Topic: GardenEquipment Hire Scheme...

[Hyacinth]

brainstorming, please?

I live  on a private Estate in the Mids., & our Landlords have asked our Association  to come up with a list of tools for hire, likely to be of use to the Residents (and  which we would run  on their behalf, next season - March-October??.....nice one   :-/)

I've already done a brain-storming session with other Committee members re: insurances/liability, etc.. so my Q is....while we're negotiating, what else do we put on the list?

So far we've got (on offer from the Estate):-

Lawnmower(electric)
         "        (petrol)
Hedgecutter (electric)
         "         (petrol)
Hedge clippers
Lopping shears
Hand shears
Long handled shears
Wheelbarrow
Lawn Strimmer(battery)
Hand Rotivator
Spade
Fork
Hoe
Rake
Lawn Rake
Secateurs (light duty)
       "        (heavy dury)

My first thoughts are that an electric rotovator would be good, and also an electric scarifyer? Any comments/suggestions welcome, please.

For my own part, I'd welcome a rotovator , hand-held or electric:) but if, during the week I'd hired it and it p***ed down...could I use it??

All tools would be hired out on a weekly basis & this is just one of the snags I'm thinking round...

We need to get our Presentation together before our next Committee meeting in November, so please, any thoughts you may have before then, will be welcome.

Thanks - Lishka

[good_life_girl]

The only other things I can think of is buckets - the number of times I've had to move things, and a carrier bag is too flimsy, but a wheelbarrow too big... and I've no idea of the name, but one of those things for breaking up earth - flat heavy metal 'blade' on the end of stick of wood.

Sounds like a great idea though - I'm new to gardening and always find myself short of the right tools (with a budget of about 2p!), it's difficult to always be borrowing things from other people, and as I have to w*rk (groan) I'm often not around at the same time as people to ask.

[Colin_Bellamy-Wood]

Hi Lishka, I'm playing Devil's Advocate again, sorry.

What would happen if some "charlie" chopped their foot off with the rotovator?   Would they claim on your Insurance, and does your Insurance permit renting out the equipment that they insure?  

What would happen if someone broke beyond repair an item, or had an item stolen, or it was lost.  How do you go about paying for its replacement?

Are you likely to attract the attention of HM Inspector of taxes?   What are you going to do with the cash if it builds up to something substantial, and how are you going to decide?

You might be able to find some answers by going to your local "Hire" shop, pretending to consider hiring a tool, and asking the relevant questions.   Perhaps they have a disclaimer form which you could crib.

[Hugh_Jones]

Lishka, I have to go along with Colin.  Every ham-fisted idiot who injures himself with one of your tools, particularly the powered ones, would be sending you solicitor`s letters, the slightest defect in a powered tool (particularly an electric one) would have the Health & Safety Gestapo down on you like the proverbial ton of bricks, and (if they`re like some of my neighbours) the tools would only be returned after much pestering and then in a filthy state.   You would need to keep a permanently employed maintenance man, and a large and very expensive insurance indemnity policy.

Don`t forget that both the person running the scheme AND the owners of the equipment could be held liable in case of any accidents.

If you are likely to make a profit you will have to get whoever runs the scheme registered as either a Charity or a business (Inspector of Taxes) and someone will have to satisfy the extravagent documentary requirements of officialdom.  And when Tony signs us up to the new EU Soviet Union`s Constitution it`ll probably be banned anyway.

Don`t touch it with a bargepole.

(And your Solicitor would charge you for this advice)

P.S.  Adverting to a previous discussion, I find I miss David so much that I just HAD to go back to the Beeb and reply to a couple of his postings.

[Hyacinth]

Hi Colin,

You've not thought of anything I didn't, when it was suggested that the Residents' Association ran the scheme! Any insurances, cost of tools, repairs etc. will be covered by the Estate who own the land - we will only administer the scheme - and any liability will be theirs. And no money - it will be a free service. I've added extension leads (with circuit breakers) to the list, btw. - Lishka

[Ceri]

a saw? for making wooden compost heaps, edges to raised beds etc.

[Hyacinth]

Thank you all very much - I've added your suggested tools to the list.

Colin and Hugh - I agree totally with what you say; these are issues that concern some other Committee members and myself - particularly our own status when allowing people to hire tools and our own subsequent liability.

However I do have to be completely fair-handed when I make a Presentation of the suggestion to the full Committee in November, although I've already decided that I won't be voting for it.

From the bit of networking I've been doing I'm quite sure that a majority will veto us running the Scheme. A tool-hire scheme is needed and is welcomed, but we feel that the Estate itself should run it.

And when they do I'm going to hire that rotovator!!

Many thanks again - Lishka

[teresa]

Our lottie has a huge shed and in it are rotavator petrol and strimmer petrol no electric on site. I even think their is a hedge cutter not sure.
But you hire machine and man run by the committe main men so  no accidents. ;)
The smaller tools forks hoes etc can be lost or taken home.
Tools are expensive but our tip ( recycling centre) always has two bins of tools and most a good sharpening is all they need and not expensive for first time lottie holders. Then if they like it can buy the good quality ones. :D
I bought a seven piece set from Tesco ( spade,fork,rake,hoe,hand trowel and hand fork) 7.50 they were half price that set stays in the shed on the lottie but my favourite fork travels with me in the car. :)
Teresa

[tim]

Difficult one, the weather - too wet or too dry and a light cultivator has a problem. Rather, more of a prob than usual.

The 'soil breaking thing' - mattock? And sledge for posts?

What about steps or ladder for tree care? Some folk have trees? - Tim