Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

75 replies

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 29/02/2016 15:49

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? Confused

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!

OP posts:
StiickEmUp · 29/02/2016 18:54

If someone wailed at me 'but i have 2 small children' id say piss off and not think any more of it.

Isthatwhatdemonsdo · 29/02/2016 18:54

Would a local nursery school like the playhouse?

Boomingmarvellous · 29/02/2016 18:54

I advertised something for a £1 on eBay and it went far quicker than the endless wait for freecycle or schpock.

SaltySeaBird · 29/02/2016 18:54

MaryPoppins, long shot but where in the South East are you?

I got fed up with listing free things as people are so rude and grabby, expecting you to go out your way to do them a favour when they are getting something free. Now I list things I would have previously given away for a nominal amount (£5 or £10) and say no offers or negotiation. It's not about the money (recently one person was really worried I'd undervalued it), it's just about clearing something out without the hassle!

gBean · 29/02/2016 18:54

I'd bought my DH expensive gig tickets for his birthday and his appendix burst the day before. No family or friends could go at short notice so I put them on local FB group for free - the rudeness was staggering. "I'll have them if you can deliver" for example. Piss off !

Stiddleficks · 29/02/2016 18:54

I recently tried to sell a tumble dryer and the messages I had were ridiculous. One person said they would pay me half what I wanted as they had the inconvenience of collecting it! Someone else argued with me on Facebook about how it must be faulty or I wouldn't be selling it on Confused
Eventually it went to someone who was giving it to her daughter for her first property.

thebiscuitindustry · 29/02/2016 18:59

I agree with the suggestion of eBay. Sell it for 99p starting price with local pick-up only.

pocketsaviour · 29/02/2016 19:01

I'm in the southeast.

Well that was your first mistake. Grin Move up North! I freecycled a lot in Derbyshire and Yorkshire and never had a bad moment, people genuinely grateful most of the time.

Conversely though, I had two time-wasters from eBay, again idiots who ignored the YOU MUST COLLECT BY X DATE AS MOVING HOUSE, I CANNOT DELIVER foot high letters on the ad. Ended up having to give away a double bed and a dining table due to non-paying bidders and needing to get rid of furniture.

Also had a horrible experience on Gumtree when a bloke tried to offer me #50 for an ipad and then sent a series of increasingly abusive and threatening texts when I said "No, someone has already agreed to pay the advertised price."

AppleSetsSail · 29/02/2016 19:06

I've encountered some incredibly rude, entitled people on Freecycle. Some of them are incredibly gracious - I just keep on keeping on.

I've just given 2 things away on Freecycle in the past 48 hours and both of them were really lovely and grateful.

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

That's cheeky as hell.

cozietoesie · 29/02/2016 19:07

If I have anything like that, furniture etc, I'll give to a local charity - who collect in a oner - rather than give it away free. They'll even take unwanted electrical goods because they have electricians to test them etc.

NeedACleverNN · 29/02/2016 19:08

I once put up a black out blind that I had bought that was too small so was brand new apart from damaged packaging.

Blind cost me £13 so I wanted £9.

Someone haggled me down to £5 and then turned up with a £10 note wanting change. Was most put out when I said sorry no change.

They left to go to the shop and 3 hours later still hadn't returned so I relisted it on fb. She quickly yelled "I'm on my way now" and was here within 10 mins.

MrsGuyOfGisbo · 29/02/2016 19:09

After stuff like this - I just leave anything we want to get rid of outside by the gate with a note -'pls take'.
A broken washing machine, and a kids' snooker table was taken about 5 mins after I put it there - result!
Don't care what they do with it it's gone!

Lj8893 · 29/02/2016 19:12

I don't live in a house that's suitable for putting things outside to be taken Sad the only people that would see it are the next door neighbours and the postman!

cozietoesie · 29/02/2016 19:12

Where I live, you don't need to leave a note! Grin

ShesGotLionsInHerHeart · 29/02/2016 19:15

Drives me nuts!

They always seem plausible enough until ten minutes until collection time and then it's:

I've been called into work
My kid has just puked
My kid has a nosebleed
My dog was run over
I can't find your house

It always seems to be 20 year old girls of the hun/thnxxxxx/wood u sell 4 free type.

QuizteamBleakley · 29/02/2016 19:16

I hate this crap too. I've put a sofa on Gumtree - "FREE BUT CAN NOT DELIVER, needs a small van to collect". Someone rang to say they wanted it... if I paid their petrol costs! WTAF?!!

MiaowTheCat · 29/02/2016 19:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 29/02/2016 19:20

I might be in luck, I just had a seemingly normal and polite message about the playhouse! Wink (it's clearly going to deteriorate from here!)

I had a pretty new PlayStation with loads of games, mikes and accessories on a selling page for £100. Someone messaged me just saying '£10?' It's all driving me crazy.

Saltyseabird- I'm in Epsom

OP posts:
SpringHasNearlySprung · 29/02/2016 19:21

This reminds me of last year when I listed a fridge freezer, chest freezer, sofa, cooker, sideboard and tumble dryer. All electrical goods were a year old and in full working order. The sofa was like new as was the sideboard. One person was to collect it all. I'm still waiting on them turning up. The second person wanted it all delivered, um, no. I cleary stated pick up only. The third person decided it wouldn't fit in their car. No shit Sherlock! It's all still in the barn...... It never fails to astound me what people ask for on those free sites. Some people have the cheek to post photos of the exact items they're looking for ie Next curtains a specific size, a rug from a specific shop, matching sets of crockery from Dunelm Mill with a certain design on it.

YellowTulips · 29/02/2016 19:26

My tactic is to leave the items at the top of the drive with a "I need a new home, take me for free if you can make use of me" note - rather than list online.

In every case the item has gone within a few hours.

Maybe try that OP?

wasonthelist · 29/02/2016 19:29

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

wasonthelist · 29/02/2016 19:31

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

Better still put £25 apply within - then scavengers will think they are getting a bargain

ArmfulOfRoses · 29/02/2016 19:31

We've just moved and offered a wardrobe for free, collection only.
Had a chip on the front which was small but noticeable, took specific pictures of this for advert.

Guy wanted it, turned up, openly sneered at it and just walked out Grin

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 29/02/2016 19:31

Put it at the front of your house with a "For Sale £20" sign on it.

It'll be gone by morning.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 29/02/2016 19:32

Sorry - x-posts! I didn't notice the thread had a Page 2!

Swipe left for the next trending thread