To think that people are just downright rude sometimes...

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

I'm moving house so listed my daughters garden playhouse for free if someone picks it up. We've only had it two years, it's in not bad condition with a little bit of sun bleaching.

For Free though, just so we don't have to move it as our new garden is going to be tiny and I'm not sure how much room we'll really have after the trampoline and some other bits, but it seems a shame to throw it away if someone wants it.

So first person messages me within seconds and says they'll take it. I arrange with her that she'll come at the weekend and that's that.

Except Saturday comes and she doesn't show up. I wait about three hours past the time we arranged and inbox her... She doesn't apologise for wasting my morning, she just messages me back as if I haven't said anything to ask if I can deliver. Well, no. I'd rather just put it in the skip, but thought someone might like it. I'm not prepared to deliver for a free product that's huge, no.

She comes back with 'but I have two small children.'

I said 'so do I!'

And she told me she wouldn't be taking it and I should feel bad because her children were very disappointed.

The next person asks me if the children's garden furniture is included. (In the picture I took of it there's a plastic orange table in the house, and two plastic chairs. My bad, I should have taken it out.) I say no, it's just the playhouse.

The person counters, 'if you include the furniture I can collect today'

Um... It's free... Why are you trying to upsell me?

Yesterday I messaged the third person who had commented and said it was theirs if they wanted it. They also ask me if I can deliver and I don't even bother replying.

Today I get an inbox message just saying 'Playhouse. Free?? How valid is this!!!.'

I give up. It's going in the skip. What is wrong with people...I remember giving DD's cotbed away for free and the couple were so happy!

[Katenka]

We have had more trouble trying to give stuff away for free than trying to sell it. Similar things to yours.

'I only want it if it's in brand new condition'

'Well no it's not. I said in the ad, it's been used for 2 years'

All that type of thing.

Our local Salvation Army collects stuff like this. You may have to wait a few days for them to be in the area, but they come and take all sorts.

I all them now, don't advertise giving anything away.

[Lj8893]

Oh I totally get you, it's so rude!

We gave away loads of our kitchen stuff in the summer after a trip to ikea. It was easier to just give it all away than try and sell it/throw it.

A woman came to collect loads of it and as my dh was helping her take it to her car he asked if she took this sort of stuff for car boot type sales (we really didn't mind what she was going to do with it) and she said no and came out with some sob story of how she had to run away from an ex and had nothing for her new house.

A week later she was selling it all on the same site I had advertised it on. Why lie about it?

[Hassled]

Put it in the skip with a note sellotaped to it saying "please help yourself" and it'll probably go. People are happy to skip-dive (is that the expression?) when they clearly aren't happy to collect - makes no sense at all.

[OurBlanche]

I tried to give away some garden furniture a couple of years ago and had the same rigmarole. After the 3rd or 4th odd message asking why it was free I added a comment:

As there has been some disbelief that anyone would give this away, for free, if collected, I will be destroying it and putting the broken pieces in the bin. Pictures to follow.

I did just that, put the pictures up too. Then had loads of comments about what a waste it was, how I should be ashamed of myself, etc etc.

I haven't tried to fb sell anything since. I just ring a local furniture recycling charity and they take it away.

[Paintedhandprints]

Can i have the playhouse? Been looking on ebay for one for ds.
Why not try selling on ebay. Local pickup only?
Anything offered for free seems to get wierdos messing you about. I had this with an old guineapig hutch on gumtree. Bizarre.

[SaucyJack]

YANBU. We've had similar from people who like to pretend they are the ones doing you a favour.

PS: Where are you? You could post your vague region on here, and I bet you'll find a MNetter to take it. If you want to obv. Please and thank you.

[scarednoob]

I hear you, OP. I've been waiting in since 4 for someone to collect a free baby walker, brand new mobile (it was £50 as well - bought the wrong sort for our crib!) and mobile to go over cot... It's so rude!

[SquinkiesRule]

Pull it round the front of the house and tape a "free to whoever takes it away" sign on it, it'll be gone in a very short time. I hate those free sites, loads of picky people trying to get new stuff for nothing. Then you get one nice grateful person who makes it all worthwhile.

[FeedMyFaceWithJaffaCakes]

Hello OP.
Could you take it to charity shop/ ask charity to come pick it up?! The charity I work for would love it I'm sure! X

[BishopBrennansArse]

If you were near me I'd grab it and be extremely grateful!

Know what you mean though OP, given up on selling sites for my old stuff, too many arseholes. I give it away now to people I know.

[allwornout0]

Sorry, what does "My bad" mean?

Although I do agree that many people do seem very rude if something is free.

[theycallmemellojello]

Sorry, what does "My bad" mean?
Isn't it obvious?? It's not one of the most cryptic expressions in the English language!

[TattyDevine]

People can be so ridiculous.

[Italiangreyhound]

Offer it for sale on a local site in your area and give the money to charity. People will take it more seriously (IMHO) and you cold say I can't hold it for more than a few hours you will have to come when convenient to me.

If you succeed some charity will love you.

(PS when food companies add things to pictures - like lettuce next to tuna, they say 'serving suggestion'!)

[Ironmanrocks]

We got a free trampoline once....it was old and we had to replace the zippy bit but I was so happy! We took them a lovely bottle of red to say thank you. Have been trying to giveaway a chest of drawers that is perfectly reasonable and not very old....same story as the rest of you. Rude rude rude. We also sold some other stuff and I had a cup if tea with the lady that came to collect, she was lovely! I don't get it at all...

[shinynewusername]

YANBU - this appears to be the universal experience of Freecycle.

[RitaVinTease]

Our local free-ads is very strict about this kind of nonsense and it doesnt tend to be a problem. I really find people like this beyond belief, their sense of entitlement is amazing. I wouldnt have the nerve!

[Dixiechickonhols]

Free seems to bring out the worst in people. A token fee say £10 may help and point out the 2 years old/some sun bleaching (because some people expect brand new and in a harrods bag for £10).

Foot high letters collection only/ I cannot deliver/you need a van/2 men may help but I bet you still get messages asking if you will.

Is there a better fb selling page nearby. One where I live is fine but one in town where I work is full of chancers.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

Better to offer it to neighbours with kids if poss.

People will use free cycle to get stock for carboots etc which I find cheeky.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

I answered an ad for a free child's bed in our local area but when my DH went to collect it, the lady demanded that he gave a cash donation to her which she would give to a dementia charity because her mum was suffering.
The whole thing was a bit odd.

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

I'm in the southeast. I naively though that someone would be grateful of a free playhouse... i'll try a few of the suggestions on here for the rest of this week and then I'll just skip it.

I have two chest of drawers and two beds, and a fridge and washing machine I was going to do too, but I guess I'll just try and sell them.

People certainly are odd!

[Stellar67]

I tried to give away two fairly decent sofas but gave up after time wasting replies like above. Including one person who asked if they could come and cut the bottom off to check for loose change
So DH and I put them at the side of the road to call the council to uplift, woke up in morning and they'd vanished.

[oldlaundbooth]

Too much like hard work personally. Better just giving to friends and family, and don't advertise!

[girlandboy]

We had a bike up for sale on Gumtree. Put in huge letters that it was COLLECTION ONLY!!

First message we got back stated that he would like to buy the bike, but how could WE ensure it got to him bearing in mind he lived several miles away?
I replied that he could catch the bus to our house and then cycle home