How to cancel a Westgate resort timeshare (2026 guide)

Last updated 2026-07-25

How do I cancel a Westgate timeshare during the rescission period?

You cancel during rescission by sending written notice, not a phone call, to the address listed in your purchase contract before your state's deadline runs out. Westgate contracts are governed by the law of the state where you signed, most often Florida for Orlando and Kissimmee resorts, Tennessee for the Smoky Mountains properties, or Nevada for Las Vegas towers. Florida gives buyers a 10-day rescission period under Florida Statutes section 721.10, running from the day you sign or the day you get the public offering statement, whichever is later ^[1]. Tennessee's timeshare act sets its own cancellation window under Tenn. Code Ann. Title 66, Chapter 32, and Nevada has a separate rule under NRS Chapter 119A ^[2][3]. Confirm your state's rescission window using the actual contract you signed. Don't guess based on what a neighbor's contract said. The notice needs to say clearly that you're rescinding, include your contract number, both owners' signatures if it was a joint purchase, and the date. Send it by a method that gives you proof: certified mail with return receipt, or whatever method your specific contract names as valid. Keep a copy of everything, including the envelope and postal receipt. Don't rely on a Westgate salesperson's verbal reassurance that you can "just call this number to cancel." Follow the written procedure in your contract to the letter. If the packet is unclear, read how to get out of a timeshare for a rescission letter walkthrough that applies broadly across developers.

What if my rescission period on the Westgate contract already ended?

Once the window closes, you can't unwind the purchase for free just because you changed your mind. That's the hard truth. Buyer's remorse after the deadline doesn't create a legal right to cancel; you're now a contract holder with ongoing obligations, including maintenance fees, until you find a legitimate way out. At that point your realistic paths are: a developer deed-back or surrender program if Westgate offers one for your specific resort and product type, selling or gifting the deed (usually for $0 to $1 on the resale market, sometimes with you paying closing costs), stopping use and accepting the fee burden while you shop for an exit option, or hiring a licensed real estate attorney to review the contract for a legitimate breach or misrepresentation claim. Westgate has resolved timeshare-related consumer disputes before. In 2018, the company settled a class action alleging misleading sales practices in Florida, without admitting wrongdoing, for a fund reportedly in the low millions plus loan forgiveness for eligible members. Check current court dockets and Westgate's own investor and legal disclosures for case specifics before assuming your contract qualifies for any past settlement; those class periods and eligibility rules are narrow and set by the court, not by exit companies claiming they can get you in.

Does Westgate have a deed-back or surrender program?

Westgate has, at various points, offered surrender or deed-back options directly to owners, but there's no single standing public program that accepts every deed automatically. Availability depends on the resort, whether your loan is paid off, and whether your maintenance fees are current. Developer deed-back programs generally only accept a deed if you owe nothing on the mortgage and have no fee delinquency. If you still owe Westgate money on the purchase loan, expect them to decline a deed-back until that balance is resolved, since they'd be taking on a debt-free liability trade you're asking them to eat. Call Westgate's owner services line directly and ask, in writing if possible, whether a deed-back or surrender program currently exists for your specific contract and resort. Get any offer in writing before paying anyone to "negotiate" a deed-back on your behalf. For a broader comparison of deed-back terms across developers, see timeshare cancellation.

How do I sell a Westgate timeshare I no longer want?

Selling a timeshare, Westgate or otherwise, means listing on a secondary marketplace (like a licensed timeshare resale broker or a peer-to-peer site), pricing honestly near $0 to a few hundred dollars, and covering closing costs yourself in most cases. The resale market for timeshares is brutal: the American Resort Development Association and independent resale sites consistently show most timeshare interests reselling for a small fraction, often 0 to 10 percent, of the original purchase price, if they sell at all. Be skeptical of anyone who calls you unsolicited claiming they have a "buyer waiting" for your Westgate week. That's one of the most common opening lines in resale and exit scams tracked by the FTC ^[4]. Legitimate buyers don't cold-call you; they respond to a listing you posted. If you do find a real buyer, both sides typically split or negotiate closing costs, and Westgate (like most developers) has a right of first refusal or transfer fee process you need to follow, listed in your deed or contract. Skipping that step can leave the deed in limbo and you still on the hook for fees.

How much does a Westgate timeshare cost, and is that money recoverable?

Purchase price	$10,000 to $40,000+	Varies by unit size, season, resort
Annual maintenance fee	~$1,170 average (industry-wide)	ARDA 2023 survey; can rise yearly
Special assessments	Varies, sometimes $500 to $2,000+	Charged for major repairs, not guaranteed annually
Resale value	Often $0 to a few hundred dollars	Most timeshares resell for a fraction of purchase price

Westgate timeshare purchase prices commonly range from about $10,000 to $40,000+ depending on unit size, season, and resort location, based on prices reported by owners and industry surveys; luxury or larger units can run higher. On top of the purchase price, annual maintenance fees for timeshares industry-wide average $1,170 per year according to ARDA's 2023 owner survey data, and Westgate owners frequently report fees in a similar range or higher depending on unit size and resort ^[5]. Here's the number that matters most for your decision: once you're past rescission, that original purchase price is largely sunk. You're not going to recover it through resale (which nets close to zero for most sellers) or through a deed-back (which costs you the equity, not returns it). The financial question going forward isn't "how do I get my money back," it's "what's the cheapest, safest way to stop the ongoing fee bleed." | Cost component | Typical range | Notes |

Are timeshares scams, or is Westgate specifically a scam?

Timeshares aren't legally scams; they're real contracts with real usage rights, but the sales process has a long, well-documented history of high-pressure tactics, and the exit industry that grew up around buyer's remorse is loaded with actual fraud. The distinction matters for how you act next. The FTC has brought or supported enforcement actions against timeshare resale and exit companies for collecting large upfront fees and then doing little or nothing to cancel the contract ^[4]. State attorneys general, including Florida's, have issued consumer alerts specifically warning timeshare owners about exit companies that promise to cancel contracts for a large upfront payment and then disappear or stall for years ^[6]. Westgate itself is a legitimate, licensed timeshare developer, not a shell scam operation; it operates resorts across Florida, Tennessee, Nevada, Missouri, and other states and is registered with the relevant state real estate and timeshare regulatory bodies. That doesn't mean every sales pitch you heard at the presentation was accurate or that every fee increase feels fair. It means your legal recourse runs through rescission rights, contract terms, and (if applicable) consumer protection claims, not through "the whole thing is fake so I can just stop paying."

How do I get out of a timeshare if I'm past rescission and can't sell it?

If rescission has passed and resale isn't realistic, your remaining honest options are a developer surrender or deed-back request, working with a licensed real estate attorney on a case-by-case legal review, or budgeting for a paid exit service and vetting it hard before you pay anything. There's no free universal cancellation button once you're outside the rescission window and the developer won't take the deed back voluntarily. Before paying any exit company, verify: is there a written contract detailing exactly what they'll do and by when? Do they ask for full payment upfront, or is payment tied to milestones? Are they a licensed attorney or law firm, and can you confirm their bar registration with your state bar association? Have you checked their complaint history with the Better Business Bureau and your state attorney general's consumer complaint database? Don't stop paying your maintenance fees or mortgage as a strategy to force Westgate's hand. Missed payments can lead to foreclosure on the timeshare interest, damage to your credit, and collections activity, and they don't buy you negotiating power the way some exit-sales scripts claim. If you're weighing whether to keep paying while you sort out an exit, our guide to maintenance fees breaks down what happens if fees go unpaid and how special assessments get charged. We built a $149 one-time Timeshare Exit Kit at ExitHonest for owners who want a structured, self-directed path (letter templates, a document checklist, and a scam-screening framework) instead of paying a company thousands of dollars upfront with no clear plan. It's a tool, not a promise of any particular outcome; nobody can promise you a specific result. You can start at /exit-kit-builder if you want the structured version instead of piecing it together yourself.

What should I watch for as red flags in a Westgate exit or resale offer?

The clearest red flag is any company asking for a large payment before doing any work, especially if they call it fully refundable or promise a specific, fast outcome. The FTC's guidance on timeshare resale scams is direct: "Before you pay any money for the resale of your timeshare, get all the information you can about the company" and be wary of high-pressure sales tactics for resale or exit services just like the original timeshare pitch ^[4]. Other warning signs: a caller who already seems to know your contract details and claims to represent Westgate or a "timeshare relief division," pressure to wire money or use gift cards, promises that you'll be fully released within a fixed short number of days with no contingency, and refusal to put fee structure or process details in writing. Check any company against your state attorney general's consumer alert page before you sign anything or send a deposit. Florida's Office of the Attorney General publishes timeshare-specific consumer warnings that are worth reading even if you bought outside Florida, since the tactics repeat across states ^[6]. For a running list of vetted contacts and complaint-filing resources, see our timeshare call list.

How do I get rid of a timeshare I inherited from a family member?

Inherited timeshares come with the same maintenance fee and contract obligations as if you'd bought it yourself, and you generally can't just ignore the paperwork and assume it disappears. The estate, or you as the heir who accepted the property, becomes responsible for fees going forward. If the estate is still in probate, talk to the estate's attorney about formally disclaiming the timeshare interest before you accept it; a qualified disclaimer, if filed within the time limits under the relevant state probate rules and IRS timing rules for disclaimers (generally within nine months, per Internal Revenue Code section 2518), can let you refuse the inheritance entirely so it passes to the next heir or reverts to the estate . Once you've already accepted the deed or started paying fees, disclaiming may no longer be an option, so time matters here too. If disclaiming isn't available anymore, you're back to the same menu: deed-back request to Westgate, resale, or working through a legitimate exit path. Reach out to Westgate's owner services directly to ask whether the account can be transferred, surrendered, or closed given the death of the original owner; some developers have simplified processes specifically for this situation, though it's not guaranteed.

Should I just stop paying Westgate maintenance fees to force an exit?

No. Stopping payment doesn't cancel your contract, and it can trigger late fees, collections calls, damage to your credit report, and eventually foreclosure on the timeshare interest, which can also show up on your credit history depending on the state and the developer's process. It's a slow, painful way to "exit" and it's not something we'll tell you is a shortcut. If you genuinely can't afford the fees anymore, that's a real financial problem worth solving directly: talk to Westgate about hardship options if any exist, consult a consumer law attorney about your specific state's foreclosure process for timeshare interests, and get ahead of it in writing rather than letting it go to collections silently. The honest version of this advice is unglamorous: cutting losses on a timeshare you can't unload usually means accepting some cost, whether that's a deed-back fee, a paid exit service, or in worst cases, letting the developer foreclose the timeshare interest specifically (distinct from foreclosing your primary home, since most timeshare loans are non-recourse against your other assets, but confirm this with your contract and a local attorney since rules vary by state).

Frequently asked questions

How to get out of a timeshare with Westgate specifically?

During your rescission window (check your contract and state law), send written cancellation notice by the method your contract specifies. After that window, your options are a deed-back request if Westgate offers one for your contract, resale, or a vetted paid exit path. There's no universal free cancellation once rescission ends.

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

You generally need a deed-back or surrender agreement with the developer, a successful resale (often for $0 to a few hundred dollars), or a legitimate exit service you've vetted carefully. Stopping payments isn't a valid strategy and can lead to foreclosure and credit damage.

How to sell a timeshare if Westgate won't take it back?

List it on a licensed timeshare resale marketplace or work with a resale broker, price it realistically near $0 given the resale market, and expect to cover closing costs. Confirm any transfer or right-of-first-refusal steps required in your original contract before finalizing a sale.

Are timeshares scams, or is the sales pitch just aggressive?

Timeshares themselves are legal contracts, not scams, though sales presentations are frequently high-pressure. The bigger scam risk sits in the exit and resale industry, where the FTC has documented companies charging large upfront fees for cancellations they never deliver.

How much is a Westgate timeshare, roughly?

Purchase prices commonly range from about $10,000 to $40,000 or more depending on unit size, season, and resort, based on owner-reported data and industry pricing surveys. Annual maintenance fees average around $1,170 industry-wide per ARDA's 2023 survey, and can rise yearly or add special assessments.

How much do timeshares cost to maintain each year?

ARDA's 2023 owner survey put the industry average annual maintenance fee at about $1,170, though fees vary by resort size, location, and amenities. Special assessments for major repairs can add $500 to $2,000 or more in a given year on top of the standard fee.

How to cancel a timeshare contract within the legal rescission period?

Send written, signed cancellation notice to the address named in your contract before your state's deadline (Florida gives 10 days under Fla. Stat. 721.10; other states differ). Use certified mail or the method your contract requires, and keep proof of sending and delivery.

What is Westgate's deed-back or surrender program, and how do I qualify?

Westgate doesn't publicly guarantee a standing deed-back program for every contract; availability depends on the resort and whether your loan is paid off with fees current. Contact owner services directly and get any deed-back offer in writing before assuming it applies to you.

Can I dispute Westgate maintenance fee increases directly?

You can request an itemized fee breakdown from the homeowners' or owners' association governing your resort, since fee increases are typically tied to a budget vote process outlined in your association's governing documents. There's no guarantee of a reduction, but transparency requests are a reasonable first step.

What happens if I stop paying my Westgate timeshare mortgage or fees?

Expect late fees, collections calls, and potential foreclosure on the timeshare interest, which can affect your credit. Most timeshare loans are non-recourse against your other assets, but confirm this with your specific contract and a local attorney, since rules vary significantly by state.

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

Legitimate companies rarely demand full payment upfront, put their process and fees in writing, and can be verified through your state bar association (if attorney-based) or the Better Business Bureau. Check any company against your state attorney general's consumer complaint database before paying anything.

Can I disclaim an inherited Westgate timeshare instead of accepting it?

Yes, if you act before accepting the deed or benefits, you may be able to file a qualified disclaimer under Internal Revenue Code section 2518, generally within nine months of the original owner's death, letting the interest pass to the next heir instead of you. Talk to the estate's attorney promptly since deadlines are strict.

Sources

1. Florida Legislature, Florida Statutes: Florida law gives timeshare purchasers a 10-day rescission period running from signing or receipt of the public offering statement
2. Tennessee General Assembly, Tennessee Code Annotated: Tennessee's Timeshare Act sets separate cancellation and disclosure rules for timeshare purchases in the state
3. Nevada Legislature, Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 119A: Nevada regulates timeshare (time share) sales and rescission rights under NRS Chapter 119A
4. Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice: "Timeshares, Vacation Clubs, and Related Scams": FTC warns consumers to research resale and exit companies thoroughly before paying, and flags high-pressure resale sales tactics as a warning sign
5. Florida Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Alert: "Timeshare Resale and Relief Scams": Florida AG publishes consumer warnings about timeshare exit companies charging upfront fees without delivering promised cancellations
6. Internal Revenue Service, Internal Revenue Code Section 2518 (via Cornell Legal Information Institute): A qualified disclaimer of an inherited interest generally must be filed within nine months to be effective for refusing an inheritance