Sample message: Borrowing or lending

These are sample messages you can send to a member of your community about borrowing or lending items.

Default message used by caretaker communities:

Dear Freegle Member

I know that 'borrowing' an item often seems like a good, environmentally friendly idea, but Freegle is for offering outright ownership only. We have $nummembers members and couldn't possibly get into the complications of what might happen if an item weren't returned, or was returned damaged.

I've edited your message today to remove the reference to borrowing the item and allowed it to appear on the board as a straight request. If you're lucky enough to receive one, you can always offer it back to other members of Freegle when you've finished with it.

Kind regards,
$myname
$groupname Volunteer
$owneremail

Alternative:

Dear Freegle member

Thank you for your post, but we don't allow borrowing or lending.

If you only need an item for a short time, please just ask for it - you could offer to Freegle it again afterwards. Or ask for it on ChitChat, where the usual rules are more relaxed.

If someone offers to lend you the item, that would be between you and them.

Best wishes,
$myname
$groupname

Alternative:

Hi there

I'm sorry but I've deleted your message from the main message board.

We don't allow messages asking to borrow items, as this ultimately saves nothing from landfill but can also create liability for the lender, so we don't support this through our community.

You're welcome to repost a simple request for this item, and/or ask about borrowing it on ChitChat, where the rules are more relaxed.

Thank you for your understanding.
Kind regards,

$myname
$groupname Volunteer

Back to Borrowing or Lending, Sample Messages