Neither a borrower or a lender be?

   / Neither a borrower or a lender be? #1  

TCowner

Platinum Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2002
Messages
769
Location
SE Minnesota
Tractor
John Deere 4720 Cab
I was curious what other TBN members thought of relatives, friends, neighbors, who frequently arrive at your doorstep with an urgent need to borrow some of your equipment. Maybe I'm over reacting but in the last three weeks I've had my brother need my utility trailer and two section drag. I've had my next door neighbor need my TC40D and loader to move some crushed rock around his house. Earlier today another neighbor stopped by with pickup and trailer in desparate need of my post hole auger. Perhaps what irritates me the most is these fellows generally don't like to buy anything and I suppose you can't blame them if they have such an easy access to a rental yard (my place and I've yet to see any rental fees). The neighbor who wanted the post hole auger used it last Fall and returned it without cleaning the clay from the auger. I used it to dig three holes and the knuckle on the pto shaft closest to the tractor broke. It cost about the same to purchase a new shaft so I did to the tune of $130.00. I've had the digger for more than ten years so I really can't be certain it was abused but you start to think. I must confess that I stretched the truth a bit claiming that I had not fixed the pto shaft yet. It probably makes more sense just to establish a no lending policy. What do the rest of you do?
 
   / Neither a borrower or a lender be? #2  
I have a no lend policy on the larger equipment. There are times that I will operate my equipment and help them out but make it clear its based on my time availability. For those close neighbors that return favors its done with great pleasure. For those older neighbors that need a helping hand it is usually done before they ask. For those relatives, well I moved 600 miles from the closest one.
PJ
 
   / Neither a borrower or a lender be? #3  
That's the trick. My nearest relative is a 4 hour drive from here. Next nearest is 8 hour drive.
 
   / Neither a borrower or a lender be? #4  
I can't stand lending tools and I feel very guilty about borrowing. I rarely borrow and try to return anything I borrow in better shape than I found it. I generally deal with the borrowers by politely saying "I don't lend my tools but I'd be happy to help with your project. I should have some time next (week, month, year etc.)". If they take me up on my offer, great, I may ask for a return favor someday. If they can't deal with my schedule (hey, it is MY schedule, right?) they'll get the message and go elsewhere. I've been pretty successful with this strategy and haven't lost a friend yet /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
 
   / Neither a borrower or a lender be? #5  
The sign on the driveway says, "Friends anytime, relatives by appointment only". Those are my wife's sentiments, and I'm beginning to see her point.
 
   / Neither a borrower or a lender be? #6  
Well if it helps any, many times a customer comes in to the shop and starts off with "I lent my (place machine here) to a neighbor/brother-in-law/ son-in-law etc. and..............." Most of the time the check for the repair is in the owners name. However I have seen the rare occasion where the guilty party fesses up and handles the whole repair process start to finish.
But most of the time there is ugliness, they even try to get the mechanic involved in the battle, they don't teach politics in tractor college, "I'm outta here".
The way I see it is if you lend it out, you may as well be prepared to pay the bill for whatever happens to it. The old "I was only using it for 5 minutes" the trusty "I was just driving along and...." and the good old standby " It must have been ready to break........" Seen it too many times. My vote is for no borrow/no lend. (of course special circumstances will always apply)
 
   / Neither a borrower or a lender be? #7  
I would generally agree that lending the tractor is not a good idea. As I write this, my tractor is at my sister's house, being used by my brother in law. The fact is, when I was in college, he was one who helped me alot - giving me a stereo, fixing my car, etc when I could not afford it. Since he knows how to use the tractor and had an obvious need for it on his property, I offered. I went and got it last weekend, used it and then took it back to him for him to finish his jobs. I have even been furnishing the tractor full of fuel and two 5-gallon cans full of fuel. He has offered to pay for fuel, and offered to change the oil, which I did when I had it back at my place.

Every piece of equipment and his autos are maintained perfectly. He waxes his lawn tractor regularly. I predict my tractor will be very clean, maybe even waxed, when I get it back.
 
   / Neither a borrower or a lender be? #8  
I'll lend out hand tools and such but no way anybody gets my tractor stuff. I'm with the other's...I'll offer to do the job myself. They usually get the hint that way. It seems more polite. For my close friends I'm happy to really do the job but at least I'm running the equipment and I know it's being properly treated.
 
   / Neither a borrower or a lender be? #9  
I'm with Tony and PJ. I will use my own equipment for the neighbors (or others) job. If something breaks, I have only myself to accuse.
 
   / Neither a borrower or a lender be? #10  
Because we have a very small part-time landscape business it is easy to let them know that it is for hire (with operator). Have to charge for it to keep the books in the black.

Hard as we try, we are still a non-profit organization.
 
 
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