Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about renting and lending on Nearby. For a step-by-step guide, see how Nearby works.
About Nearby
- What is Nearby?
- Nearby is a peer-to-peer rental marketplace in Dublin, Ireland. You can rent everyday items such as drills, tents, cameras and party gear from people near you, or lend out things you own and earn from them.
- Which areas does Nearby cover?
- Nearby is in Dublin and the surrounding area only for now. Every listing shows the Dublin area the item is in, and the exact pickup address is shared only after a booking is confirmed.
- How does renting on Nearby work?
- Find an item, request your dates, and pay through Stripe once the lender accepts. Then collect the item from your neighbour, use it, and return it on the agreed date.
Fees and payments
- How much does it cost to rent on Nearby?
- Each lender sets their own daily price. Borrowers pay that price plus a 15% service fee, minimum €2.50 per booking. Some higher-value categories such as cameras and drones have a 25% service fee. For example, an item at €20 a day for 2 days costs €40.00 plus a €6.00 service fee, so you pay €46.00.
- How much do lenders earn?
- Lenders normally keep 85% of their listed price, with no listing fees and no monthly subscription. On a €40.00 rental, the lender gets €34.00. If your account has a fee waiver, you keep 100% while it lasts; the listing form shows it.
- When am I charged?
- You pay through Stripe on the booking page after the lender accepts your request. Nothing is charged when you send the request. Nearby accepts major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Cancellations
- What is the cancellation policy?
- Nearby has one cancellation policy, called Standard. The cut-off is 24 hours before pickup. For cancellations, pickup counts as 9:00 (Dublin time) on your start date, or earlier if you collect the item earlier, so the free cancellation cut-off is 9:00 the day before your rental starts. Cancel before the cut-off and you get a full refund, service fee included. Cancel after the cut-off but before pickup and you get 50% of the rental back; the service fee is not refunded. After pickup there is no refund.
- What happens if the lender cancels?
- You always get a full refund, including the service fee, whenever the lender cancels or does not hand the item over.
- How do I cancel a booking?
- Open the booking and tap Cancel booking. Before you confirm, the button shows exactly what you will get back. Nearby sends the refund to your original card straight away, and your bank usually shows it within 5 to 10 working days. After pickup, or if the lender needs to cancel, email support@nearby.ie.
Late returns
- What happens if I return an item late?
- Return the item at the agreed time. Running late? Agree a new time with the lender in Nearby messages before the agreed end time. There is a 2-hour grace period after the agreed end time. After that, if the item comes back late without the lender's agreement, the lender can ask for one day's rental for each day or part day late, at the listing's daily price. Nearby helps collect it by sending the borrower a payment link.
Deposits
- Do I pay a deposit on Nearby?
- Only on some items. Items in higher-value categories such as cameras and drones, and items the lender values at over €500, carry a deposit on rentals of up to 5 days. There is no deposit for longer rentals, and the Nearby Guarantee applies as usual. The listing and the booking show the amount before you book. The lender can set it between €50 and €500. Otherwise it is 20% of the item's value, at least €50 and at most €500.
- How does the deposit work?
- When you pay for a booking with a deposit, you agree that Nearby may charge your card up to the deposit if the lender makes a documented damage or loss claim that Nearby approves, and Nearby saves your card for that purpose only. At pickup you are asked to place the deposit as a hold on your card. A hold is not a charge. If your card can't hold it for the whole rental, or the hold doesn't go through, your saved card and your agreement stand in for it.
- When is the deposit released?
- The lender can make a claim, with their photos of the item at pickup and return, from pickup until 24 hours after the scheduled return. If there's no claim by then, the hold is released and your agreement to a charge ends. Your bank may show a released hold for a few days. If the lender makes a claim, Nearby reviews it with both of your photos and decides. Nearby takes only the amount it approves, never more than the deposit, and pays it to the lender. Anything above the deposit may be considered under the Nearby Guarantee.
The Nearby Guarantee
- What is the Nearby Guarantee?
- Every rental includes the Nearby Guarantee at no extra cost. If a rented item is accidentally damaged or stolen during the rental, Nearby may, at its discretion, make a goodwill payment to the lender of up to €2,000 per item.
- Is the Nearby Guarantee insurance?
- No. It is a discretionary goodwill payment scheme funded by Nearby, not insurance, and any payment is at Nearby's sole discretion.
- How do I make a Guarantee claim?
- Report the problem through the app within 48 hours of the scheduled return, then send your evidence within 10 days, such as your own photos of the item's condition, receipts and a repair quote. The Nearby team reviews it and decides at Nearby's discretion.
Safety and ID checks
- How does Nearby check who people are?
- Every member confirms their email address before they can use Nearby. Every borrower verifies their ID with Stripe Identity before their first booking: a government-issued photo ID and a live selfie. It takes about 2 minutes and you only do it once. Lenders can verify too. Verified members show an "ID verified" badge on their profile and listings, and Nearby never stores the document or the selfie.
- Is it safe to rent from a stranger?
- Every borrower is ID-checked before their first booking, and you can read each member's reviews and see whether they are ID verified. Messages and payments stay on Nearby, and you meet to hand the item over. If a listing or member worries you, use "Report this listing" or "Report this member", or email support@nearby.ie.
Still have a question? Email support@nearby.ie or read the Help Centre.