friendsborrowandshare00BORROW BEFORE YOU BUY
Some things are needed only now and then.
A ladder for one job, a tent for one weekend, a bubble machine for one party. Friends, neighbours and libraries of things across the UK lend them out, and the numbers they report are worth a look.
Check before lending01Principles
02THE SHORT ANSWER
Borrowing is as old as neighbours.
Sharing schemes now measure what it saves.
BORROWING
Libraries of things lend drills, sound systems, sewing machines and carpet cleaners. Frome's share shop lends tents, kayaks and bunting too.
See the numbersSHARING
England's waste prevention programme says that when more products are reused and repaired, a larger sharing economy follows, with less waste and lower emissions.
Why it mattersSAFETY
Trading standards guidance for second-hand electricals points to the lead, the plug and recalls. The same checks make sense before you lend.
Run the check03A QUICK LENDING CHECK
Pick an item to see which checks are worth doing before it changes hands. The bar shows how much there is to check.
Based on trading standards guidance for sellers of second-hand electrical goods. Lending between friends is not a sale, but the same checks are a sensible habit.
04TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
One figure from a town share shop,
one on how often borrowing replaces buying.
1,435
Loans in one year
Between April 2018 and March 2019, 476 items from Frome's SHARE shop were borrowed 1,435 times, saving residents an estimated £62,620, according to Frome Town Council.
SHARE SHOP · FROME
≥ 1 in 4
Rentals that replace a purchase
Library of Things says its user surveys show at least one in four rentals directly prevents a purchase. It uses that figure to estimate money and waste saved.
PURCHASES AVOIDED · LIBRARY OF THINGS
These are the schemes' own estimates. Library of Things publishes its method and says its calculator is imperfect and rests on assumptions that need further research.
05FOUR WAYS TO START
Sharing works best when it is simple and both sides know what to expect. None of this needs an app.
For a one-off job, ask a friend or neighbour first, or look for a library of things nearby.
A clear date keeps the favour easy and lets the next person plan.
Look over the lead and plug, and check the model against recall lists before it goes out.
Clean, complete and on time, so the item is ready for the next person to enjoy.
06WHY IT MATTERS
England's waste prevention programme describes a growing sharing economy, with goods and transport such as bikes lent out on demand, which extends the useful life of products. It sets a target to halve residual waste per person by 2042, measured against 2019 levels.
Councils are backing local schemes. The City of London says Library of Things has helped Londoners save £6.5 million and prevent almost 300 tonnes of waste across its London locations, and Hammersmith & Fulham reported more than £80,000 saved by its residents.
07Questions
A place where you can borrow useful things for your home, projects and adventures, such as drills, sound systems, sewing machines and carpet cleaners, usually for a small fee.
Sharing schemes estimate that it does. Library of Things says at least one in four of its rentals directly prevents a purchase, and Frome's share shop estimated 10 tonnes of manufacturing waste saved in one year.
Trading standards guidance for second-hand goods suggests looking for fraying, kinks or exposed wires on the lead, checking the plug and fuse, and checking whether the model has been recalled.
Trading standards guidance notes that a PAT test will not always find all the hazards in a product, so a physical look over the appliance still matters.
Frome's SHARE shop lends lawnmowers, power tools, blenders, wine glasses and bunting, and has added inflatable kayaks, bell tents, a PA system and a bubble machine.
08Sources
ABOUT THIS NAME
friendsborrowandshare.com is part of the DoodleSale portfolio. It isn't in an auction right now, but you can ask about leasing it.
