Would You Loan It Out?

[Will S]

Well, if you haven't heard it enough times already, I'll answer your question whether you should let him borrow it:
ABSOLUTELY NOT

But you did, so my advice is right now, today, go back there with your tractor and GET YOUR TILLER!!! No reason or explanation needed. Just tell him you need it back now. End of conversation.

 

[BleedingOrange]

Ha, ha, he,s probably out making some extra cash with your borrowed tiller.
I would not have loaned it out to him in the first place.
After insulting you buy saying your prices are to high, I would of wished him well, and consider it a cheap lesson in who to never help or talk to again. The older I get, the less patience I have for stupidity.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

they can make their own decisions to lend their items

Yes, they can. IMHO It is never useful to run anyone down, for any reason. You don’t know everyone’s situation. Maybe he’s a super nice guy. Maybe he volunteers at the hospice. Or maybe he’s a jerk, but YOU decided to lend him your stuff. Get it back and let it go is my advice.

 

[Molalla1]

^^^^Yes, next thing that could happen is your 6' tiller broke his undersized tractor and you get sued.

 

[beowulf]

The only connection between you and the guy is that he happens to live somewhat near to you - and ten minutes away is not that near. And it does not appear that you are someday going to be buddies - or would want to be. So, No.

You have no obligation to him. But it seems you have reasons not to accede to what he seems to expect you to do for him. It would be interesting - if he has a piece of nice equipment of some kind - to ask to borrow it.

 

[Jstpssng]

You are a much nicer guy than I am. Granted that’s a pretty low bar to meet.
Yet he owes you for last year, and you hadn’t heard from him in all of that time until he needed his garden tilled again.
I would be headed down to get it right now, and don’t take no for an answer. Anything I have is so that it’s there when I need it. The only thing worse than going to get something because it wasn’t returned is when you find out that you need to fix it before you do. I spend enough time fixing what I break myself.
I don’t borrow anything I can’t replace; nor do I lend anything unless I don’t want it back.

 

[deezler]

Well since everyone is taking the expected stance of HELL NO, I guess I will be positive and say, don't worry about it.

He's running the tiller slowly, because he has to. This won't hurt your tiller. Why worry about running it through grassy soil? It's made to do that. His weak little tractor won't hurt it unless he has some severe operator error.

But! Come up with a reason you need to till something and go get it back ASAP.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Your neighbor is the type of guy that doesn't trim his zip ties.

 

[deezler]

Threads like this come up fairly often on here.

One thing I have learned from them, and my short time on this earth, is that you can often tell which guys are worth lending expensive equipment to. The ones with a keen eye, in tune with the machine, who intuitively know the limits, and should something go wrong, will notice and then do what it takes to fix, or pay for repairs, etc. This guy obviously doesn't fit into that category from the sounds of it.

So for the people who aren't good at taking care of equipment, using it properly, or appreciating the favor and paying it back, we don't have to shut them out of our lives. We just try to go and do the work for them, like you did last year. One of my best buddies built his house next door to mine, and we have this kind of relationship now. I'll do work for him - but not lend my equipment. Just can't accept the risk of it getting broken due to operator error, then not being available for my own needs. Not to mention the resentment that it causes when it happens.

 

[JJT]

I'll loan things out to a handful, (literally less than 5 people) of good friends, more than likely I'll come with the loaned tool/equipment.

Go get your tiller, I'm sure it's fine, but it belongs at your place.