I am NEVER giving anything away again.

[Ohjakestopbeingatwat]

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.

Honestly, it could have been made good with a couple of screws and if someone had given it a lick of paint, it could have looked great. I would have done it myself, but my other children are too old and my in laws bought my 5 year old a new one for her birthday.

I did the same with an Ikea play kitchen for my older two, I got it for free and did it up to match my kitchen. They played with it for years and then I passed it on to a friend.

That's so great! Do they have a website or something? Does the cart look old-fashioned? Do they wear old-style clothes? I wanna see this!

I know what you mean, I put some uniform on a free Facebook page, I was given it and my daughter didn't end up wearing it so in fairly good condition, someone immediately said they would have it, they then ignored my message saying they could pick it up, so I really listed it, they then said sorry could they pick it up in a couple of hours, two days later im still waiting 🙄 I see her constantly claiming free stuff, im going to block her i think

I will say selling on Facebook or any platform the amount of car breakdowns and being rushed to hospital is unbelievable

Tell me about it ... ditto the number of people allegedly wanting whatever-it-is for a little old lady, poor single mum, disabled lad, church group or similar

I don't mind a single mention and already support some of the above, but as a rule of thumb the more they extend any sob story the less I trust that's who it's actually for

No, just a bloke on a horse and cart. I don’t know of any websites.

i hear the “raag an’ booooooooooon” and bells ringing a couple of times a month.

Charity shop if you can get to one. Putting stuff online for free isn’t free - it means you having to work to put an ad on, reply to messages, and deal with no shows/unreasonable people.

If you want to give away for free in future, use Freecycle or Gumtree. I've only had good experiences through those platforms.

charity shop wouldn’t have taken it as it was wobbly due to the old screws.

Lesson learned anyway with Facebook. I’ve had this crap too many times now, that was the last straw.

When my husband died I had to downsize, and started listing things for free on FB. By the end of it decided I'd never do it again too. I remember the couple that came to get his favourite possession, his barbecue. Their eyes were everywhere and they kept asking if I was 'wanting rid of' various things. I had to sell our family home and moved to this bungalow and unbelievably they live round the corner. I always smile and wave, who knows, they might invite me round for a burger.

I hate people - I also hate some charities, I was clearing out my house and had a dining table and 6 chairs, a couple of sofas and 2 beds and the British Heart Foundation came out and turned their nose up at all of it as the sofa was ‘too worn’ the table had a biro mark on one corner and the beds didn’t have the build instructions. I gave the lot to Emmaus in the end and they were so grateful, they get all my old furniture now and are happy to upcycle and also collect really quickly.

This👆So many CF who don’t even turn up .
I tried giving away a decent sofa last year and at least 5 takers just didn’t come or contact me to say no. People wanted us to deliver etc . Gave up in the end and took it to charity warehouse instead.

I agree and if I'm giving something away that needs work, when they respond, I ask them to confirm they understand it is in need of work and that they are taking it as seen and no returns.

People are either entitled or dim or both.

I just gave away a coffee machine and the lovely recipient asked me round for a coffee sometime. So it's not always bad.

If it hasn't already been mentioned try Olio. The people are rated and I have given away loads of food and non food and everything has been received with thanks from people who reliably pick up. olioapp.com/en/

Not the point of the thread but in the Black Country the “tatters” are shouting scrap irooooooon, not rag and bone lol

God, that’s awful. Why are some people such twats?!

I’d leave them a terrible review on the platform you offered it on.

One does despair with this type of stoooopid and entitled behaviour.

I disagree. I give away stuff for upcycling on Freecycle or FB fairly regularly and get grateful takers. I often get photos of the finished project

This is what I would have done too. Unless you are worried that because they are batshit AND know where you live. In which case it might not be worth it.

I won't give anything away ever again.

I move in a couple of years ago. Downsized.

I had a John Lewis washing machine which worked perfectly; and a matching tumble dryer again, all fine.

I did not have space for both and replaced with a new washer dryer, big regret as it's shit, but that's another story.

Anyway listed them both for free. I wanted to help someone out! Lady turns up to collect the washing machine. Never said thank you. Rude. In fact she was just quite rude full stop. Initially she couldn't find the house and asked me to walk and find her. I couldn't as I had the 4 kids here and I'm single parent. She was quite huffy about that.

The same day someone else comes to collect the dryer. This time came through the back gate. Collects the dryer. No thank you. On leaving she leaves the gate open and not long later the dogs escape. Thanks for that.

Also had a brand new bed and mattress, ended up moving them and not using as replaced with bunks. All in packaging.

I waited in 4 times for this guy to collect. He didn't show so I gave it to someone else. He then sent me abusive messages. Blocked him.

Listed many other items small bits like bookcases ETc that didn't fit. Each time I was let down. So annoying.

One lady collected a double bed and mattress, she was lovely actually. We had a right laugh trying to get the mattress folded into her car. She was quite elderly a real character.

After all this the other bits I didn't use I paid for the collect and dispose of. It was such a waste but I couldn't bare to do it again. I tried lots of charities but none needed anything! Shame as it was all good stuff!

BHF are an absolute pain for this! They are like the animal rescue of the charity world with their rejections. They ask for donations and then have stupid "policies" (as well as some legitimate and understandable ones). The issue is the van drivers. If it is something that they can't be arsed to take (too heavy, end of the day, can't be bothered to move other stuff in the van to make it fit), they then say that it's not suitable. Even though the weight, dimensions and description were given beforehand and it was accepted by the shop people.

In future, stick it outside your house with a free sign on it.

SOME people don't want stuff in bad shape, there are others who are quite happy with a project, especially if it is something which was well made in the first place.

The problem is that so many people have such short attention spans these days that they can't even be bothered to read something through.

Did you try a charity for homeless people who need furniture for their new home?

Maybe it’s something about Facebook? I use Freecycle and never had an issue.

Is the app free?