership type. Get the name of whoever you speak with and ask for written confirmation of any program terms, including whether outstanding fees must be paid in full first. Deed-back programs typically require your account to be current, meaning no past-due maintenance fees or special assessments. Wyndham (like most major developers) generally won't take back a deed that's underwater on fees, because the point of the program is decluttering owners they'd otherwise have to chase for money anyway. If you owe back fees, ask what it would take to get current, and get any payoff plan in writing before sending money. This process can take weeks to a few months of calls and paperwork. It's slow specifically because it's free or low-cost and doesn't involve a middleman law firm. If you want structure for organizing calls, documents, and deadlines instead of guessing, a timeshare call list can help you track who you talked to and when.

Can I just sell my Wyndham timeshare?

You can try, but you should know the resale market for points-based and deeded timeshares is brutal. Most timeshares resell for a small fraction of what the original buyer paid, and a large share list for a single dollar and still don't sell quickly. ARDA, the timeshare industry's own trade association, has reported the average per-interval purchase price for a timeshare at roughly $24,000 in its 2023 State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry report ^[4]. Resale prices for the same product routinely run in the hundreds of dollars on secondary marketplaces, because resale value is driven by ongoing maintenance fee obligations, not by what the original buyer paid Wyndham's sales team. If you want to try resale legitimately: - List on established timeshare resale marketplaces and be upfront about annual maintenance fees and any special assessments.

• Price to the actual secondary market, not to what you paid. Search recently sold listings for the same resort and unit type.
• Never pay an upfront "listing fee" of more than a small, flat amount to a resale broker promising a fast sale. That promise is one of the most common scam setups in this industry ^[5].
• Consider a licensed closing/transfer company only after you have a real buyer, to handle the deed transfer and estoppel paperwork correctly. If your unit truly has no resale value (a lot of points-based products don't), a deed-back through Wyndham or a straightforward deed transfer to a willing recipient is usually more realistic than waiting for a buyer who probably won't show up.

Are timeshares scams?

The timeshare product itself is legal and regulated at the state level, not a scam in the legal sense, but the sales process and the exit industry both have well-documented problems the FTC and multiple state attorneys general have pursued for years. On the sales side, the FTC has brought enforcement actions alleging deceptive presentation tactics, including misrepresenting a timeshare as an investment or making resale promises that don't hold up ^[6]. On the exit side, the FTC has separately warned that resale and exit scams target existing owners with promises of guaranteed buyers or promised cancellations in exchange for upfront fees, then deliver nothing ^[5]. The practical answer: timeshares are a real, if usually money-losing, ownership product. What's genuinely scam-shaped is any company that promises they can get you out for certain, demands thousands of dollars upfront before doing anything, or tells you to stop paying maintenance fees as part of their "process." Legitimate rescission is free if you're in your window. Legitimate deed-back is often free or low-cost if you qualify. Anyone charging a large sum for either of those two things specifically is worth a second look before you sign anything or wire money.

How much does a Wyndham timeshare actually cost?

Average purchase price per interval	~$24,140	ARDA 2023 [4]
Average annual maintenance fee	~$1,205	ARDA 2023 [4]
Typical resale price (secondary market)	Often $1 to low thousands	Varies by resort/season
Common upfront exit-scam fee demand	$2,000 to $10,000+	FTC consumer alerts [5]

Purchase prices for Wyndham points packages vary enormously by developer promotion, points volume, and resort tier, but industry-wide averages give a useful benchmark. ARDA's 2023 industry report put the average timeshare purchase price at approximately $24,140 per interval ^[4], and separately reported average annual maintenance fees around $1,205 ^[4]. Those are industry averages across all developers, not Wyndham-specific figures (Wyndham doesn't publish its own average purchase price publicly), but they're the closest sourced numbers available and Wyndham's points products generally fall within that range depending on points volume purchased. Maintenance fees are the ongoing cost that catches most owners off guard. They typically rise annually to cover resort upkeep, taxes, and reserve funds, and can jump sharply with a special assessment after storm damage or a major renovation. If rising fees, not buyer's remorse, are your main problem, it's worth reading about how fee increases actually work and what options (if any) owners have, covered in our companion piece on maintenance fees. | Cost item | Approximate range | Source |

What's the actual step-by-step process to get out of a Wyndham timeshare?

Start by pulling your original purchase contract and finding two things: the date you signed, and the rescission clause with its deadline and cancellation instructions. That single document tells you which path you're on. 1. If you're inside your state's rescission window, send written cancellation notice exactly as the contract instructs, by certified mail, today. Don't wait for a callback from Wyndham to confirm you should do it. 2. If that window has passed, call Wyndham owner services and ask directly whether a deed-back, surrender, or exit program is currently available for your ownership. Write down names, dates, and terms. 3. While that's pending, check whether you're current on maintenance fees. Programs generally require a current account, and staying current also protects your credit and avoids collections regardless of which exit path works out. 4. In parallel, list the ownership for resale at a realistic price, or ask family or another interested party if they'd take a deed transfer, sometimes for as little as one dollar, through a licensed closing company. 5. If none of that moves and you want a structured way to organize the paperwork, contract review, and call scripts yourself instead of paying a $3,000 to $6,000 exit company retainer, an option like our own $149 Timeshare Exit Kit is built to walk owners through the same steps without the upfront risk of a contract promising results nobody can actually promise. We don't contact Wyndham for you and we don't promise a cancellation outcome; nobody honest can promise that. It's a toolkit, not a law firm. 6. Whatever you choose, keep records of every call, letter, and payment. If you eventually need to file a complaint with your state attorney general or the FTC, that paper trail matters.

What should I watch out for with timeshare exit companies?

The core red flag is money up front for a promise of a certain result. The FTC's consumer guidance is direct on this: be wary of any company that asks for payment before performing services, and be especially skeptical of promises to get you out of your contract ^[5]. Other patterns worth knowing: high-pressure callbacks claiming they have a "buyer already lined up" for your specific unit (resale demand for most timeshares is close to zero, so this is a common lie); requests to pay via wire transfer or gift card, which are hard to reverse; and "attorney-backed" pitches that turn out to be marketing language rather than an actual attorney-client relationship with your name on a retainer letter. Before hiring anyone, check the company's standing with your state attorney general's consumer protection office and look for actual complaint history, more than star ratings on the company's own site. Some state consumer protection offices have pursued or warned about timeshare exit companies specifically. If you want a broader rundown of how these companies operate and which practices to avoid, see our guide to timeshare exit companies.

Can I stop paying maintenance fees to force Wyndham to take it back?

Don't do this as a strategy. Stopping payment doesn't reliably trigger a deed-back; it more often triggers late fees, collections calls, and eventually foreclosure or a debt referred to a collection agency, which can show up on your credit report and, depending on your state, potentially expose you to a deficiency judgment for fees owed beyond the value of the interest foreclosed ^[3]. Some owners do end up here anyway, either because they can't afford fees at all or because every other exit path failed. If you're in that position, treat it as a last resort you're managing deliberately, not a shortcut: know your state's foreclosure process for timeshares, understand whether it's judicial or non-judicial (this varies by state), and get real legal advice, not exit-company sales talk, before you stop paying. If your actual problem is that fees have become unaffordable rather than that you regret the purchase entirely, it's worth exploring whether a smaller unit type, a different season, or a program change within Wyndham's system could lower your annual cost before you go the nuclear route.

Is inherited Wyndham ownership different from buying it myself?

Yes, in one important way: you may not be legally obligated to keep it at all. Timeshare interests, like other debts and property, generally pass through the estate, and heirs in most states can disclaim (formally refuse) an inheritance, including a timeshare, within the timeframe and process their state's probate law requires ^[7]. If the estate has already been settled and the timeshare deed transferred to your name, you're now the owner of record and the maintenance fee obligation is yours going forward, same as any deeded owner. At that point the paths above (deed-back, resale, contact Wyndham directly) all apply the same way. If probate is still open, talk to the estate's attorney before doing anything else. Disclaiming an inheritance has to be done correctly and within a specific window under most state probate statutes, and doing it wrong can leave you stuck with an ownership you never wanted to accept in the first place.

Frequently asked questions

How to get out of a timeshare?

If you're still inside your state's rescission window, send written cancellation exactly as your contract instructs, by certified mail. If that window has passed, contact the resort directly about a deed-back or surrender program, try resale or a deed transfer, and keep paying fees while you work it. Avoid any company demanding large upfront fees for a promised exit.

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

You generally have three realistic paths: ask the developer (Wyndham, Marriott, etc.) about its own deed-back or exit program, sell or transfer the deed through resale or a licensed closing company, or in last-resort cases let the account go to foreclosure, which damages credit and may leave you owing fees. No path is instant or certain.

How to sell a timeshare?

List it on an established timeshare resale marketplace priced to the actual secondary market (often a few hundred dollars, not what you originally paid), disclose maintenance fees upfront, and use a licensed closing company once you have a real buyer. Never pay a large upfront fee to a broker promising a fast, sure sale.

How to get rid of a timeshare?

Confirm your rescission deadline first; it's your cheapest exit if you're still inside it. After that, contact the developer about deed-back programs, try resale or a deed transfer (sometimes for one dollar), and stay current on fees throughout. Skip upfront-fee exit companies and never stop paying fees as a strategy.

Are timeshares scams?

The ownership product itself is legal and regulated by states, not a scam by definition, but the FTC has pursued deceptive sales practices in the industry and separately warns about resale and exit scams that charge upfront fees for results that never materialize. Treat any promise of a fast, certain exit as a red flag.

How much is a timeshare?

ARDA's 2023 industry report put the average purchase price per timeshare interval at roughly $24,140, with average annual maintenance fees around $1,205. Actual prices vary widely by resort, points volume, and season, and resale prices for the same ownership often run far lower, sometimes just a few hundred dollars.

How much do timeshares cost to maintain each year?

Average annual maintenance fees run around $1,205 per interval according to ARDA's 2023 State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry report, though this varies by resort and unit size and typically rises most years. Special assessments for storm damage or renovations can add hundreds or thousands more in a single year.

Can I cancel my Wyndham contract if I just signed it?

Possibly. Most states give timeshare buyers a short rescission period, for example 10 days under Florida law, to cancel for any reason. Check your contract's rescission clause and your state attorney general's consumer page for your state's actual deadline, then send written cancellation exactly as instructed, by certified mail.

Does Wyndham have a deed-back or surrender program?

Wyndham has offered exit or surrender programs for qualifying owners in the past, generally requiring the account to be current on fees, but availability and criteria change and aren't permanently published. Call Wyndham owner services directly and ask what's currently offered for your specific ownership before assuming you qualify.

What happens if I stop paying Wyndham maintenance fees?

Expect late fees, collections calls, and eventually foreclosure or a referral to collections, which can hurt your credit and, depending on your state, potentially leave you owing a deficiency beyond the value of the interest foreclosed. This isn't a reliable exit strategy and should be a last resort handled with real legal advice.

I inherited a Wyndham timeshare I don't want. What are my options?

If probate is still open, ask the estate's attorney about disclaiming the inheritance under your state's probate law before the deed transfers to you. If it's already in your name, you're the legal owner and can pursue deed-back, resale, or direct contact with Wyndham the same way any owner would.

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

Watch for upfront payment demanded before any service is performed, promises of a certain cancellation outcome, pressure to pay by wire transfer or gift card, and claims of an already-lined-up buyer. The FTC specifically warns against paying upfront for promised results and recommends checking a company's standing with your state attorney general first.

Can I sell my Wyndham points back to Wyndham?

Sometimes, through whatever surrender or deed-back program Wyndham currently offers to owners who are current on fees, though Wyndham typically doesn't pay owners for the points back; it's more accurately a release from the obligation, not a sale. Ask owner services directly what's available for your contract.

Sources

1. Florida Legislature, Florida Statutes Chapter 721.06 (Timeshare Cancellation): Florida sets a 10-day rescission period for timeshare purchase contracts
2. Federal Trade Commission, Business Guidance on Timeshares (16 CFR analysis of state rescission variation): Rescission rights and periods for timeshares are set by state law and vary by state
3. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, "What is a deficiency judgment?": Owners who stop paying can face foreclosure, collections, and a deficiency judgment in some states
4. American Resort Development Association (ARDA), State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry 2023 Annual Report: Average timeshare purchase price and average annual maintenance fee figures
5. Federal Trade Commission, "Timeshare Resales and 'We'll Buy Your Timeshare' Scams" consumer alert: FTC warning that resale and exit companies charging upfront fees for guaranteed results are a common scam pattern
6. Federal Trade Commission v. lonline timeshare resale defendants, FTC v. Timeshare Resale Enforcement matter summary: FTC has pursued enforcement actions over deceptive timeshare resale and sales practices
7. Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, ATCP 127 Timeshare regulation: State consumer protection agency regulates timeshare resale and exit practices under administrative code
8. Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 407, Merchandising Practices (timeshare-related consumer protection): State consumer protection law under which the Missouri Attorney General pursues deceptive timeshare exit practices
9. Uniform Law Commission, Uniform Disclaimer of Property Interests Act (1999): Heirs can generally disclaim an inherited property interest, including a timeshare, under state probate law within a required timeframe