Renter guide: how renting works

Start on the Browse page or a category. Enter your location to see listings near you and pick your rental dates — availability is date-aware, so a listing shows as bookable only when it is free for the days you choose.

Owners list across categories from vehicles and equipment to dumpsters, generators, trailers, and portable restrooms. What is available depends on owners near you, so coverage varies by area and grows market by market.

Each listing shows photos, the owner, the location (approximate until you book), and pricing. Pricing is either standard daily / weekly / monthly rates, or a flat rate for a base period plus a per-day charge for extra days — the listing shows exactly how it adds up.

The listing also shows how you can receive the item: pickup, delivery, or both, and any delivery fees (self-pickup is free). Some listings display a security deposit amount — RentThis does not currently charge, hold, or collect deposits, so today that number is informational.

Choose your dates and quantity, pick delivery or pickup, and continue to checkout. Your order summary itemises the rental, any delivery fee, and a 7.5% service fee — that fee covers payment processing, support, and platform operations. It is not insurance and provides no coverage.

Payments run through Stripe. We accept major credit and debit cards, plus Apple Pay and Google Pay; your card details never touch our servers. When you book, payment is authorised and held — the owner confirms the booking before it is finalised.

If the owner offers delivery, the fee can be free, a flat rate, a per-mile rate (based on the distance to your address, often with a minimum), or included in the price. The listing and checkout show which applies before you pay.

If you pick up yourself, you coordinate a time with the owner and pay nothing extra for fulfillment — self-pickup is always free. For delivery, the charge may include a return-trip leg (the owner collecting the item afterward), shown as a separate "Return trip" line at checkout.

For per-mile delivery, the fee is worked out from the one-way distance between the listing and your address, rounded up to whole miles — often with the owner’s first few miles included free, plus a minimum charge. You always see the exact delivery fee at checkout before you pay, and there is a maximum delivery distance beyond which pickup is the only option.

Need more time? Open the booking from your dashboard and choose to extend. The added days are priced at the same rate as your original booking, and the difference is charged to the card you used — you will see the amount before it is charged.

You can cancel from the booking in your dashboard. Cancelling before the owner confirms is always free. After confirmation, the listing’s cancellation policy applies — check it on the listing before you book.

When a refund is due, it goes back to your original payment method through Stripe. Refunds can take a few business days to appear, and on your statement the credit may read as STRIPE or the platform name rather than the owner’s name — that is normal.

Every booking has a message thread with the owner — use it to arrange pickup, delivery windows, or ask questions. Keeping the conversation on RentThis means it is attached to the booking if you ever need support to look into something.

After a rental is complete, you and the owner each have a set window to leave a review — a star rating and a short note. Reviews are double-blind: neither side sees the other’s until both are submitted (or the window closes), then they publish together. That keeps feedback honest in both directions.

If an item arrives damaged, breaks during your rental, or a booking goes sideways, contact support right away. Photograph the item’s condition at pickup and return — that evidence helps us reach a fair resolution. We review messages, photos, and booking details and mediate between both parties.