Swap rules
Bartering only works when both neighbours mean the same thing by the agreement. These are the working rules of the network — short enough to read before your first swap.
How a swap moves
- 01
Sent
One member proposes the trade: what they bring, what they're after, and a short note. Nothing is public — only the two of you see it.
- 02
Confirmed
The other member accepts. From here the swap shows on both calendars and both ledgers, and the chat opens.
- 03
In progress
Work has started. Book the actual hours on the shared calendar so neither side is guessing about times.
- 04
Completed
Either member marks it done once both sides have delivered. Completed swaps stay on your ledger as a record.
A swap can also be withdrawn by the sender or declined by the receiver while it's still at "sent". Both are normal — neither counts against anyone.
These are practical community guidelines. The Terms of Use are the controlling legal agreement if the two conflict.
What to put in "update swap details"
Once a swap is confirmed, the receiving member can write the real terms into it. Everything you save here shows on both timelines and both ledgers, so write it for the version of you that has forgotten the conversation.
Real dates, not 'sometime soon'
Set a start and end date you can both honour. If the work is one afternoon, use the same date twice.
The exact things, not categories
'Cordless drill + two hours fitting shelves' beats 'Tools'. Name the item, the quantity and the condition.
Who travels, and how far
Say whose place the swap happens at, and who carries what. Most disputes start here.
What 'done' means
Write the finish line: beds dug, bike rideable, tool returned clean. If it can't be checked, it can't be settled.
Anything you can't promise
Allergies, a bad back, no van on Sundays — say it up front rather than after the date is booked.
Handling conflicts
Something changed — message first
Use the swap chat before changing anything else. Most problems are a scheduling clash, not bad faith.
Details can be revised once
The member who received the request can update the swap details a single time. That revision is final, so agree it in chat before saving it.
Running late is not a broken swap
Push the dates rather than cancelling. A swap that slips a week still counts; a withdrawn one leaves both sides with nothing.
If one side can't deliver
Offer a replacement of similar effort. If neither of you is happy, mark the swap withdrawn and leave it there — no scores, no penalties.
Unequal effort
Hours are not currency here. If one side feels short-changed, add a second small swap to balance it rather than arguing over value.
When it can't be resolved
Stop trading with each other and say so plainly in chat. Never take a dispute to the directory or someone else's swap thread.
What about small charges?
The network runs on skill, but sometimes a swap needs materials, fuel, or a hired tool. Small charges are allowed only when they are agreed in chat and written into the swap details before work starts.
The one rule behind the rest
Every member's hands are worth the same. Turn up when you said, say so early when you can't, and leave the other person better off than a cash transaction would have.