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Money Box

Rent and Return

Money Box

BBC

Business

4.2825 Ratings

🗓️ 12 June 2019

⏱️ 31 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

For years we've rented carpet cleaners or hired a dinner jacket for a wedding. But now we're beginning to rent all sorts of other things too. Furniture., toys, even outfits for a work do. Money Box Live looks at the increasingly popular option of renting stuff rather than owning it. What can you borrow and what the pros and cons of doing so? We visit the Library of Things in south London where you can rent a tent, a waffle maker or even a ukulele. Will borrowing not buying help save the planet?

Guests: Emily Gordon-Smith Director of Consumer Products at Stylus Martyn James, Consumer rights expert at Resolver

Presenter: Louise Cooper Producer: Sally Abrahams

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

In Northern Ireland, from the late 70s to the early 90s, the IRA killed over 40 alleged informers.

0:08.0

But the man who often found, tortured and sometimes killed these people on behalf of the IRA

0:12.0

was himself an informer, a secret British army agent with the codename Stakeknife.

0:18.0

Who gets to play God? And why me? Why my family? When lies are still being told to this day,

0:24.0

who do you believe? I wouldn't even know where to start and I'm with the IRA.

0:28.5

Steakknife. Listen first on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, music, Radio, podcasts.

0:38.9

Good afternoon.

0:44.7

Today we are looking at the rising popularity of renting things rather than owning them.

0:48.1

We've seen it already in the rise of music streaming,

0:52.7

and the vast majority of new cars are now bought using PCP finance, which is for most a rental agreement. But would you

0:56.4

rent a tent for your once a year family camping trip or hire a bed or a bookcase? IKEA is

1:03.1

trialling furniture renting into 30 countries. And what about your clothes? Moss Bros has been around

1:08.8

since 1851 hiring out dinner jackets or suits for that

1:12.9

special occasion. And in the last few years, there are more and more online firms that loan

1:18.3

party dresses and even summer holiday outfits. So are you taking part in this renting economy?

1:24.7

Do you see it as an antidote to the excessive consumption that is

1:28.7

damaging the planet? We want to hear from you. So please call Moneybox on 0-3-700-100-444. Geographic charges

1:39.3

from landlines and mobiles apply or email Moneybox at BBC.co.uk or tweet at Moneybox. Well, let's hear first from

1:48.9

24-year-old Flora. She is a lifestyle, food and fitness blogger and a serial renter of fashion.

1:56.6

When I first started up my Instagram, I started being invited to events.

2:01.9

And as a student, I wasn't really able to afford new dresses each and every time.

2:07.4

And of course, there's this thing on Instagram where you're expected to wear a different item of clothing for every big event that you go to.

...

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