I am NEVER giving anything away again.

Ohjakestopbeingatwat · 2025-08-21T14:06:24+00:00

I’ve had it now with giving things away. I think I am just a twat magnet. I put the children’s old wooden play market/kitchen thing up on Facebook, for free. I put up photos and was very honest that it needs two new screws/wood glue as they have come loose and can’t be tightened, some of the paintwork is chipped, but if someone wants it, it would make a great up cycle project. If no one wanted it, it would go to the tip. But you know, it’s free and I know lots of people like a project. Someone immediately said she wanted it and sent her husband to collect it a while later. Then, all hell broke loose. She messaged me saying it was in a terrible state, the paint was chipped, the screws needed replacing - no shit Sherlock. That was the actual description. She demanded that I come and pick it up. No. She kept on and on until I had to block her. Half an hour later, her husband turned up again and threw it on my driveway, smashing it. So now, no one can have it to do up and it will have to go to the tip. This isn’t the first time I’ve had shit like this. I don’t know how I attract these people. So never again. It’s the charity shop, or the tip.

Scarylett · 21/08/2025 15:09

Some people are just so entitled. I have stopped giving away stuff for free on FB too. Somehow it attracts some really scummy people.

Mayflower282 · 21/08/2025 15:10

Sheesh, what a nightmare. I agree, it’s too much hassle. It’s sad to take things to the tip but people are rude! I got fed up of the “can you drop it off, I live an hour away and don’t have a car.” 🙄

itsgettingweird · 21/08/2025 15:10

That’s awful.

so sorry you had this when you were doing a lovely thing.

It’s not you - it’s the entitled twats who want brand new for free.

NoCommentingFromNowOn · 21/08/2025 15:11

You could take photos of it smashed on your drive and write what happened.

Original poster

Ohjakestopbeingatwat · 21/08/2025 15:15

NoCommentingFromNowOn · 21/08/2025 15:11

You could take photos of it smashed on your drive and write what happened.

Oh, I’m not engaging with crazy. I’m not bringing any drama into my life!

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namechangedforvalidreasons · 21/08/2025 15:15

Whoah, where was the need to break it??

They say put a token price on everything so that rules out the absolute time wasters. But even if you’re selling stuff people sometimes muck about. And sometimes you get treated like a nuisance at the charity shop. I had it once with a lot of fairly expensive and well-kept toys eg. Racing cars, Meccano, Disney dolls, all in lovely condition and all still in boxes. They complained about their size and chided me not to bring any more (I found another shop in a disadvantaged area who were thrilled to bits).

What can you do though, you tried ¯\(ツ)/¯

Nolongera · 21/08/2025 15:18

We gave away an old Sony flat screen tv, advertised as such and not a smart TV.

Van pulled up at agreed time and we got a text, "is it a smart tv?", I told them no, it was as advertised.

Then they replied " well I'm not sure we want it".

They were sitting outside my house, I could see them texting, they had come 20 miles for a free tv and were now quibbling, I'm still not sure what about, it was free.

In the end I text them that I could see them texting and either take the tv or leave it. They came and took it.

People are crackers.

SummerInSun · 21/08/2025 15:19

I know you were trying to do a nice thing, but I think from the state you describe, you should just have taken it to the tip in the first place. People just don’t want stuff in such bad shape when you can buy stuff pretty cheap new or very cheaply second hand in charity shops.

My view with stuff I need to get rid of is that if it isn’t in good enough condition for the charity shops, it goes in the recycling/ thrown away.

Original poster

Ohjakestopbeingatwat · 21/08/2025 15:19

Mayflower282 · 21/08/2025 15:10

Sheesh, what a nightmare. I agree, it’s too much hassle. It’s sad to take things to the tip but people are rude! I got fed up of the “can you drop it off, I live an hour away and don’t have a car.” 🙄

Oh, I’ve had that before. Someone wanted an old dolls house that I was giving away, I stated in the ad that it was collection only.

I had one person asking if I could deliver half an hour away. I didn’t have a car.

She then asked if I could take a taxi, or get someone else to take it. No!

Then I got message after message about how I had ruined her little girls birthday. She even sent a photo of a little girl crying, with a message saying “she says please!!”

Absolutely batshit.

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Dabberlocks · 21/08/2025 15:21

SummerInSun · 21/08/2025 15:19

I know you were trying to do a nice thing, but I think from the state you describe, you should just have taken it to the tip in the first place. People just don’t want stuff in such bad shape when you can buy stuff pretty cheap new or very cheaply second hand in charity shops.

My view with stuff I need to get rid of is that if it isn’t in good enough condition for the charity shops, it goes in the recycling/ thrown away.

It needed some repairs and the OP was completely open about that in the description.

Original poster

Ohjakestopbeingatwat · 21/08/2025 15:22

SummerInSun · 21/08/2025 15:19

I know you were trying to do a nice thing, but I think from the state you describe, you should just have taken it to the tip in the first place. People just don’t want stuff in such bad shape when you can buy stuff pretty cheap new or very cheaply second hand in charity shops.

My view with stuff I need to get rid of is that if it isn’t in good enough condition for the charity shops, it goes in the recycling/ thrown away.

She didn’t have to take it though.

And with two screws and a paint job, it would have been good to go. Some people like doing stuff like that, I’ve given away lots of things like that over the years (and done a couple of bits myself).

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TeenToTwenties · 21/08/2025 15:23

I've had success in the past few weeks putting a table at the front of our house marked 'free help yourselves'. We've cleared a bunch of outdoor toys and boxed games, and this morning I even received a thank you card through the letterbox from one family who had taken some things.

Original poster

Ohjakestopbeingatwat · 21/08/2025 15:25

TeenToTwenties · 21/08/2025 15:23

I've had success in the past few weeks putting a table at the front of our house marked 'free help yourselves'. We've cleared a bunch of outdoor toys and boxed games, and this morning I even received a thank you card through the letterbox from one family who had taken some things.

We can’t do that here. Lots of people who would just smash things up or chuck it into the road as they walked past (it’s happened before with neighbours), it’s not the best area.

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Comedycook · 21/08/2025 15:26

No good deed goes unpunished

floraldebacle · 21/08/2025 15:26

What works well for me is to put the item outside the house on a dry day, with a notice taped on saying “Free.” Things usually go within the hour. Stuff I have put out include a 6 drawer Ikea chest of drawers, a child’s doll house, a garden shredder, some old kitchen chairs, a big mirror. I suppose it might depend on your road, it’s easy for cars to stop near us.

OpheliaNightingale · 21/08/2025 15:28

@Ohjakestopbeingatwat OMG, I had the exact same thing happen to me with a bed! The messages were horrendous! Culminating in her saying ‘Shame on you!’ I even sent her highlighted screenshots of the description on the post!

Original poster

Ohjakestopbeingatwat · 21/08/2025 15:29

floraldebacle · 21/08/2025 15:26

What works well for me is to put the item outside the house on a dry day, with a notice taped on saying “Free.” Things usually go within the hour. Stuff I have put out include a 6 drawer Ikea chest of drawers, a child’s doll house, a garden shredder, some old kitchen chairs, a big mirror. I suppose it might depend on your road, it’s easy for cars to stop near us.

We used to do that all the time where we used to live, but not here. Some wrong’un would chuck it into the road for a laugh.

OP posts:

Original poster

Ohjakestopbeingatwat · 21/08/2025 15:29

OpheliaNightingale · 21/08/2025 15:28

@Ohjakestopbeingatwat OMG, I had the exact same thing happen to me with a bed! The messages were horrendous! Culminating in her saying ‘Shame on you!’ I even sent her highlighted screenshots of the description on the post!

Why are people like this!! It’s baffling.

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iamnotalemon · 21/08/2025 15:32

Wow that’s so rude!!! Years ago I was moving and gave away some food that I couldn’t take with me - I had a snotty email from the people afterwards moaning about it! (Some items were frozen and out of date but because they were frozen, still fine to use).

FancyCatSlave · 21/08/2025 15:32

They are batshit but sometimes with Facebook ads the description doesn’t get shared. So if you post it in a particular group with a full description but also allow it to be posted in general marketplace sometimes (and I don’t know why) the description doesn’t always get included just the photo and price/location.

We had this when selling a fireplace, the ad we posted had all the info including measurements in the description but some people, depending on how they saw the ad, didn’t get any of the detail. Which is very annoying.

Doesn’t justify their absolutely crackers behaviour but it might explain what triggered the crazy!

But yes I have also had my fill of giving stuff away. People are knobs.

HellEvenDorisDay · 21/08/2025 15:32

I agree. I now don’t want people to pick up from my house. I am happy to meet in a car park or even drop to someone if they live a few mins away and I can drive there on my route somewhere but no longer have people come to me. One time I had several people desperate for what I was offering - kids activity books which had never been touched as we had so many and mine had grown out of them. There must have been 5 or 6 people interested but no one prepared to pick it up from me. So many excuses and I spent way too much time messaging back and forth. The final straw was a man who was just so rude because I was working and didn’t reply in a timeframe that was acceptable to him and he wouldn’t let it go. Glad I hadn’t given my address out at that point.

Painrelief · 21/08/2025 15:33

I have some branded baby trainers listed on Vinted and a woman yday offered me £14 for them when I’ve listed them as £19 they are brand new boxed, still in JD for £38 and never been on my child’s feet and she msged me saying how quickly could you post these because I need them for next Wednesday . I replied saying well I’m not reducing them to £14 but I could post them tomorrow . She then msged me saying has the box got any scratches or marks on it …

I blocked her … I can’t be dealing with the drama coz she was obviously going to moan about something when she received them and I would rather not sell to her .

Everyone now wants something brand new for nothing. I would rather take stuff to the charity shop and avoid all the waiting about and the moaning .

LittlleMy · 21/08/2025 15:33

SummerInSun · 21/08/2025 15:19

I know you were trying to do a nice thing, but I think from the state you describe, you should just have taken it to the tip in the first place. People just don’t want stuff in such bad shape when you can buy stuff pretty cheap new or very cheaply second hand in charity shops.

My view with stuff I need to get rid of is that if it isn’t in good enough condition for the charity shops, it goes in the recycling/ thrown away.

I don’t agree. A lot of the older toys that get chucked out are often made with good quality materials and not Temu plastic crap. So once done up they can be good enough as a new child’s toy and then last through to a charity shop even.

Also, OP clearly stated its condition and that it would make a good up cycling project for those into that. She also stated the alternative was the tip so I don’t know how much more warning of the state of the item she could have given!

flossydog · 21/08/2025 15:36

Ohjakestopbeingatwat · 21/08/2025 15:25

We can’t do that here. Lots of people who would just smash things up or chuck it into the road as they walked past (it’s happened before with neighbours), it’s not the best area.

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This seems to be the issue here. If someone lives around friendly, neighbourly people then they can be more trusting.

I've had a lot of luck with a local free stuff Facebook group with closed membership. There's a bit more accountability than random people on FB marketplace, as people who are a nuisance can get kicked out of the group.

pontipinemum · 21/08/2025 15:37

That would really put you off!! I have had mainly good experiences thankfully. But also the few who want it delivered etc