SharedCiti.com is an online common marketplace that allows individuals to lend and borrow any product from each other. SharedCiti's unique approach shows listings of all the items for rent in a given location along with their price, conditions and available dates, conveniently mapped around the location of the user. By lending and borrowing from your neighbors, you not only save time and money but you can also explore your neighborhood in a fun way. Most people feel an attachment to the place where they live, but not always to the people who live nearby. By using SharedCiti.com , you actually get to know your neighbors a bit better in a safe and fun way. We believe that there are a lot of neighbors around you who would love to help you, despite the fact that they do not know you yet. (Remember, all your friends were strangers once!). Or, the other way around, you can actually help you neighbors effortlessly just by lending them that camping tent that they need for that awesome weekend in Western Cape. An electric drill is used for 13 minutes during its lifespan. Why not lend it if it is just lying around somewhere collecting dust?! One-eighth of all CO2 emissions in the world are due to the production and consumption of products. We hope to do our part to decrease that number by encouraging our visitors to use products in a more efficient and environmentally sustainable way.

What's in it for you?

- Buy less, consume more: Lease anything you can image from people in your neighborhood within 15 minutes at a faction of the cost of buying it
- It's not about ownership, it's about access: Access whatever product you need without the burden and expense of outright ownership
- Become a flourishing micro-entrepreneur: Earn passive income from all your personal assets in your closet and garage - Create a shared city that fosters community: Explore your neighborhood in a safe and fun way and get to meet the awesome people who live close to you

What's in it for the community?

- Promote a more sustainable way of consuming that saves natural resources
- Tighten the community bonds by having neighbors helping each other out

How does SharedCiti work?

There are two types of users on SharedCiti : owners who put their goods and products for rent and renters who well rent them. SharedCiti aims to put these people in touch through one single common marketplace.

Is it free to create an account?

Yes, signing up on SharedCiti is free and does not commit to YOU to any fee.

Who can sign-up on SharedCiti ?

Any individual who is at least 18 years can join the community.

Is there any rental agreement between borrowers and lenders?

For all rental transactions, whether online or in the real world, a rental contract is established between the owner and the renter to confirm the deal and it's conditions. A draft contract is available for display within the legal section of the platform. The consequences of an incident are governed by this contract and of course by any legislation that is in effect. Once a transaction is closed, SharedCiti also sends an electronic version of this filled in standard contract to the parties involved which will also include all the essential clauses of a classic rental agreement.

What happens if the borrower does not show up to collect the asset?

If a renter doesn't show up to collect the borrowed item, the transaction will be considered null and void and no party shall be liable for anything.

What happens if the borrower does not return my asset?

SharedCiti provides lenders with an option to guarantee their products every time it is leased out. In case of loss/theft/non-returnof the rented items during the period in which it was leased out via SharedCiti ,the lender guarantee will reimburse the lender up to ZAR50,000.

What happens if the borrower damages the rented assets?

If a user damages the rented assets, SharedCiti pays over the borrower's security deposit to the lender. SharedCiti 's Lender Guarantee does not cover damage to leased asset as well as reasonable wear and tear.

What is a booking request?

A booking request is sent when a SharedCiti user wants to rent a listed item, and asks the owner through SharedCiti if he would accept or decline, considering the starting and ending dates chosen for the rental.

How long is a reservation or booking request valid for?

The validity duration of a reservation or booking request is how much time a renter has to cancel the reservation, from the time it has been confirmed, before the retainer fee is charged. The reservation validity period is 48 hours unless otherwise notified.

How can I contact SharedCiti for support?

Even if you haven't created a SharedCiti account and completed your profile, you can contact us by either clicking on the "Contact Us" link that you should find under the main menu button of the web page

What are the general terms of use?

View our terms and conditions here

How can I close my SharedCiti account?

To unsubscribe from SharedCiti.com , just choose "Delete Account" under the "User profile" button on the main toolbar. We will be so sad to see you leave

How are the users of SharedCiti evaluated?

At SharedCiti we think that evaluating users promotes good behavior and safety. So, three elements get evaluated for every completed transaction, in order to promote trust and confidence within the SharedCiti community:
- The owner who has posted his item for rent
- The renter who has rented the item
- The quality and description accuracy of the rented product This triple evaluation is very important for SharedCiti , and the site is designed to make it easy for members to quickly give an evaluation of their rental transactions.The evaluation page will display these evaluations, and the profile page of each member will show their cumulative ratings as a renter and/or an owner.

Can I use SharedCiti to advertise my services online?

For now, SharedCiti is reserved exclusively for online rental of belongings and products. However, SharedCiti will likely be opening up to include services soon.

What are the fees for using SharedCiti as a renter?

SharedCiti is free to use as a renter. Creating an account is free, and using the WEBSITE to rent does not result in you incurring any costs.

To whom do u pay the leasing fee?

After confirming a reservation, SharedCiti requests that the renter pay the total expected leasing fee (lease plus security deposit) before they can get the contact details of the lender. Payment can be securely done online either using your credit card or alternatively you can do a bank transfer and upload the proof of payment on the platform. At the end of the leasing period, the renter returns the leased product and the lender confirms that the product is in good condition. The following payments will be made:
- The balance, total lease amount minus the administration fees minus insurance premium (if applicable) is due and paid directly to the lender
- The total security deposit is due and paid directly back to the renter.

What happens if the owner declines my rental booking request?

That would be so UNFORTUNATE but don't worry! Simply log into your account and choose another product

What happens if I break the item that I rented?

Like with all rentals, off or online, a rental agreement is established between the owner and the renter when the deal is confirmed. The terms of the agreement are usually available in the item description. The consequences of any mishap are governed by this agreement as well as of course any relevant legislation.

Do I really have to give SharedCiti.com my address?

Your street address and postal code is required to facilitate the search of products within your neighborhood. This information is collected in compliance with privacy and personal information protection act.Your address is also needed for establishing rental agreements.
Your address is also a factor in establishing the necessary confidence a private owner needs in order to rent you something. Finally, it allows SharedCiti to alert you easily of rental opportunities close to where you live. It is a necessary part of signing up and renting via SharedCiti . Of course, you can surf the site as much as you want, to find out what is for rent before signing up

What information do I provide to SharedCiti upon signing up?

When creating a member account, SharedCiti will request some profile and contact information to allow other members to contact you when renting something to or from them. Additional identification information may be requested by rental item owners when reserving one of their items (such as a copy of your ID, Driver's license and/or Passport).

How does SharedCiti know where I am?

SharedCiti locates you using the street address and postal code you provide and also using the IP address of your computer. This latter method is only approximate.

How do I find the item I want to rent?

It is so simple. Just choose the category from the drop down menu on the home page, specify the product you want, provide your address and postal code and we will do the rest.

How do I pay for a rental?

Upon confirmation of reservation, the renter has to pay the total expected leasing cost as well as the security deposit in order to receive the contact information of the item owner. The payment can be made either online using a credit card or alternative through a bank transfer.

Can I cancel my rental?

There are two cases depending on when the transaction is canceled:
1- BEFORE expiration of the 48 hour validity period
After confirming a reservation with the payment of total leasing fee and security deposit, you have 48 hours to cancel the transaction if for some reason it does not go through. If you cancel the transaction before the 48 days, you will receive your leasing fee and security deposit in full 2- AFTER expiration of the 48 hours validity period
If the transaction is not canceled by the renter 48 hours after receiving the contact information of the rental item owner, the transaction will be considered effective and the leasing fee will be charged to the renter account.

How will I be able to get the contact details of the lender?

Once a product reservation has been confirmed and the applicable leasing fee and security deposit has been paid, we will send you an sms with the contact details of the lender

How do I evaluate the owner?

SharedCiti evaluation system will ask you to evaluate the owner of the item and the quality of the item rented at the end of your rental period for that item.

Can I refine my search for an item for rent?

You can narrow down your search results using the filters available on top of your search results. These filters allow you to select search parameters such as the distance from the item, the price range or the categories of products you are looking for.

What kind of stuff can I put up for rent?

All kinds of goods can be offered for rent, our categories tree should allow you to do this quickly. Rental of apartments and houses is not presently included in the categories, but nothing stops you from offering these goods for rent. What's more, while choosing a category for the item you are posting for rent, if you can't find a matching category, then you can post it under the category "other". We will be continuously monitoring it and we will create a new category for the applicable products. Next time you look at your listed asset, it will be nicely tucked in a new applicable category.

How do I put my stuff up for rent?

It is very easy, just create a SharedCiti account, list your goods under My Listed Products and, once the descriptions are complete, publish those items. In addition, you will also be able to see a live feed of how other lenders are pricing their assets

How do I ensure my Ad is displayed on top every time?

When listing your items, you can choose to promote them for a small nominal fee. Promoted Ads are SharedCiti Ads which appear in the top section of every search done within the applicable radius. More people get to read and reply to these Ads because of their prominent position on top of category listings. While listing assets on SharedCiti is free, making it a Promoted Ad costs a small fee. The fee paid will allow you listed asset to enjoy the promoted Ads status for 30 days after which you can choose to renew the status

How do I set my security deposit or rental amount?

A lender can specify the security deposit required on every listed asset. The details will also be added directly to the standard rental agreement provided by SharedCiti to the owner. SharedCiti doesn't set any guidelines for rental and security deposit prices. However to help get an idea of the range, SharedCiti provides a live feed of the leasing price points other users listing similar items to what you have are setting. As for the security deposit, you have to set it in relation to your degree of confidence, the value of the rented item as well as its condition.

What are the fees for using SharedCiti as an owner?

Creating an account and listing products available for leasing is free. SharedCiti 's business model is based on commissions on transactions. More information about SharedCiti pricing policy

How can I protect myself against loss or damage of my rented product?

SharedCiti automatically provides a guarantee to all its users only against loss/theft of rented assets. Once your assets have been listed and rented out through SharedCiti, you will be automatically covered and in the rare case the renter doesn't return back your asset, you can claim them and we will reinstate the asset.
However SharedCiti guarantee does not cover damage to the assets as well as wear and tear. Lenders can use our easy system to implement a security deposit to cover damage, wear and tear, if they so choose. The Lender Guarantee is designed to cover asset theft/loss only

What happens if an item is returned broken or not returned at all?

There are two scenarios depending on whether you chose to insure your product or not but in general this kind of situation is governed by the rental agreement made and signed between the renter and the owner.This kind of occurrence can also be taken into account when evaluation of the two parties in the transaction takes place. Scenario 1: With insurance Depending on the insured amount, you will get the renter's security deposit and over and above that the balance amount due up to the limit of the insured value Scenario 1: Without insurance You will get the renter's security deposit only up to the limit of the insured value

Do I have to give SharedCiti my home address?

To establish facilitate search and to arrange for product pick up and drop off, it is essential that we have a record of your address. This is collected in conformity with privacy and personal information protection act.However your contact details are only revealed to the renter once they have paid the expected leasing fee and security deposit.

What happens if my renter doesn't show up for the meeting we arranged?

This kind of situation is governed by the rental agreement you established when the owner confirmed the reservation. If the renters fail to cancel the product reservation within 48 hours, you will receive the expected lease fee based on the original request SharedCiti encourages systematic evaluation of rental partners. A positive evaluation reassures future transaction partners.

What information do I need to provide to SharedCiti in order to create an account?

You will need to provide profile and contact information, as well as your location or the location where you would like to meet renters to for pick and drop offs. Please provide the most direct and up-to-date contact information to allow renters to contact you and rent your items.

When do I have to pay my SharedCiti administration fees?

The commission is deducted from the expected leasing fee in accordance with our pricing schedule. A history of the transactions and commissions can be found under the "Dashboard" section of the SharedCiti account.

Can I refuse a rental booking request?

If for whatever reason you cannot rent the requested item to the prospective renter, you can decline the transaction by replying no to the reservation SMS sent to you by SharedCiti.

How do I get paid for leasing out my items?

Once your product has been returned, simply log into your account, rate the renter and confirm your banking details. SharedCiti will transfer to your bank account your net proceeds: Total leasing fee minus commissions minus insurance premium (if applicable). Transfers normally take one business day before they reflect into your account

How long can I wait before accepting a booking request from a renter?

Our value proposition targets to provide a renter with an answer within 15 minutes from the time you receive a product reservation sms. However we know that life is not that simple and so we will allow you up to 2 hours to give a response. If we haven't heard from you in 2 hours, we will consider the transaction as failed and we will notify the renter and ask them to choose another product. However to maximum your earnings, we strongly advise you to respond as soon as possible to accept or decline incoming booking requests. Making sure your contact information is direct and up-to-date is the best way to ensure this.

How do I remove one of my items that are currently rented?

You do not have to remove it. Once your product is rented out, the status of your rental items will changed to "unavailable" for the duration of the lease. As such, your product will no longer be searchable by other users until the lease period has expired

I can't register on SharedCiti !

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I can't sign in on SharedCiti !

Contact us directly to let us know about the problem by send us a message using the form under the "Contact Us" section of the platform.

What do I do if I forget my password?

You know the drill by now, to ask for a password or login name reminder, click on the "forgot my password" link on the log in page. A password reset link will be send to the email address you used when first signed up with SharedCiti .

What kinds of things can I post for rent?

SharedCiti allows everyone to rent items, goods or products, whatever they may be. Some restrictions may apply, please check our Prohibited Items List to verify what cannot be rented on SharedCiti . Certain categories have been suggested but they are not exhaustive. So, when you are choosing a category for an item that you are renting, if nothing matches you can post it under "other" and we will create a new category for your product

I have a disagreement with another member (owner or renter)

SharedCiti is a rental marketplace and remains a neutral intermediary. Conflicts that arise after confirmation of rental contracts are governed by this contract and by any legislation that is in effect for this type of situation.However, keep in mind that SharedCiti 's feedback form for evaluating owners and renters is a crucial tool for avoiding conflicts between members. That's why SharedCiti encourages you so strongly to be systematic in your evaluation of rental partners. A positive evaluation will assure you more rentals in the future and a trustworthy relationship with your partners.

Are you having problems receiving SharedCiti emails?

In an effort to fight growing amount of spam Email, service and software providers have been implementing new anti-spam filters. Inadvertently, large numbers of legitimate emails are falsely identified as spam and not delivered to an inbox. Instead these false Spam positive emails are either blocked or delivered to spam or bulk folders, or automatically deleted. This is why you may not be receiving your important SharedCiti booking details and missing out on exciting news, events and promotions.To ensure you receive all SharedCiti.com emails please add SharedCiti.com to the safe list or permitted sender list of the service or software you use.