If you’re looking to escape your timeshare contract, you aren’t alone. Research shows at least 15% of timeshare owners — more than a million families — are unhappy.
Newton Group offers a solution. Its website declares the company the “#1 Trusted Name in Timeshare Exit.” But do the results live up to the claim? Let’s take a look.
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Who Is Newton Group And What Do They Do?
Of the 9.9 million U.S. households that own vacation timeshares, some people just want out. The weeks you want are blacked out, you don’t want to keep visiting the same places, and the fees just keep increasing.
Newton Group Transfer is a well-known name in the timeshare exit business. The company was founded in 2003. With more than 18 years of experience, Newton Group is one of the oldest timeshare exit companies.
The firm is now based in Grand Rapids, Mich., from where it continues to help timeshare owners across the 50 U.S. states. The company says it specializes in not only helping clients exit unwanted contracts but also in providing legal assistance.
This hasn’t always been the case. Newton Group Transfers was initially a software company that supported multiple businesses under the brand name Newton Group ESA. Then, as it continued servicing timeshare termination agencies, the company saw an opportunity and ultimately pivoted to develop innovative timeshare-focused software solutions.
Newton Group also developed a web-based Customer Relationship Management system, which helped the company streamline and automate its client communications.
Newton Group prides itself in being one of the few timeshare exit agencies to offer two different types of services under one flat fee. The company offers both timeshare cancellation expertise and attorney access.
But Newton Group can be somewhat selective about its clientele. They don’t accept everyone who expresses interest. Newton has a preliminary evaluation process in which the company reviews applicants’ timeshare situations to determine whether each particular case has a strong chance for success.
Most of the cases Newton Group opts to pursue are primarily resolved by transferring the timeshares to other individuals or companies. The more challenging cases are referred to specialized timeshare attorneys for legal help.
But it’s important to note that Newton Group is not a law firm. Newton Group is a timeshare termination company that works closely with third-party attorneys.
DC Capital Law is the name of the firm that provides legal counsel on behalf of Newton Group. It was co-founded in 2017 by the partners at Newton Group, along with several experienced attorneys.
The law firm operates from Washington D.C. Its team of attorneys offers legal representation in other types of disputes as well as in timeshare exit cases.
The law firm’s website states:
“While we regularly accept and pursue standard real estate and timeshare legal claims, our ability to resolve complex cases separates us from the competition and distinguishes us as an exceptional firm in our field. Our staff is skilled at adopting unique perspectives to discover opportunities that other firms simply can’t, and we leverage these skills to our clients’ advantage.“
Newton Group Timeshare Exit Costs
One thing you won’t find on Newton Group’s website is the cost of its services. But that isn’t uncommon. Many timeshare exit companies withhold pricing until they’ve reviewed your personal situation.
The Newton Group does invite you to schedule a free consultation by either making a call or filling in its web form. Then, after you submit your vacation timeshare details, its representatives will evaluate your case to determine whether it will take you on as a client.
If you get a green light, you’ll receive a personalized timeshare exit plan that includes pricing details.
Customer reviews indicate that the Newton Group bills its timeshare exit clients between $3,000 and $9,500. The easiest cases get the lowest rates, while the most challenging timeshare cases will cost more.
It’s worth noting, however, that the personal quotes are not set in stone. You can try negotiating with Newton Group’s sales team. You might be able to talk them into a lower price if your case meets the company standards.
You’ll be required to make your payment upfront in order to proceed. This payment gives you access to all services — including access to the affiliated law firm. Newton Group will eventually decide whether exit services or legal representation is best for your timeshare termination case.
Unfortunately, all the funds are paid directly to Newton Group without an escrow payment option. While this is not uncommon in the exit company industry, it can become a big problem if the company you choose ever closes or declares bankruptcy.
Newton Group does offer a 100% money-back guarantee. It promises to refund all your money if it fails to get you out of your timeshare contract.
Can You Trust Newton Group?
In general, the reviews suggest that you can.
The Newton Group has established a fairly solid reputation over the past 18 years. You’ll find a lot of positive ratings and reviews across a wide range of customer review platforms and business accreditation sites, though you’ll also find a fair share of negative comments.
On the Better Business Bureau (BBB), for instance, the Newton Group has a fully accredited business profile with an overall BBB rating of A+, and customers had cumulatively awarded the company an average rating of 4.64 out of 5 stars.
Trustpilot, on the other hand, grades Newton Group based on the company’s activities as well as customer feedback. This adds up to an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars, which the platform considers “Excellent”.
SoTellUs.com, another popular review site, further reinforces Newton Group’s position, with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars from a total of 171 customer reviews.
It’s only on Google Reviews that the company drops below 4.5 stars, where it maintains an average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5 — from a total of 82 customer reviews.
In addition to the positive customer ratings, Newton Group has won itself a couple of notable business awards — key among which is BBB’s Torch Awards for Ethics. The Better Business Bureau recognized this timeshare termination firm as one of the finalists in 2019.
Pros
- It’s a proven industry veteran with over 15 years of experience.
- It offers free consultation.
- Newton Group provides both timeshare transfer services and legal representation.
- The company customizes your timeshare cancellation to suit your specific needs.
- Newton Group offers a 100% money-back guarantee.
- It’s rated highly by its past customers.
- It has a track record of getting timeshare contracts canceled.
- It has a team of very responsive and friendly service providers.
Cons
- It only works with selected customers.
- The company requires clients to pay upfront without the option of using escrow.
- It doesn’t readily reveal its prices.
Lawsuits Against Newton Group
Newton Group has successfully avoided court battles against its timeshare exit clients. Court records show that its affiliated law firm, DC Capital Law, has filed multiple timeshare exit lawsuits on behalf of Newton Group clients.
However, Newton Group has been targeted in some lawsuits from timeshare resort providers.
For example — Diamond Resorts has, in recent years, filed multiple lawsuits against Newton Group (and plenty of other timeshare exit companies) — mostly in response to timeshare cancellations initiated by the company.
Here’s one legal challenge that was ultimately dismissed:
Diamond Resorts vs. Newton Group
Diamond Resorts filed this lawsuit claiming that Newton Group had been misleading timeshare buyers with a “false” advertisement.
According to Diamond Resorts, Newton Group had sent out “false” information cautioning timeshare owners that they “might be affected by new timeshare laws that give developers the power to increase maintenance fees without restrictions.”
Diamond Resorts challenged the existence of such a law, contending that timeshare developers are not allowed to increase maintenance fees without restrictions.
Newton Group’s Response
Newton Group responded by showing the court clear evidence that the directive actually exists, presenting as evidence publications prepared by Diamond Resorts itself advising timeshare buyers that some of the maintenance fees may be increased without restriction.
The Court’s Verdict
In a ruling made on July 31, 2020, the federal court sided with Newton Group Transfers and dismissed Diamond Resorts’ motion.
Online Reputation
While Newton Group wins big on its average customer ratings, individual customer reviews can be a bit mixed.
Although an overwhelming majority of Newton Group’s customer reviews praise the company for its excellent service, you’ll also find a fair share of customer complaints that detail the disadvantages and drawbacks.
Better Business Bureau Profile
The BBB profile of Newton Group has the following overall properties:
- A BBB Rating of A+.
- An “Accredited Business” badge that was awarded in 2011.
- An average customer review rating of 4.64 out of 5 stars.
- A total of 180 customer reviews.
- About 37 customer complaints over the last three years.
Newton Group BBB Profile
Positive Reviews
On the positive side, customers largely praise Newton Group for helping them successfully dissolve their timeshare contracts. What’s more, they report that the company kept them well-updated from the beginning to the end of the process.
Tasha C, for example, had this to say in 2021:
The same sentiments were echoed by Dennis S, who states that:
Customer Complaints
Of the 37 customer complaints posted on BBB, 24 are on product and service issues. And in particular, many of the dissatisfied clients here are upset that Newton Group failed to get their timeshares canceled — even after they paid thousands of dollars in upfront service fees.
Newton Group is also facing criticism for withholding refunds after failing to terminate timeshare contracts. Some of the affected argue that Newton Group declined to honor its 100% money-back guarantee for more than two years.
Here’s the actual complaint, as posted in November 2020:
Here’s how this case was ultimately concluded:
- Newton Group claims that it satisfactorily resolved the issue.
- But according to the customer’s subsequent remarks, Newton Group Transfers only offered a partial refund — despite the company’s 100% money-back guarantee.
All in all, though, Newton Group has made a point of following up on complaints. While it’s not clear if all the issues raised have been fully resolved, you can tell that the timeshare exit company is committed to responding to customers.
Newton Group’s Website
The Newton Group website itself is designed to entice new clients and build trust in the firm as a credible timeshare transfer company.
Right off the bat, you’ll see a professionally built home page — which in addition to providing navigation links to information pages, prominently highlights Newton Group’s credentials.
More specifically, the company claims that:
- It is the number one trusted name in timeshare exit.
- It is the longest-standing timeshare exit company, with over 15 years of experience.
- It has so far successfully assisted thousands of timeshare owners.
- They developed The Consumer’s Guide to Timeshare Exit.
As you scroll down the page, Newton Group names its industry accreditations, including badges that show Newton Group’s:
- A+ Business Accreditation score on its Better Business Bureau profile.
- Recognition as a 2019 finalist for the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics.
- Average customer rating of 4.6 stars on Glassdoor, 4.9 stars on SoTellUs.com, 4.7 on Trustpilot, and 4.5 stars on Google Reviews.
- Appearance across reputable media publications like ABC News, CBS, Fox, U.S. News, NBC, and Forbes.
It’s worth noting, however, that the customer rating scores on web pages are not frequently updated. It’s possible you might find discrepancies when you compare the badges with the company’s profiles across the review platforms.
And speaking of reviews, the website also happens to feature a number of customer testimonials. Both employees and clients share their experiences. Newton Group has even published video testimonials, which tend to be a bit more credible than written reviews.
On the navigation menu, options include:
- An “About” section, which provides background on Newton Group Transfers, its partner law firm, and the the type of timeshare exit services it offers.
- A “Consumer’s Guide” page, which offers access to a free copy of the ebook.
Newton Group’s website also addresses the ever-rising number of timeshare cancellation scams that target timeshare owners. The company devotes a page spelling out the red flags and warning signs of various scams.
Social Media Presence
Newton Group’s social media presence is limited to:
- Facebook – where The Newton Group page has so far attracted 5,533 page likes, along with 5,689 followers.
- Twitter – where its @NGTransfers profile follows 351 people, but with only 290 followers.
- LinkedIn – where its Newton Group page has only acquired 186 followers.
You could blame this low volume of followers on the timeshare exit company’s dormancy on social media. Newton Group is rarely active on any of the three platforms, and several months can pass between posts.
The Bottom Line
The company’s track record over the years indicates that Newton Group regularly gets results for clients.
The overwhelmingly positive customer reviews are proof that the company has several satisfied customers.
And its near-spotless legal record over the past 18 years is a testament to its success. It’s very difficult for any timeshare exit company to make it that long without facing serious legal action of some sort.
But that doesn’t guarantee that Newton Group will solve your problem. The company has seen a few complaints from disgruntled clients. But the complaint numbers are negligible when you compare them with the company’s contrastingly huge portfolio of successfully closed cases.
It’s important to research options before you hand over an upfront payment with no escrow option, but if you’re stuck with a timeshare you’re looking for a company to help you get rid of it, Newton Group could be a good place to start.
Newton Group FAQs
Who Owns Newton Group?
Newton Group Transfers was co-founded by and named after Gordon Newton, who continues to serve as the company’s president. The current CEO is Theo Panopoulos.
Where Is Newton Group Located?
The headquarters of Newton Group Transfers is located in Grand Rapids, Mich.
What Days/Hours Is Newton Group Open?
According to the information from the Newton Group’s Facebook page, the company’s offices operate from Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Does AARP (Or Any Other Big Group) Endorse Newton Group?
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) doesn’t explicitly endorse Newton Group Transfers. Rather, it just mentions the timeshare exit firm on a post that features its president, Gordon Newton.
What Is The Contact Information For The Newton Group?
You can contact Newton Group Transfers through:
- Phone: 877-354-4321
- Fax: 877-451-7466
- Email: info@ngexit.com