Trust & safety
Lending a stranger something you own takes nerve. These are the things that make it reasonable.
A record neither of you can change
You both photograph the item at pickup and again when it comes back. We keep that record, timestamped, and neither of you can edit it afterwards — so if there's a disagreement about damage, neither of you has to take the other's word for it. An owner who didn't photograph it at pickup can't claim the deposit: there's no before to compare with.
Every hire, not just the first
Your tenth hire with someone you know works just like your first with a stranger — the deposit is held, the photos are kept, and someone reads it if there's a problem.
Deposits are held, not charged
When a hire is paid for, we authorise the deposit on the renter's card without taking the money. It sits ring-fenced for the length of the hire and is released the moment the owner confirms the item came back. If something is genuinely damaged, the owner can claim part of it — with a written reason the renter sees.
Reviews only from real hires
You can't review someone you haven't completed a booking with, and both sides review each other. Owners see a renter's history before accepting; renters see how an owner has treated people before requesting.
Owners choose who borrows
Every request is a request, not a booking. You see who's asking, what they want it for and their track record — and you can decline without giving a reason.
Approximate locations only
Listings show a town or district, never a street address. Exact handover details are exchanged in messages once a booking is confirmed.
Conversations stay on the record
Messages are tied to the listing and the booking, so if there's a disagreement about what was agreed, there's a written trail.
Payments never go person to person
Money moves through Stripe. The owner is paid after the item is back, which means nobody is chasing anyone for a bank transfer.
Sensible habits
- Do the handover photos in the app — both of you, at pickup and again on return. Not on your own phones: we keep that record for both of you, timestamped, and neither side can change it afterwards. It's what settles an argument about damage.
- Keep it in the app. Someone pushing you to pay by bank transfer or message elsewhere is a warning sign, not a shortcut.
- Say what's wrong with it. Owners who mention the scratch and the temperamental catch get better reviews, not worse ones.
- Check your insurance for high-value items — a deposit covers damage, not everything.
