Would You Loan It Out?

[YanmarFever]

This is a bit of a segue but many years ago - before I had a tractor - I looked into hiring a guy to do some dozing work - it would be his unit and he would operate it. We met and I outlined the work. He gave me a contract to look over. I did. It provided that if anything at all went wrong with the dozer in the course of the work, I was responsible for all of the repairs. I declined to sign telling him I was not about to be responsible for repairs on his equipment. He said 'everybody' signs it. I said the cost of possible repairs could be several times the cost of the work I wanted done. I don't know if that is the standard way those contracts read, but I did not want that obligation.

Get that guy off your property immediately !

 

[mapper]

Really happy for you that you got it back okay! You might want to find a way to secure it in case he's the type who thinks he can drive to your property and get it again without asking!

Take the drive shaft off and lock it in the shop.

 

[Danica]

Not in a million years. Tell him he can rent one somewhere and your insurance agent said it is a bad idea due to liability. This has worked for me many times.

 

[grsthegreat]

Boy, your nicer than me. No way id have loaned it out. Fact that he never paid you for the last time you worked his land was enough reason to say no.

i might keep it another week….holy hell.

 

[Jims1025R]

My "no" along with everyone else's. And I'll add one thought, for those who are compelled to loan out such equipment (like you just cannot say no to a family member type situation). Replace the correct shear bolt with a brass bolt of the same size (you can buy at Home Depot). Any kind of abuse at all, and the brass shear bolt will shear long before anything else is damaged. Just try to figure a way that cheap neighbour can't replace it himself with the grade 8 bolt he has in his tool box! Hopefully the shear bolt is hidden inside a cover they can't figure out!

 

[deezler]

Replace the correct shear bolt with a brass bolt of the same size (you can buy at Home Depot). Any kind of abuse at all, and the brass shear bolt will shear long before anything else is damaged. Just try to figure a way that cheap neighbour can't replace it himself with the grade 8 bolt he has in his tool box! Hopefully the shear bolt is hidden inside a cover they can't figure out!

I like this idea except, that if it breaks right away, then the borrower's job is far from completed, and then you might just be on the hook to help them repair and complete it. IE, it almost sounds like more work.

Still seems like just lending your own TIME to operate your own equipment when helping people out is the safest bet.

 

[Thomas]

I say NOPE...andI think you have pretty good idea why.

 

[big bubba]

there comes a point where "nice guy" becomes a naive guy & sometimes pays the price. hope your equip is ok, just pick it up

 

[PILOON]

Reminds me of when I plowed with a 4x4.
I towed many (neighbors, usually) and when asked how much $ I'd simply suggest a bottle of wine would be just fine.

One guy pre-empted saying he was but a poor student. (Sure driving a new car and living in a rented chalet with g-friend who also was on student loans.)*
A month later late one Sunday he was in a ditch and called for help. Also he was in a private drive where he had no reason to be. (snooping, I guess)

I did comply but stopped short B4 hooking up and reminded him of the last event. Naturally he denied the event so I demanded a cash payment for my late evening (11:30) outing.
He did comply. LOL, no choice.

This same couple when invited to an open house would grab the finest cognac and sit outside and consume the bottle between themselves.

There some that are simply takers and opportunists.

* They even hinted they had no intention of repaying their student loans.

 

[Will S]

O.P... Just say NO. Nothing to do with morals, or "being a nice guy". Protect yourself and your assets, and adopt a new policy of not loaning equipment. There are rental agency's for this sort of thing. Tell him no. Tell him he'll need to go to a rental place, of hire a commercial service provider, both of who will be insured to protect them from what guys like your "taker", who doesn't pay, changes his story again and again, and keeps moving the goal posts, after he gets your machinery on his property.

Please, just say NO. You don't want this guy in your life.