Freecycle & Gumtree

purple1969

soolin wrote: »

I thought they went back to school yesterday?

Childish? No I don't think so. At no point did anyone ask how I went about things, they all leapt to an assumption and judged me based on it. If anyone had bothered to ask I would have been up front and informed them that the few times that I have had items off freecycle and gumtree they have always been bags or boxes of clothes advertised as been ideal for carbooters, so permission for resale was always given.

I've been on many forums over the years and I've always found it unnecessary how a hardcore few criticize other peoples actions or views. People should be allowed to ask a question or put their view across without fear of being subjected to a public drumhead.

Mistral001

If any lawyers or would-be lawyers are out there, I was wondering what the legal situation is with Freecycle. If someone gives away an item for free can the they ask forthe item back as there would appear to be no contract formed. I was always taught that there has to be three parts to a contract. 1. an offer, 2. and acceptance of that offer 3. consideration (legal term for money or item of value). Since no money has changed hands, I reckon there is no contract.

sarahg1969

Mistral001 wrote: »

If any lawyers or would-be lawyers are out there, I was wondering what the legal situation is with Freecycle. If someone gives away an item for free can the they ask forthe item back as there would appear to be no contract formed. I was always taught that there has to be three parts to a contract. 1. an offer, 2. and acceptance of that offer 3. consideration (legal term for money or item of value). Since no money has changed hands, I reckon there is no contract.

It's not a matter of contract. It's a gift.

soolin

sarahg1969 wrote: »

It's not a matter of contract. It's a gift.

I agree, once we voluntarily give up our goods we lose any right over them. same as giftign it to a charity shop, it is theirs to do with as they please.

tbourner

The difference is scale, with credit card companies they get thousands of applications, they know that a percentage of those will keep the card and spend on it after the offer ends, so they buy off the losses against the gains. If the person giving away a table on freecycle was giving away thousands of tables, I'm sure they wouldn't mind a small percentage being sold on, in fact they'd allow people to do it to aid in advertising their tables giveaway, therefore increasing the chance of people taking the free ones and keeping them for themselves (see the credit card analogy ).

Talking about carboots etc. suggest you think the relationship between any person and a credit card company is similar to that between a poor person and a rich person? In that 'tricking' them and gaining money for yourself is somehow OK? I see where you're going but I disagree, and I see it more in line with pretending to be working for a charity and collecting door to door, then buying yourself something nice.


//edit: I'm only talking freecycle here, buying from gumtree and selling on eBay is fine IMO, people sell for what they're happy to sell for (as in the car boot), but as was posted early on the spirit of freecycle is to keep things free and pass on to those in need, not those in need of selling!

Mistral001

sarahg1969 wrote: »

It's not a matter of contract. It's a gift.

Actually that is what I thought. No contract. Freecycle is just a way of putting people who have something to give away in contact with others who might need that item.

Freecycle is a very good idea, but not an ebay or commercial site, so any dispute you have is with the person who got the item from you etc etc. Freecycle will not get involved.

Giving away just means that, with no ifs or buts and no arguments as to what the receiver does with that item.