To not want to lend my books?

[cherrycheesecakesouffle]

I’m studying for a qualification in the profession I’m quite new to. In total I spent £240 just on books alone.

Now someone at work (who I barely know) has asked to borrow them as I’ve finished my exams. My plan was to sell them, and I’d get roughly 50% back.

I get why they’ve asked to borrow them but how do I know I’d even get them back or if I’d get them back in the same condition.

Am I being horrible?

Offer to sell them to the person. I certainly wouldnt lend them out.

Say sorry you are going to sell them because you need the money but you will offer them first refusal.

You aren't being horrible at all. If you don't want to say no, say you need to keep them in case you need to resit

I would say that you are going to sell them whilst they are still in good condition and offer them first refusal. They will still benefit because they won’t have to pay full price and know they will be getting decent quality for their money. I get that it might feel a bit uncomfortable but your definately not being unreasonable.

Explain you going to sell them for x and give her first refusal. If she not interested sell them.

That sounds like the kind of request to "borrow" where the other person has no intention of returning the items and will act affronted when you ask for them back.

I would decline.

As the other bloke said, tell him/her that they are up for sale at BS price and as you are a work mate, I'll take 15% off and sell them to him/her and more than what you really expected to get.

I never lend anything as many people stick their fingers up their nose and or have a number 2 and not wash their hands.

Tell them you'll sell them to them once you have your results.

I was a part-time student who made good use of the library and my works photocopier. 😉

Tell them you already have them on eBay or whatever selling site you would usually sell them on.

You barely know this person? Of course say no. Offer to sell them, they'd still be getting a bargain.

I spent too many years lending out books, not to get them back, or to get them back in a dreadful condition. I 'leant' promotion manuals to someone, who then insisted they had given them back. They eventually were found by the next occupant of their flat. Fortunately, we worked at the same place, and they were returned to me. (Had my name on). Don't be like Spongey. I have learnt the hard way, so you don't have to. Sell to them, or sell.

😂😂 you do presumably use lifts, light switches, escalators, door handles and live in the world though?

YANBU especially as you barely know the person.
Do they know you still have them? Could you say you've sold them already or that you've promised them to someone else?

Just say your plan was to sell them secondhand to get your money back, so do they want to buy them.

No need to tie yourself in knots about it.

What everyone else said, just tell them you are selling them.

What a cheap CF. Say no.
Years ago in my first job, a woman at an adjacent desk used to ask to have a look at my newspaper before I'd even read it myself.
Never forgot that cheeky tight bitch.

Any of this advice any use to you OP? FWIW my books mentioned above were really expensive, which made it more maddening. I expect you are talking about expensive books too.

My plan was to sell them

Tell them the gist and offer them the choice.

Yeah, just say they're expensive and you were going to sell them for about half the price you paid. Offer her the opportunity to buy them first. She can't really complain, and if she does she's a CF.

After one too many shocking experiences, I never lend books any more, even to people I (think I) know well. You are not being horrible.

Give them first option to buy.

Totally agree with others, offer them for sale to them, get the money in your hand before you hand over the books.

I'd just say sorry I've already promised them to a friend/have sold them. Then sell them as planned.

It would be a bit different it weren't (what sounds like) a random person asking but no, you don't owe them anything and I'd not lend them in those circumstances anyway.

I'd be honest and say you were hoping to recoup a bit of the money you'd spent on them, that may encourage an offer. Plus, depending on the industry/profession, if you lend them for a while then try to sell them later they may have become outdated.

If you offer them first refusal, they may well be able to sell them on later for a similar amount, and so it may not cost them anything much in the long run.