Frequently Asked Questions
Kindershare is a marketplace for hiring quality baby and children's equipment from other families near you. The questions below are grouped for renters and for owners. Still stuck? Email us any time at contact@kindershare.com.
For renters
Hiring an item from another family near you.
Finding & booking an item
Can you help me find an item to rent?
Search kindershare.com by item type and your location, then message the owner to confirm availability and arrange pickup or delivery. If nothing suitable is listed near you, contact support and we'll look for matching listings or let you know if none are available in your area.
How do I book or rent an item?
Kindershare works a little like Airbnb for baby gear: search by item and location, message the owner to confirm availability, then send a booking request. Your card is only charged around the start of the rental, not when you send the request.
Can I message the owner before making a booking?
Yes. You can message an owner from the listing to ask about availability or details before you commit to a booking.
My request was declined or the item was unavailable — was I charged?
No. Your card is only charged once an accepted rental gets under way, so a declined request or a closed listing never results in a charge. Support can suggest alternative listings nearby.
Can I buy items instead of renting them?
Kindershare is rental-only — listed items are for hire, not for sale.
When are you coming to my area?
Kindershare is growing across Australia. If there's little listed near you, sharing local listings helps us grow in your area — and you can contact support to ask what's available near you.
Payments & charges
When is the rental payment charged to my card?
Your card is charged at the start of the rental period — not when you send the booking request. A temporary hold for the rental fee and the bond is placed a few days before the start date, and the rental fee is captured once the hire begins.
How is the rental period and rate calculated?
Owners set their price per period — daily, weekly or monthly — and the pickup day counts as day 1. If your hire runs past the end of one period it rolls into a second full period rather than being pro-rated: a Tuesday-to-Tuesday hire spans 8 days, which tips into a second week, and a 32-day hire tips into a second month. So if you only need a little longer than one period, it's worth messaging the owner first to agree a price rather than paying for a whole extra period.
My payment or bond was declined — what should I do?
A decline almost always comes from the card or bank — a wrong CVC or card number, insufficient funds, or a fraud block. Check your details and try the payment again inside Kindershare. The bond needs to hold successfully before pickup; if it keeps failing, check with your bank.
I cancelled or the rental never happened, but I was charged — how do I get a refund?
Your card is only charged around the rental start, so cancelling before then normally means no charge. If a charge did go through — for example the cancellation was missed — the funds settle to the owner first over a few business days; once they're returned to Kindershare, support refunds you.
How do I update an expiring card or use a different one?
There's no stored-card screen to update — you enter your card details when you make a booking, so simply use a current card at your next booking. If you hit an error while entering a card, contact support and we'll escalate it.
Do I have to pay through the platform — are off-platform payments allowed?
All rentals and payments must go through Kindershare so both parties are protected. Support can't take card payments by email or phone, and we can't help with disputes for anything arranged privately off-platform.
Do you offer PayPal or other payment methods?
Payments are by card, processed securely through Stripe. We don't currently offer PayPal.
The security bond
How does the security bond work — is it a charge, and do you store my card?
The bond is a refundable security deposit that protects the owner against loss, damage or late return — it isn't an extra fee. If you pay by credit card the bond is only a temporary hold: no money actually leaves your account, and on a longer rental we renew that hold roughly every 7 days (a requirement of the card network, not a second charge). If you pay by debit card the bond amount is taken and then refunded after the item is returned. Payments run through Stripe, and Kindershare never stores your card details.
How long until I get my bond back after returning the item?
Once the item is marked as returned — by the owner, or automatically a few days after the end date — the bond is released on the next processing run. A credit-card hold simply drops off your statement rather than showing as a refund; a debit-card bond is refunded and can take a few business days to clear with your bank. If a pending Kindershare amount is still there after that, send support a screenshot.
Why do I see two bond holds, or why does it look like I was charged twice?
On longer rentals the bond hold is renewed roughly every 7 days. Normally the old hold drops off as the new one is placed, but occasionally the first one lingers for a few days — it isn't a second charge, and support can release it manually. Seeing two separate amounts (the rental fee and the bond) is also normal.
What can the bond be used for — does it cover wear and tear?
The bond covers loss, damage, missing parts or late return — not normal wear and tear. If the item comes back on time and in good condition, the bond is released in full.
Changing or cancelling a booking
How do I cancel a booking?
You can cancel a request yourself while it is still pending — just open the booking and cancel it. Once a booking has been accepted, whether you can still cancel yourself depends on the listing's cancellation policy: if it allows a full refund you can cancel, otherwise message the other party and contact support and we'll cancel it for you. Your card isn't charged until around the rental start date, so cancelling before then normally means no charge.
Can I change or extend a booking after it's accepted?
Rental dates can't be edited on an existing booking — to change the dates, cancel and rebook. To extend a rental that's already under way, use the extension request on the booking: you propose a new end date and price, and the owner accepts, counters or declines it. An extension can be blocked if the item is already booked by someone else straight after your rental.
Pickup, delivery & problems
Is there a delivery option, and how does the delivery fee work?
Some owners offer delivery for an extra fee they set for their area, shown at booking; otherwise items are collected at pickup. Delivery is arranged directly between you and the owner.
At handover, how do I confirm the item was received or arrange delivery?
Arrange pickup — or delivery, if the owner offers it — directly through messages. The owner manages the booking through to completion from their dashboard, and support can help if anything isn't updating.
The item I received doesn't match the listing photo — what can I do?
Message the owner first. If the item is materially different from what was advertised and you can't resolve it together, contact support and we can arrange a refund for the booking.
Can I take rented items overseas?
Please keep rented items within Australia unless you've agreed otherwise with the owner. Anything arranged off-platform or overseas is a private matter between you and the owner.
For owners
Listing your items and earning from gear you're not using.
Listing your items
How do I list an item or join as an owner?
Create an account, then add your item from your dashboard with photos, a description and a price. Your first listing is reviewed before it goes live.
How do I close, remove or hide a listing?
From your owner dashboard you can close or reopen a listing, or block out dates on its availability calendar to make it temporarily unavailable. If you can't find the option, contact support.
How long does listing approval take, and how do I edit a listing?
New and edited listings are reviewed before they go live, so there can be a short wait. If yours is still pending after a while, contact support. You can edit a listing's details, photos and price from your dashboard.
How should I price my item?
The price is up to you. Look at what the item costs new and what similar items rent for on Kindershare, and remember the service fee is deducted from your rental income. A competitive price helps you win your first bookings and reviews.
What details and photos should I include in a listing?
Use real photos of your actual item rather than stock images, show any existing wear, and describe it accurately — including a link to the product manual if you have one. Honest, clear listings get more bookings and help avoid disputes.
Is there anything that can't be listed?
Items must meet Australian safety standards. Don't list anything subject to a recall, and check the current listing rules for any restricted categories or age limits before you list.
Can a business list its products?
Yes, businesses can list items. If you're renting out as a business, please register accordingly and include your ABN.
Getting paid
When and where will I receive my payout?
Rental income is paid to your nominated bank account by Stripe about two days after the rental starts, once the payment has been captured. There's no pickup code to enter — the payout happens automatically once the booking is under way. If a payout fails, it's usually because your Stripe payout or bank details need updating.
What is Kindershare's service fee, and how does it apply?
Kindershare keeps a service fee (commission) out of your rental income — the default is around 15%, though the exact rate can vary. The fee applies to the rental amount only (not any delivery fee) and is set at the time of booking.
How do I offer a discount or a negotiated rate?
There's no discount-code tool, but you can agree a price directly. For a rental that's under way, the extension flow lets you accept a custom price. For a lower rate before booking, agree it with the renter in messages and set the listing price accordingly. Support can help set this up.
Returns, damage & disputes
How do I mark an item as returned?
Mark the item as returned from your dashboard once it's back, which completes the booking and triggers the bond release. If it isn't marked, the booking is completed automatically a few days after the end date. If you can't find the option, contact support.
How do I dispute a lost, damaged or unreturned item and hold the bond?
Check the item as soon as it comes back. Before the bond is released, use the Dispute option on the booking to keep the bond on hold, and let support know. The bond can't be partially captured, so if only part is owed the hold is released in full and the balance is settled with you directly. Raise any issue before you mark the booking complete.
General & your account
Applies whether you're renting or listing.
Your account & privacy
How do I close or delete my account?
Account closure is handled by support — contact us and we'll close your account for you. It's permanent, and you're welcome to create a new account later. You can edit your profile and change your password yourself in your account settings.
I can't log in, reset my password, or sign up.
If you can't log in, reset your password from the login page. For sign-up problems, contact support and we can check or verify your account.
Why do you need my personal information?
Some details are required by law under Know Your Customer rules that apply to all payment providers. They go directly to our payment provider, Stripe — Kindershare doesn't store them. Stripe collects only what's needed and may occasionally ask for extra verification, such as ID.
What personal information is shared between renters and owners?
Only the details needed to complete a booking are shared. We show your first name and last initial, along with the pickup contact details needed once a booking is confirmed. Payment details are never shared — they're handled by Stripe.
Messaging, emails & reviews
How should I communicate with the other party?
Always keep your conversation inside Kindershare's in-app Inbox — it's the safest, most reliable way to reach the other party, it keeps a record of what was agreed, and it lets support step in and help if anything goes wrong. Don't reply to notification emails (those aren't monitored and reach support, not the other party), and avoid moving to private phone, email or social channels — off-platform arrangements aren't protected and we can't help with disputes for them.
Why can't I message the other party, or why do my messages fail to send?
Use the in-app Inbox on the website rather than replying to notification emails — email replies aren't monitored and reach support, not the other party. If the inbox shows an error, send support a screenshot so we can escalate it, and we can relay your message in the meantime.
I didn't receive a booking confirmation — did my booking go through?
A missing confirmation email doesn't necessarily mean the booking failed. Log in to check your booking status; support can also verify your account and email address.
I'm not receiving notification emails — how do I manage them?
Booking and message notifications are emailed. If you're not getting them, check your spam folder and add contact@kindershare.com as a safe sender, and log in to check your in-app inbox directly.
How do reviews work?
After a rental is completed, the renter and the owner can each leave one review of the other, within about two weeks of the rental ending. If a review won't post, contact support.
I received a confusing or incorrect automated email — what should I do?
Occasionally a booking or bond-related email has gone out in error, sometimes showing an old date. If you have no current booking that matches it, no action is needed — report it to support and we'll investigate.