Rent Anything From Anyone at Anytime

What do a wheelchair an iPhone and a food steamer have in common? Absolutely nothing! Except, that right now, in a matter of minutes, you can rent any of the three from a private user on Zilok.Putting a pretty bow on the “rent anything” space, self-financed, Paris-based Zilok is a cinch to use. Just name your item, define a price and state the area you can cover and you’re in business. It’s up to you to also define the rental conditions as far as deposit, length, etc.

Once you list an item, Zilok will generate a legally-binding agreement that will bind you and the renter. Then, the two of you must meet in person for the exchange. The site will operate on the “feedback” system. What makes a site like this difficult is that right now it requires a leap of faith since few users will have any truly measurable feedback. Recognizing the hurdle, Zilok is offering free listings until the end of the year.

While I can’t see borrowing an iPhone for a week, I certainly can see the site’s merit when it comes to house maintenance items that are not used regularly. For example, a power washer, snow blower, lawnmower, etc. Heck, I’d love a parking space outside my building.

The Web site is also clearly trying to cash in on the “green” craze, highlighting how renting is an “ecological mode of consumption.”

The question burning your mind is, ‘What happens when I rent out a gadget and it comes back scratched?’

Well, like all rentals, on or offline, the consequences of an incident are governed by the contract you help draw up. Would this legally stand up in court? I’ll leave it to someone who knows better than me to respond in the comments section.

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