Sample letter to rescind a timeshare contract (with rules)

Last updated 2026-07-25

What does a sample letter to rescind a timeshare contract look like?

A rescission letter is short, factual, and dated. It does not need to explain why you're cancelling, apologize, or negotiate. It states that you are exercising your legal right to cancel, cites the contract, and gives a clear cutoff so there's no ambiguity about when the seller received notice. Here's a template you can adapt. Replace the bracketed sections with your own details and check your state's specific requirements before sending (more on that below). --- [Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, ZIP] [Date] [Timeshare Company / Seller Name] [Company Address] RE: Notice of Rescission, Contract #[Contract Number] To Whom It May Concern: This letter is written notice that I am rescinding and canceling the timeshare purchase contract referenced above, dated [Purchase Date], between myself and [Company Name]. I am exercising my right of rescission under [cite your state's statute, e.g., "the Florida Vacation Plan and Timesharing Act, Fla. Stat. 721.10"]. I understand this cancellation is effective as of the postmark date of this letter. Please confirm in writing that this contract has been canceled and that any deposit or payment I have made will be refunded in full within the timeframe required by law. I am sending this notice by certified mail with return receipt requested to document timely delivery. Sincerely, [Signature] [Printed Name] [Contract Number] [Date of Purchase] [Phone Number] --- That's the whole letter. Resist the urge to add a long explanation of your financial situation or why the salesperson pressured you. It's not required, and it doesn't help. The letter's only job is to prove you canceled, in writing, before the deadline. Many states require the letter to reference the specific statute governing your purchase. Some also require it be sent to the address listed in your contract's rescission disclosure, not the company's general offices. Check your closing documents. Most timeshare contracts include a one-page rescission notice with the exact mailing address and deadline spelled out, precisely because state law requires it ^[1].

How to get out of a timeshare during the rescission window

If you're still inside your state's rescission period, this is by far the cheapest and cleanest way out. No exit company, no negotiation, no fee. You send a letter, you cancel, you get your money back. Every state that regulates timeshares sets its own rescission period, and they are not the same. Some states give buyers as few as 3 days, others allow longer. Wisconsin, for example, gives buyers 5 business days to rescind a timeshare purchase ^[2]. Florida gives 10 calendar days ^[1]. California requires a minimum of 7 calendar days ^[3]. Because these periods differ, and some are counted in business days while others use calendar days, don't assume your window matches a number you read somewhere else. Confirm your state's rescission window directly from your purchase contract and your state's statute before you rely on any deadline. The clock usually starts on the date you signed the contract or the date you received the last required disclosure document, whichever the statute specifies. Miss it by even a day and the seller has no legal obligation to let you out, though some will still negotiate. A few practical rules for this stage: - Send the letter by certified mail with return receipt requested, or another method your contract specifies (some allow email or fax if the contract says so).

• Keep a copy of the signed letter, the mailing receipt, and the green return card when it comes back.
• Do not sign anything new the resort sends you during this window, including "downgrade" offers or right-of-first-refusal amendments. Some sales offices use these to reset the clock or muddy the rescission date.
• If you paid by credit card, you can also consider a dispute, but send the rescission letter regardless. It's the legally recognized method. If you're past the window, you still have options, just none as clean. See how to get out of a timeshare for the full breakdown of what's left: deed-back programs, resale, or working with a legitimate exit company.

How do you get out of a timeshare if the rescission period has already passed?

You get out through resale, a deed-back program, or, in rare cases, a documented deceptive-sales claim, not through a cancellation letter. Once the window closes, the contract is binding, and no letter reverses that. The first thing to check is whether your resort or management company offers a deed-back or "exit" program. A growing number of major developers, including some large branded systems, will take a deed back for a processing fee if your account is current and the deed is free of liens. This is usually far cheaper and safer than paying an exit company thousands of dollars. The deed-back programs hub covers which developers currently offer this and what documentation they require. If a deed-back isn't available, resale is the next option, though timeshares resell for a small fraction of what they cost new, and many resorts have first-right-of-refusal clauses that let them block a sale below a certain price. Don't pay anyone who promises to "list" your timeshare for an upfront fee with no verifiable sales history. Some owners also explore whether the original sale involved fraud or deceptive practices, like being told the timeshare was a good "investment" or misrepresenting maintenance fee increases. If you believe you were deceived, your state attorney general's consumer protection division is the right first call, not a paid exit company.

How to sell a timeshare (and what it actually costs you)

You can sell a timeshare through a licensed resale broker, a peer-to-peer marketplace, or back to the resort if it offers a deed-back or buy-back program, but expect to net little or nothing after fees. The secondary market for timeshares is brutal. Most listings sell, if they sell at all, for a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, regardless of what you paid originally. The Federal Trade Commission's guidance on vacation and timeshare plans warns that reselling a timeshare is often difficult and that owners should be wary of resale companies demanding upfront fees before any sale exists ^[4]. A few things to know before you try to sell: - Never pay a large upfront fee to a company that claims it has a buyer lined up or promises a quick sale. That's one of the most common exit-scam structures. Legitimate resale brokers typically earn a commission on closing, not a fee before a sale exists.

• Check whether your resort has a right of first refusal. Many contracts let the resort match or block any resale offer, which limits your ability to sell independently.
• Closing costs, transfer fees, and the deed recording still apply even in a resale, so factor those in before you accept a low offer.
• If you owe a mortgage balance on the timeshare, you generally can't sell or deed it back until that's paid off or the lender agrees to a short payoff. If you're weighing resale against a deed-back or an exit company, the timeshare cancellation guide and the comparisons hub lay out cost and timeline side by side.

How much is a timeshare, really, and how much do timeshares cost to get out of?

Initial purchase (developer-direct)	$17,000-$25,000+	ARDA industry average; varies widely by brand and unit size [5]
Resale purchase	$0-$3,000	Many listings sell for a token amount or are given away
Annual maintenance fee	~$1,200/year average	ARDA-reported average; rises most years [5]
Special assessments	$500-$5,000+ per event	Irregular, tied to repairs or storm damage
Legitimate deed-back fee	$0-$2,000	Some developers charge a processing fee; some are free
Exit company fee (varies widely)	$2,000-$10,000+	High variance; some charge upfront with no guarantee of results	Maintenance fees are the cost that surprises most owners because they rise most years, and there's no real ceiling built into most contracts beyond board approval. If rising fees are your main problem rather than wanting out entirely, the maintenance-fees hub covers how assessments get approved and what options, if any, owners have to contest them. One clean, quotable number for anyone comparing options: the average timeshare maintenance fee has climbed toward roughly $1,200 a year industry-wide, according to ARDA's owner survey data [5]. That's why buyer's remorse often shows up years after purchase, more than in the first week.

A new timeshare interest typically costs somewhere between $17,000 and $25,000 for a one-week or points-equivalent share, according to industry survey data from the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), with average annual maintenance fees running roughly $1,200 in recent years ^[5]. Costs vary a lot by brand, location, and unit size, and resale prices run far below original purchase prices. Here's the rough shape of what owners pay across the ownership lifecycle: | Cost stage | Typical range | Notes |

How to get rid of a timeshare without getting scammed

The single biggest risk in timeshare exit is paying a large upfront fee to a company that never delivers. State attorneys general and the FTC have documented this pattern repeatedly: exit and relief companies charging thousands of dollars upfront and failing to cancel the timeshare or get a promised refund ^[6]. Watch for these red flags before you pay anyone: - A company that promises it can cancel your timeshare no matter your situation. No legitimate company can promise that outcome; deed-backs and resales depend on your resort, your deed status, and your loan balance.

• Pressure to pay in full, upfront, before any work begins, especially through wire transfer or cashier's check.
• A company that tells you to stop paying your maintenance fees or mortgage while they "work on it." Stopping payment can trigger foreclosure, credit damage, and collection action regardless of what an exit company promises. Keep paying what you legally owe until the timeshare is actually canceled or transferred in writing.
• Unsolicited calls or ads claiming to be affiliated with your resort, a government program, or a class-action settlement you've never heard of.
• No verifiable Better Business Bureau record, no state business registration, or a business address that's just a mailbox. Before paying anyone, check your state attorney general's consumer alerts page and review the FTC's timeshare enforcement record ^[6]. Many state AG offices, including Florida's, publish specific warnings about upfront-fee timeshare exit schemes. We put together a $149 Timeshare Exit Kit at ExitHonest specifically because most owners don't need a $5,000 exit company; they need the right letters, the right state citations, and a clear sequence of steps. It's a one-time cost, not a percentage or a recurring fee. We won't promise you a fast cancellation, because nobody can honestly promise that for every situation.

Are timeshares scams?

The timeshare industry itself is legal and regulated in every state, so it's not accurate to call timeshare ownership categorically a scam. But the sales process has a long, well-documented history of high-pressure tactics, and the exit side of the industry has a real scam problem that regulators actively pursue. On the sales side, consumers routinely report being kept in presentations far longer than promised, being told the timeshare is an "investment" that will appreciate (timeshares almost never appreciate; resale values are typically a small fraction of purchase price), or being rushed to sign before they've had time to read the contract. This is why every state that permits timeshare sales requires a rescission period. It exists specifically because regulators recognized the sales environment pressures people into decisions they reconsider almost immediately. On the exit side, the scam risk is more direct. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and state attorneys general have documented exit companies that collect upfront fees, sometimes thousands of dollars, and then do little or nothing to actually cancel the contract ^[6]. That's the part of the "timeshare scam" conversation with the clearest fraud pattern and the most enforcement activity. So the honest answer: the ownership product is legal but frequently oversold and hard to exit; the exit industry has a real and well-documented scam segment you should vet carefully before paying anyone.

What should you do before sending a rescission letter?

Read your actual contract's rescission clause first. It will state the deadline, the required delivery method, and sometimes the exact mailing address, and it overrides general advice from any article, including this one. A short pre-send checklist: 1. Find the rescission disclosure page in your closing documents. It's usually a separate one-page form you signed, not buried in the main contract. 2. Note the exact deadline and how it's counted (calendar days vs. business days) and whether it starts at signing or at receipt of the last disclosure. 3. Confirm the required delivery method. Some states and contracts require certified mail; some allow email if the contract specifies an address. 4. Draft the letter with your contract number, purchase date, and a clear cancellation statement citing your state's statute. 5. Send it before the deadline, not on the deadline day if you can avoid it. Mail delays happen. 6. Keep the certified mail receipt, the green return card, and a copy of the signed letter permanently. 7. Follow up in writing if you don't get a written cancellation confirmation and refund timeline within a few weeks. If you're unsure which statute applies or how your state counts the days, the timeshare cancellation resource walks through state-by-state citation formats, and your state attorney general's consumer protection office can confirm the current rule for your purchase state.

What happens after you send the rescission letter?

By law, once you rescind within the window, the seller typically must refund your payments within a set period, often measured in days after receipt of your notice, though the exact refund timeline is set by your state's statute, not a universal federal rule. Florida's timeshare act, for example, requires the developer to refund the buyer within 20 days after receipt of the notice of cancellation ^[1]. What to expect and track: - A written confirmation of cancellation. If you don't get one within a couple of weeks, send a follow-up letter (again by certified mail) referencing your original notice and its delivery date.

• Your refund, including any deposit or down payment, minus any allowable cancellation fee if your state or contract permits one.
• No further billing. If maintenance fees or loan payments continue to be charged after a confirmed rescission, that's worth escalating to your state attorney general's office immediately, with your certified mail receipt as proof of timely cancellation. If the seller disputes that you canceled on time, your certified mail receipt and green return card are your primary evidence. This is the entire reason to avoid relying on a phone call or an email with no delivery confirmation.

What if you already missed the rescission deadline but feel you were misled?

You still have options, just slower and less certain ones. A missed rescission deadline doesn't erase a fraud or deceptive-practices claim; it just means you can't use the simple statutory cancellation right anymore. Start with your state attorney general's consumer complaint process. Many state AG offices track timeshare complaints specifically and have taken enforcement action against both developers and exit companies. Filing a complaint doesn't guarantee a refund, but it creates a record and sometimes triggers mediation the resort wouldn't otherwise offer. From there, realistic paths include a resort deed-back program if you qualify, resale at a low price, or, in limited cases, a formal legal claim if you have documented evidence of misrepresentation (recorded calls, contradicted written promises, or a sales script that violated your state's disclosure requirements). This is genuinely a case where consulting a licensed consumer attorney in your state, rather than a national exit company, is often the better next step, since attorneys are subject to bar oversight in a way that unregulated exit companies are not. The timeshare call list resource can help you figure out who to actually contact, in what order, if you're past rescission and weighing your remaining options.

Frequently asked questions

Is a sample rescission letter legally enough to cancel my timeshare?

The letter itself is what the law requires, but it only works if you send it within your state's rescission deadline, by the delivery method your contract or state law specifies, and it references your contract number and applicable statute. A well-worded letter sent one day late generally has no legal effect.

Do I need a lawyer to write a timeshare rescission letter?

No. Rescission letters are simple and most owners write and send their own inside the statutory window. A lawyer becomes more useful once you're past the deadline and considering a deceptive-practices claim, not for a straightforward on-time cancellation.

How long is the rescission period for a timeshare?

It varies by state and by contract, ranging roughly from 3 to 15 days depending on the state's statute. Florida allows 10 calendar days ^[1] and Wisconsin allows 5 business days ^[2]. Always confirm your specific state's rescission window in your closing documents before relying on any number.

Can I email my rescission letter instead of mailing it?

Only if your contract or state statute specifically allows electronic notice. Many still require certified mail with return receipt as proof of timely delivery. If you're unsure, send it both ways: certified mail as the legal method and email as a backup timestamp.

What happens if the resort ignores my rescission letter?

Send a follow-up letter by certified mail referencing your original notice and its delivery date, then file a complaint with your state attorney general's consumer protection division. Keep your original certified mail receipt and green return card; they're your primary proof the cancellation was timely.

How much does it cost to get out of a timeshare after the rescission period?

Costs vary widely: a legitimate developer deed-back program may charge $0 to roughly $2,000, resale nets little to nothing, and exit companies charge anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 or more with no guarantee of success. Be skeptical of any company that demands full payment upfront.

Are timeshares a scam?

Timeshare ownership is a legal, regulated product, not inherently a scam, but sales tactics are frequently high-pressure and timeshares rarely function as the "investment" some salespeople describe. The exit side of the industry has a documented scam problem, with regulators pursuing enforcement actions against exit companies that charge upfront fees and deliver nothing ^[6].

How much is a timeshare on average?

ARDA's industry data puts the average purchase price for a new timeshare interest at roughly $17,000 to $25,000, with average annual maintenance fees around $1,200 ^[5]. Resale prices run far lower, often a small fraction of the original price, sometimes just a few hundred dollars.

Can I sell my timeshare instead of rescinding it?

Yes, but only rescission gets your original money back; resale typically nets little to nothing since timeshares depreciate sharply. Selling makes sense once you're past your rescission window and a deed-back program isn't available; check for a right-of-first-refusal clause in your contract before listing it anywhere.

What should I do if an exit company asks for money upfront?

Be very cautious. Regulators warn against companies that demand large upfront payments and promise cancellation regardless of your circumstances, since this is a common structure in timeshare exit scams ^[6]. Check the company's Better Business Bureau record and your state attorney general's consumer alerts before paying anything.

Can I stop paying my maintenance fees while I try to exit?

No. Stopping payment before your timeshare is legally canceled or deeded back can trigger late fees, collections, foreclosure, and credit damage, regardless of what an exit company promises. Keep paying what you owe until you have written confirmation the contract is terminated.

Does sending a rescission letter affect my credit?

No, a timely rescission simply unwinds the contract as if it never happened, so there's typically no credit impact if you sent it within the legal window and the seller processes it correctly. Credit issues usually arise later, from missed payments on a timeshare loan the owner never successfully exited.

Sources

1. Florida Legislature, Florida Vacation Plan and Timesharing Act: Florida requires a 10-day rescission period and a 20-day refund deadline after cancellation notice
2. Wisconsin State Legislature, Chapter 707 (Time-Share Statute): Wisconsin gives timeshare buyers a 5 business day rescission period
3. California Business and Professions Code, Vacation Ownership and Time-Share Act: California requires a minimum rescission period for timeshare purchases
4. Federal Trade Commission, "Vacation, Timeshare, and Related Real Estate Scams" consumer guidance: FTC guidance that timeshares are difficult to sell and owners should be wary of upfront-fee resale offers
5. American Resort Development Association (ARDA), 2023 State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry report summary: Average timeshare purchase price and average annual maintenance fee figures
6. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Complaint Bulletin on timeshare-related complaints: Documented pattern of timeshare exit companies charging upfront fees and failing to deliver promised cancellations