Joined freecycle and a moderator has made it a requirement that i offer something before i ask,can they?

Question

done a bit more investigating and freecycle is registered charity, not just a community group. have since left the luton group as they seem to be oblivious to the law

Answer 1

Anyone who owns any has the right to make any rules they consider to be appropriate to that group They also have the right to ammend and change rules as and when they please

Answer 2

I asked before I offerede, just because I was desperate for something. They didn't mind. But I was soon to offer things!

Answer 3

Yes. Some group moderators try to make new members prove their true desire to be a part of the group by one method or another, though this is the first I've heard of a Freecycle moderator doing so. From what I know of Freecycle, there is no requirement that anyone offers something first or anything like that. It's simply a community exchange program that allows people to offer items for free, or to ask if anyone has a particular item they want to get rid of.

I would post to the moderator and explain that you do not have anything to exchange, you are simply looking for a particular item and hope they can make an exception to their "rule" in this case.

Answer 4

Yes they can. Freecycle is becoming infested with dealers and beggars, this is one way to weed some out. Remember how good ebay used to be?

Good luck, Steve.

Answer 5

I don't have a definitive answer to that one but to be honest it does seem entirely fair that before you can ask for something, you should show the goodwill of offering something. You may be looking for a free lunch but we all know that is never quite like it is .......