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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask whether Freecyclers can be time wasting CF's?

49 replies

TiddlestheCat · 17/07/2019 21:49

Advertised a dishwasher on Freecycle. It's about 4 years old and in good working order. First 5 people fail to collect it despite making arrangements. Sixth person emails me with a list of specific instructions. No please. No thank you. Could I call him on his mobile number. He will leave his answering machine on for me to leave him a message. I am to provide him with a list of dates and times for him to collect it and he will pick the first one that suits him. He will also need the full make and model/series number in order for him to make preparations. He says that if I call him and leave a message, it will avoid a back and forth message exchange and simplify matters.
I cannot understand how leaving a message on an answerphone differs from an email reply, so I email him explaining that I am currently not living onsite, as my house is being renovated, but that builders are onsite all week mon-fri from 8-4pm. He is welcome to collect anytime without prior arrangement during these times. If he wishes to collect on a weekend or evening, let me know and I will arrange for it to be left outside my front door for him. He has just replied with "Dishwasher no longer wanted! Had you just phoned me T(just the initial of my first name), we could have arranged this so simply. It's now become too complicated. I'm out!". Wtaf?? AiBU or is he a contrary controlling CF?
I

OP posts:
AbbieLexie · 17/07/2019 21:51

Yes - actually have to take a deep breath and prepare before we freegle now.

ImpossibleGirl86 · 17/07/2019 21:56

"Had you not been a complete twat badger, you would have acquired a dishwasher for free by now."

SuzieQ10 · 17/07/2019 21:58

Yes. My father was messed around no end when he tried to give away a good quality desk and a filing cabinet on Free-cycle. Wasted a lot of his time.

londonrach · 17/07/2019 21:59

Just put it on facebook for £5-£25 and be collected very quickly. If an item is free people think something wromg with it

londonrach · 17/07/2019 22:00

Also i never ever give tel number out.

Hecateh · 17/07/2019 22:01

So many people - when it is something of value like a 4 year old dishwasher, do not want it for themself, they want it to sell on.

Clearly not everyone is like this and I have freecycled some things successfully to people in need but I have also had cfs wanting to make money from what I want to help a needy person with.

megletthesecond · 17/07/2019 22:01

Yes. The majority are CF's.

YetAnotherThing · 17/07/2019 22:05

Agree, that weirdly people think if it’s free they’re doing you the favour. And that many are looking to sell-onwards. You could try a local housing charity and see if their interested or list it for a token amount and then have more serious buyers...

Mammajay · 17/07/2019 22:07

I have found people reliable and grateful. I don't offer to the first person necessarily and ignore the 'yeah I'll have it'. I don't mind if people sell on.

MsVestibule · 17/07/2019 22:08

One person's definition of 'evening' (which was when they said they'd pop round to collect a table) was 11.30pm. The house was in darkness yet they still rang on the doorbell.

Another offered an exercise DVD; when I said I would like it, she said 'it's £40, is that OK?'. Er, no. No it's not.

Another asked me to deliver a travel system I'd offered to a town 15 miles away. Because obviously it's perfectly OK to ask a complete stranger to do an hour round trip, but not your own friends/family.

TheseThingsAreFunAndFunIsGood · 17/07/2019 22:09

Yep also found out similar and now always ask for token amount as PP has said... Even is only a fiver. Worst time wasters I ever experienced on FB selling pages were when giving things away - soooo many questions that came to nothing! Nightmare!! 😡

SandAndSea · 17/07/2019 22:15

YANBU. I've had much the same. My favourites are the ones who engage you in many messages over several days, asking questions which are in the ad, and then ask if you can deliver it. I have had a few appreciative people though, which is always nice.

Whatsnewpussyhat · 17/07/2019 22:25

There was one CF on our local freecycle page who would claim poverty and to need furniture for their flat but only wanted very specific wooden furniture. They were also based over 90 minutes away but could collect items in their van.
They were a bloody business upcycling and wanted free stuff to shabby chic and flog for ££££.

Original poster
TiddlestheCat · 18/07/2019 07:38

I was just telling my husband about that controlling weirdo and he suggested that either he was completely nuts, or that, for some reason he wanted my phone number (for whatever reason). There was no reason why leaving an answerphone message differed from an email. That thought never occurred to me before!

OP posts:
BeanBag7 · 18/07/2019 07:42

People seem to take the piss when something is free. Even more than when something is 5 or 10 pounds, for some reason!

FamilyOfAliens · 18/07/2019 07:44

If you have good quality white goods I would always donate them to a furniture project, if you have one.

They can PAT test it and pass it on to a family in need.

DogbertDogglesworth · 18/07/2019 07:49

I was getting rid of my kitchen as I was having a new one fitted. There was nothing wrong with the old one, but I wanted something different.
I put it on freecycle and some of the CF responses were breathtaking. Including someone who said ' Chuck us a few pics, my mate might be interested' Er, no.
In the end a lady took it for her daughter who had a fire in her kitchen, but no insurance. They made several car trips to collect it, brought me a bunch of flowers on their final trip, then sent me some pics of it installed. They were really pleased and appreciative.
There are some real CFs around.

DrDentyst · 18/07/2019 07:55

I find in general that the only people who don't cause me problems on fb marketplace or Freecycle are those who respond along the lines of 'is this still available? I can collect today/tomorrow' anyone who has responded to my posts but asks to collect after 48 hours either doesn't collect or complains about something minor when they collect then refuse to take it or try and haggle.

Sarahjconnor · 18/07/2019 08:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 18/07/2019 08:16

Yep Freecycle is a nightmare. Better to charge a small amount. Still get some crazy messages but not as many!

SagAloojah · 18/07/2019 08:17

Does a bear shit in the woods?

Was my immediate thought Grin

What a knobber. Give him nothing ever.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 18/07/2019 08:17

Sarah that is exactly how Freecycle should be IMO. Not the weirdos who are determined to haggle and find fault.

myself2020 · 18/07/2019 08:22

I find freecycle ok, but i don’t give to the first who answers. full sentences, please, thank you etc in the email are minimum conditions. i also offer 3-4 collection slots (when i’m at home anyway), and that’s its

Stompythedinosaur · 18/07/2019 08:25

The last person sound spectacularly rude!

GreenwoodLane · 18/07/2019 08:38

I would report the person to freecycle / freegle. I’ve given up with it. Our stuff goes to the homeless mission these days.