Fat Llama is a unique site where you can rent things that you temporarily need, rather than spend more money buying them, to sit in a cupboard forever. Search for what you want, where you want it and the dates you want it for.
Renters just list the item, and search requests, then agree to exchange, and then the money is securely exchanged. Obviously follow common sense safety advice, and let people know where you are going, and to meet whom.
Renters are covered for accidental damage and accidental loss.
This site has already rented out a million items in 7 countries, proving there is a huge market. Most things work out at around 60% cheaper than buying, and of course you are reducing world waste!
Here is a list of the top items rented out in 2024:
- Camera equipment
- Portable speakers
- Hammer drills
- Boat trailers
- Ski clothing
- Bouncy castles
- Pressure washers
- Folding chairs
RentRooster is a similar site, where you can rent anything from bikes to holiday homes, and from musical instruments to sports equipment. Again it puts full caveats in place to ensure safety and security.
An Inspiring ‘Tool Library’ in Scotland
Edinburgh Tool Library is a very inspiring example of something that could be done in every town and city across England. Someone once wrote that the average power tool gets used for around 20 minutes in its entire lifetime.
Not sure if this is true. But it is obvious that most tools just sit in the garage, when other people then go out to buy exactly the same!
Obviously safety is paramount. If you are buying new tools, know that it’s UK law for you to take your old and possibly dangerous tools back to the same shop, and it has to legally recycle them on for you.
This tool library also has a Repair Cafe nearby, for those that can still be rescued! The Repairmongery is staffed by techy people who love to fix things. It can fix and repair:
- Hand and power tools
- Kitchen gadgets (blenders, kettles, toasters)
- Lamps and other small electric goods
- Radios, stereos and battery items
- Toys (not soft toys or dolls)
It can’t repair:
- White goods (fridges, washing machines)
- Very big things!
- Computers or smartphones
- Vacuum cleaners
- Bicycles
- Clothes or textiles
Membership is friendly and affordable. As well as lending you equipment, you can attend basic workshops on DIY and woodwork, including for disabled residents.
If you feel like setting up something similar, this tool library (the first of its kind in the UK that visited Canada before starting up) has plenty of free advice on-site to help you get going.
The average ‘not returning an item’ is around 4 per 22,000 items, so it’s pretty safe! Late fees are charged, just like with library books!
Tools are collected a couple of times a week, and must be returned clean and in the same condition. Most tools are borrowed just for the weekend (popular ones are makita tools and carpet cleaners) although some tools can be borrowed for longer. Members also get free tool sharpening services.
Rent Household Items from Self-Service Lockers
Library of Things is a website where you can set up an account to rent useful household items, collecting them from a self-service locker. Or alternatively get the items delivered, if you don’t live near locker. Most tools are not used that often in their lifetime, so this saves on buying new.
At end of use, just return the tool (clean), ready to rent from someone else in your community.
The site has partnered with quality brands (like BOSCH) to rent out quality tools that are easily repaired, and this helps to stop cheap tools going to landfill.
We don’t recommend renting garden strimmers, due to awful injuries to frogs and hedgehogs (use garden shears instead, which you can rent).
If you do use strimmers, gently sweep the area with a broom before, to give wildlife time to escape. Also avoid robotic lawnmowers (sleepy or hibernating wildlife can’t escape in time).
Examples of popular tools rented out include the following:
- Steam cleaners
- Carpet cleaners
- Cordless drills
- Pressure washers
- Extendable ladders
- Sanders
- Wallpaper strippers
- Sewing machines
- Tile cutters
- Loppers
- DIY tool kits
- Saws
- Secateurs
- Moisture Meters
- Thermal imaging cameras
- Paper shredders
- Spirit levels
- Extension reels
- Bike toolkits
Presently, Library of Things is just in several London locations. But you can start a new branch anywhere you like.
Rent Vehicles from Trusted Local People
Hiyacar is one of the main companies offering peer-to-peer car rental, a new type of way for people to drive around, but still save a lot of money over owning a vehicle.
In a nutshell, rather than hire cars to share from social enterprises (like Co-Wheels), in this case you rent cars from trusted owners, who agree to let other people drive their car, when not in use.
You can rent the vehicles by the hour or day, and all the stuff like insurance is taken care of by the company.
There are also offers like driver subscription discounts. Obviously insurance costs are passed onto you, so members on subscription get lower rates, and a higher mileage allowance.
Hiyacar operates in a lot of major towns and cities across England, with a range of vehicles from electric cars to convertibles to 7-seaters.
Some car owners (who are fully vetted) are earning around £650 a month, when their car may sit on the drive all day, when they are not working (or at work). Members who lease cars also benefit from AA Breakdown Cover and discounted services at Kwikfit.
The company uses a unique quick-start system, so people can unlock your car using an app. These are deleted after each hire.
People in the community can also ‘adopt a Hiyacar. For less than a tenner a month, it will put one of its cars on your street, and refund the cost of parking permits. Then the car is there for all members to book. Businesses can also get involved to hire a fleet car.
All cars are regularly cleaned by the in-house team, using waterless products. This is good, as water-based car washes tend to send untreated oily water down drains, and out to sea.
An App-Based Bike Rental Scheme
Beryl is England’s favourite bike-rental scheme. Using a simple app, you can easily rent a bike, e-bike, scooter or cargo bike in one of the many towns and cities that it operates.
The founder (after creating her award-winning lights) wanted to create a business to do good.
Today the bikes are used by 300,000 people across the UK, whether it’s to nip to the shops, explore somewhere new, or commute to work or university.
There are many options from Pay as You Ride to Minute Bundles, meaning there is something suitable for everyone. Just download the app to find your nearest bike, and tap to unlock. Then just return the bike to a designated bay, at the end of your ride.
All the bikes are designed in the UK for safety, and can be ridden by men or women, with lightweight frames (parking bays are visible in the app, easy to see from the street). Beryl bikes are designed to be fun and easy to ride, with a comfy saddle that adjusts to all heights.
Front and rear brake lights come on automatically when you stop (and remain on for 2 minutes) and the front light is designed to be seen in poor visibility. The bikes have three gears, for hilly to flat terrain.
For hills, you may wish to use the Beryl’s bike with electric assist motor. The scooters have anti-slip kickboards.
And the cargo bikes hold 350 litres, and also have electric assist. So you don’t have to pedal your shopping uphill! e-Cargo bikes are around 60% faster than vans in urban centres, yet cut emissions by around 90%.
