FAQs

Freer is a community platform that allows lenders and renters of every-day items to share items between themselves; reducing consumption, making money for Lenders and saving money for Renters. Communities are stronger when they cooperate and work together. Freer believes almost anything you want to use already exists in your community.

By using the Freer platform, you are playing your part in reducing consumption, helping the planet and earning or saving money in the process. Freer is a great way to get access to stuff, try new things and feel good whilst you’re doing it. Freer puts access over ownership so people can enjoy everyday items without owning them. At Freer we believe that circularity in our community adds significantly to the environmental benefits of everyone. We are not saying never buy anything but perhaps check in your community if that item already exists for rental.

Please respect social distancing and other Covid-19 precautions as per the relevant jurisdiction. We strongly recommend that the Lender cleans the item thoroughly on return using appropriate materials. If as a renter you are concerned, ask the lender to clean the item in front of you.

We further highly recommend meeting outdoors to hand the item over and do not enter a person’s home to collect the item. Ask the lender to bring outside of the house.

You own and are responsible for your own content on Freer, but by listing an item or posting a Freer Story, you allow us to use this royalty free in any of our marketing materials and social media. See Terms of Use for more information.

Freer charges a service fee to both the Lender and the Renter. This amounts to 10% of the transaction charge for both the Lender and the Renter. We have the costs of maintaining the app, are charged for the identification and verification process and each financial transaction.

How much information you put on your profile bio is up to you. The same goes for adding a profile picture. However, given Freer is a community member app the more information you provide will give a Lender or Renter a better idea of who you are. You do not need to add a profile pic if you don’t want to, but it will enable others to get a better understanding of you as an individual.

Freer is working on this. It may be that instead of taking the money for a rental of an item you wish to donate this to a charity. We are currently working out how this might work?

Each person is responsible for providing accurate information for their own tax return whatever jurisdiction they are in and to declare and pay appropriate taxes. We recommend checking with a tax advisor to understand your responsibilities.

Trust and community are at the heart of the Freer platform. We encourage Renters and Lenders to undertake our identity verification process before they rent or lend items through Freer. We work with our identity verification partner (Yoti) to ensure Renters and Lenders are who they say they are and give you peace of mind. However, we also understand that not everyone wants to undertake this process so we clearly mark where a Lender or Renter is verified (has gone through the process) and where they have not. You can see this on their profile and the products they are lending. Likewise, Lenders can see when a renter is not verified and in turn may chose not to rent to that person. There is no issue if you do not want to rent to someone who is not verified. We would also strongly suggest that you ask non-verified members to bring a valid identification and ensure you take pictures of the product and person together.

If you do not feel safe picking up or returning an item, or having someone come to your house to collect, please contact the Renter or Lender and request a mutually convenient collection or drop off location. You should not feel under any pressure to go to a specific location to commence a rental. If you feel you are being pressured cancel the rental and inform Freer at admin@freer.com 

Renters are required to keep any borrowed item in the same condition as at the start of the rental period – with fair wear and tear taken into account. A photo or video should be taken of the item with the borrower in shot when the item is handed over. There is more detail on this in the ‘Renter obligations’ section of our Terms of Use

When you list an item, we use a locator to mark the approximate area where this item is located. This is not displayed as an exact location. This is taken from the address you enter in the profile or from the data we receive from Yoti.

We only pass on the address to the renter when the lender has agreed to rent the item. This will then appear in their MyFreer as upcoming lending with the address displayed and they are sent an email with the address so they can find the lender’s location. Once the item is returned it is removed from their MyFreer and the address is no longer displayed.

No in a nutshell. If you don’t feel comfortable having someone come to your house, message them in app and arrange to meet them somewhere else, where you would feel comfortable. There may be cases where you and the renter / lender agree to meet at a park or beach to exchange the item. Always make sure you take photographs of the item at exchange.

Please see the Terms of Use but once the renter has collected the item, they are responsible for it. If they lose the item, they have to replace the item for a similar item in terms of value and use. In order to gauge the value of the item we would require receipts or documentation to prove value or if in the case of dispute, Freer will establish the value of an item.

If an item is stolen during a rental, then immediately report this matter to the police and obtain a police report. Ensure that you have taken photographs of the item when you collect it to ensure it is clear that that you had possession. Log all details in relation to the incident such as date, time, location, description of what happened, any witnesses, contact numbers etc.

You can read our privacy policy for more information on how we manage your data. Freer will comply with all applicable requirements of the Data Protection Legislation in the jurisdictions in which it operates. This Clause is in addition to, and does not relieve, remove or replace, out obligations to your rights under the relevant Data Protection Legislation.

We have had a security review on our app to ensure it is as safe and secure as possible and continually monitor and upgrade our security arrangements.

No

You can list almost any item on Freer. Please refer to our prohibited items list to find out about items that we don’t allow.

Lending items on Freer is simple. Just follow these steps:

1. Use the List feature in the app to create a listing for your item.

2. As the Lender, set how much you want to earn from the item.

3. Add photos and set House Rules or provide additional information so Renters know what’s allowed and not allowed with your item.

4. Set dates when your item is not available for rental

5. Once you are happy with your item listing post it so it’s public or save it as a draft for finishing later.

When someone wants to rent your item, you’ll be notified. If you are happy to go ahead confirm the booking in the app and the renter will be notified.

Renting awesome items on Freer is easy - follow these steps:

1. Search for items in the app using the search bar or viewing items by category.

2. You can also use the map to find items near you.

3. Save it to view later or read on to start the rental process

4. Set the dates you want the item and confirm

5. Click Rent, next the total cost of the rental will be shown. If you are happy to go ahead, click Book to send your rental request to the lender

6. You will then be taken to the payment page using the Freer Wallet. You can pay using the wallet or by using a credit or debit card.

7. Your booking is Pending until confirmed by the Lender, once the booking is paid for and confirmed the lender’s details will be shared with you and you arrange to pick up the item.

To better understand your obligations as a Lender on the Freer app refer to Section 8 of our Terms of Use which can be found in the app or on the website. The Freer code also details how lenders and renters should behave. These can be summarised as follows;

1. You are responsible for the truthfulness and accuracy of your listings.

2. Ensure your listings do not include items on the Prohibited Items List.

3. Any item you list must be in good, operable condition and completely safe for use by the Renter. Any manuals, safety equipment or accessories required for proper and safe operation of the item should be included with the item at the time of rent or available on request by the Renter

4. Point out any damage, limitations, issues or restrictions with the use of the item specifically but not exclusively related to safety, operation, maintenance or operation.

5. Any item that you lend must not contravene any law or rule; civil, criminal or otherwise for the location where the Rental is to take place.

6. You agree to make any item in a Lender listing available for the duration of the Rental agreed between yourself and the Renter.

7. You are responsible for any damage or loss that the Renter or a third party suffers as a result of renting or using your item if used in accordance with instructions and supply
   

8. Make yourself available at the agreed start and end time of the Rental Period to facilitate the smooth operation of the Rental process.

9. When you rent items to renters you agree to comply with any local laws or by-laws including applicable consumer rights laws or the equivalent in your jurisdiction.

To better understand your obligations as a Renter on the Freer app refer to Section 9 of our Terms of Use which can be found in the app or on the website. We appreciate sometimes things go wrong so if there are any issues as a Renter, contact either the Lender directly or Freer ( admin@freer.com). The Freer code also details how lenders and renters should behave. These can be summarised as follows;

1. Ensure all items that you rent are used in a responsible manner and maintained and returned in the same condition as that given at the start of the Rental period.

2. Collect the item at the Rental start time and return it at or before the Rental end time.

3. Immediately inform the Lender if the item is not working as described, if the item is lost or if the item has been stolen.

4. Stop using the item if it cannot be used in a safe and legal way or if you have any other reasonable concerns about the item.

5. Immediately inform the Lender if you believe you may not be able to return the item at the specified Rental return date.

6. Replace or repair the item (or reimburse the Lender for an equivalent amount) at your own cost if the item has been materially damaged, or lost or stolen, during the Rental Period.

7. Subject to clause 9.6 in our Terms of Use, in the case of an item not being returned, for whatever reason, or where an item has not been replaced with a like for like item or cash equivalent, the Renter authorises Freer, on the Lender’s behalf, to recover the cost of the item plus all reasonable administrative expenses incurred by Freer. The recovery process will be undertaken by Freer providing the card issuer with the Renter's payment details, so that the cost of the item can be recovered to reimburse the Lender. Where there is a balance in the Renter's Freer Wallet, that balance will be used in the first instance to recover these costs.

To make transactions between lenders and renters easier, Freer has created a ‘digital wallet’. This wallet displays your balance that can be used to rent items on Freer or the money you have earned from lending products. For details on the operation of the wallet see section 5 of our Terms of Use

Money can be added to or withdrawn from the wallet. Top ups to the wallet can be made using a debit or credit card. Withdrawals can be made to a Paypal account using the email address associated with that Paypal account.

Whilst the wallet displays the balance, funds are held securely in the Freer Bank account (with a Global Banking partner) and are not used by Freer to fund its business. You are free to withdrawal funds at any time.

When an item is rented, the funds are in a ‘pending status’. Once the item is approved by the Lender the funds are transferred to Freer until the rental takes place. If the Lender declines the pending status is cancelled in the Renter's wallet. Transactions of top-ups, withdrawals, payments and deposits are clearly displayed in the summary.

Funds are deposited into the Lenders wallet when the item is collected by the Renter.

To keep the platform safe and secure for lenders and renters the wallet has some restrictions. These can be found in the Terms of Use. These are summarised as follows.

1. Wallet users need to have been verified. This to satisfy Anti-Money Laundering requirements and is part of our registration with Financial Regulators.

2. The maximum withdrawal is £250 per day or £1000 per month.

3. For renters you need to have undertaken at least 3 rentals and have a rating review score of 4.3.

4. The maximum payment for a rental with a wallet is currently set at £50 per day.

Items are available from 0900 on the day of rental for pickup through to 0900 on the day of return. Each day of rental equals a 24-hour period. Lenders and Renters are free to negotiate different pick up and return times between themselves as required but we suggest you use the in-app message function to avoid confusion and create a trail of dialogue. Lenders may specify a preferred pick-up time in the additional information section of ‘List an Item’. Renters can request a preferred pick-up time during the booking process.

After booking the item the Lender is sent a message to confirm the rental. When the rental has been confirmed the Lender’s details will be sent to the renter - which can be found in the upcoming rentals section of My Freer. If you do not feel comfortable going to someone’s house to collect the item, we strongly recommend meeting in a public location using Freer messaging to communicate to make sure there is a record. Also consider taking along a 3rd party if you are uncomfortable going on your own.

Rentals can be paid for in a number of ways. If there are sufficient funds in the Freer Wallet this can be used as a source of funds (subject to meeting the terms of use of the Freer Wallet). This can be topped up using a debit or credit card. Renters can also pay for items directly using a debit or credit card or select to use their Paypal account.

Freer currently uses the Paypal payment gateway to process payments from Renters and pay Lenders. Renters can pay using their PayPal account or by using a debit or credit card to pay directly or top up their wallet. When the rental booking is confirmed by the Lender and the Renter pays, we deduct the Renter's account. Freer then holds this money until the item is collected. The Lender is then paid directly into their Freer wallet. Lenders can withdraw from their Freer wallet to their Paypal account

If for some reason we are not able to collect funds from the Renter’s Wallet, the Renter’s card or Paypal account we will cancel the booking.

It’s hard to tell a person to lend an item to a community member or sell it. Our advise would be that if you think you’d like to use that item in the future, albeit infrequently, then list it on Freer and see how much you can make lending it others. If after a while it doesn’t work out then you can still always sell it.

In some cases, late fees will be applied to the renter and you will receive compensation for your item being returned late. Freer does not encourage back-to-back bookings for your item to ensure you are not inconvenienced if an item is returned late and the next renter will be able to rent the item. This can occur if a Renter requests a late pick and another Renter requests an early pick up.

Late fees will apply for any item returned after the agreed return time (to discuss. If I recall there is a window which is 12 hours after the initial start time – which was 9am but is now 7am. Therefore late fees would apply from 7pm if we follow the same logic) and are accrued as follows; A day rate for the item equivalent to 150% of the standard daily rate for item plus an administration fee of £30 for the item.

Every effort should be made between Lender and Renter to resolve any dispute between themselves. If a dispute cannot be resolved between the two parties, Freer offers a dispute resolution service. Contact us at admin@freer.com to start a case.

Item bookings can be cancelled up to 48 hours before the rental is due to start with no penalty. Bookings cancelled within 48 hours of the start of the rental or during the rental period will incur the full booking fee. Please contact the Lender as soon as possible if you wish to cancel. Cancellation of the item reservation, the “Rental” by the Lender within 48 hours may incur a penalty fee equal to 50% of the total Rental charge. Please see Ts and Cs for full details on fees for rental cancellations by both the lender and the renter.

The research Freer conducted suggested 80% of items people want to use already exist in their community. Imagine not having to buy an item again to use something; simply make a request to the Freer community. To make a request complete the Freer Request form. This will be published on the app for other members to review. If a member has that product they will get in touch via the app and you can then rent that item as you would a normal rental.

In the same way as Freer does not allow all items to be listed and has a prohibited items list then this also applies to requesting items.

By signing up to Freer you also agree to the Freer Code which is a way in which we’d like to see the app operate. Freer works hard to create an environment of mutual trust and respect and in which people feel safe and secure. Lenders and Renters share items in good faith, but we acknowledge things can go wrong. We believe Lenders and Renters should act in accordance with both the Freer Code and the Terms of Use and the rules that we have put in place of the community. In the unlikely event there is an issue then the Lenders and Renters should look to resolve this amicably between themselves. If agreement cannot be reached Freer will look to assist in this dispute resolution and therefore reserves the right to have the final say on the outcome.

My Freer is the hub of the app. Here you will find all the items that you have in either

1. Overdue – this item has not yet been returned after it’s agreed rental date.

2. Active lending or renting – items that are currently out on rental.

3. Upcoming lending or renting – items that are due to be lent or rented

4. Pending Action – awaiting a lender to approve the rental

5. Available – all other items that can be lent.

Within my community you will find people you have rented from or people that you lent to. Equally you will find anyone who you have decided to follow or is following you. If there is a story written about your products that will feature in your community too.

When you select a product for rental you add it to your cart. You can add multiple products to the cart and simply check out once using the Wallet, a credit or debit card or your PayPal account.

Freer has a rating and review system that is published within the app. This takes place after an item has been returned. Both a lender and renter can rate each other, and a renter can also review the product. This helps other lenders and renters make decisions on whether to lend and rent from an individual or whether it is the right product for their needs.

The Freer Community Creator programme is very similar to a referral scheme but this allows the person who has created the community to receive an ongoing commission each time a person they have referred lends or rents. Anyone can sign up to be a community creator.

A registered user goes to the community section of the app. They create a unique URL which they can send to friends, family, colleagues, school groups etc. Once the person receives this code they go to the website and register their email address and then download the app. They are then tracked via the email address through their registration on the app. This is then linked to the person who sent the link originally.

Each time a person who has been referred lends an item the Community Creator receives 5% of the value of the rental. If for example the rental was £40, they would receive £2 into their Freer Wallet. The same applies to someone who rents. If the lender and renter are both referred by the same Community Creator, they receive a full 10% of the value of the rental. This is great way to make extra cash from something friends and family etc would be doing anyway.

The Freer Community Leader programme is very similar to a referral scheme but for organisations, charities, associations, schools and businesses, but this allows the ‘organisation’ who has created the community to receive an ongoing commission each time a person they have referred lends or rents. Anyone can sign up to be a community creator.

An ‘organisation’ goes to the community section of the website and register their interest.  Freer contacts the ‘organisation to check the details’ A unique URL is created for that ‘organisation’ which they can distribute to colleagues, donors, volunteers, school groups etc. Once the person receives this code they go to the website and register their email address and then download the app. They are then tracked via the email address through their registration on the app. This is then linked to the person who sent the link originally.

Each time a person who has been referred lends an item the Community Creator receives up to 5% of the value of the rental. If for example the rental was £40, they would receive up £2. The same applies to someone who rents. If the lender and renter are both referred by the same Community Creator, they receive a full 10% of the value of the rental. This is great way to make extra money and support the organisational fundraising or buying of extra equipment. These are people already in a community just not connected in a way to lend and rent to one another.