Any interest in a Barter scheme?

[bobbly]

A quick assessment on having a barter scheme amongst the community.

An exchange of goods and services may be really helpful during these difficult times. 
 

I wonder if it’s something that someone would be willing to set up separately and link to the forum? Or perhaps  an additional aspect of the forum itself if it was easy to include?

I don’t have IT knowledge to set this up unfortunate, but I do have skills that I could offer.

From past experience, it would probably work best as a direct exchange rather than coupon credit. 

 

I may be flaunting the rules by posting on this twice, admin please feel free to delete one if this is the case.
 

 

 

[Penguin68]

26 minutes ago, bobbly said:

flaunting

Flouting? 

[Sue]

1 hour ago, bobbly said:

A quick assessment on having a barter scheme amongst the community.

An exchange of goods and services may be really helpful during these difficult times. 
 

I wonder if it’s something that someone would be willing to set up separately and link to the forum? Or perhaps  an additional aspect of the forum itself if it was easy to include?

I don’t have IT knowledge to set this up unfortunate, but I do have skills that I could offer.

From past experience, it would probably work best as a direct exchange rather than coupon credit. 

 

I may be flaunting the rules by posting on this twice, admin please feel free to delete one if this is the case.
 

 

 

The "for sale" section on this forum lets people offer things for free or cheaply.

And the "wanted" section let's people ask for things they want or need, for free or cheaply.

There are also existing schemes like Freecycle, and also local  food banks.

And there is (or was) a local scheme where you can bring things to be repaired free. I think it is/was based in Nunhead.

Isn't that simpler than having a barter system?

You might have something to give away, but the person who wants it might not have anything you want.

Or have I misunderstood how it works?

I can see that offering services free might not fit into existing schemes, but depending on what they were, what would happen if things went horribly wrong eg someone wrecked your house?

Sorry if the above sounds very negative. 

Edited December 29, 2025 by Sue
Adding info

[aloevera]

I personally think is a great idea Bobbly and would love if there was a section for it.

I wouldn't offer free gardening under the "for sale" section as I would expect something in exchange and wouldn't expect our cat being looked after for free under the "wanted" section, as an example.

[Sue]

https://www.letslinkuk.net/

I'm interested to know why the OP didn't find this sort of scheme to work, as I would have thought it was much harder to find someone to do a direct exchange with?

Does anybody else have experience of a scheme like this?

Happy to be persuaded! 

Edited December 29, 2025 by Sue
Adding screenshot

[Pugwash]

There was a LETS scheme in ED and it ran for a couple of years or so. Trying to remember when it was pre 2000?  A couple of friends joined it, one did baby sitting for exchange for ironing, the other did small painting jobs or simple gardening. There was a set criteria regarding credits, 

[malumbu]

Gosh, that is a blast from the past.  Friends in York were into this, he was an accountant and had things like decorating done in exchange.  Not sure if it was equivalent in terms of hours, and I recall HMRC being interested as it was a way of tax avoidance.  

A link for a London wide scheme but have no idea of its popularity:

https://www.londonwide.letslink.org/members/index.php

 

[Jenijenjen]

A friend of mine was into "skill swap" about 40 years ago. It wasn't within an organised scheme, she just offered services like help with painting in exchange for services received. She upset some people as they carried out their services for a living, I.e. for money. An organised scheme sounds much better.

[David Peckham]

I can see how it could've worked 20 or 30 years ago, when you couldn't swing a pool cue in the Foresters without hitting a sparks, a plumber or a chippy, but the area has changed somewhat. I'm not sure people around here have such trade-able skills these days. Have a word with someone in your local and you'll see.

People are always going to need their boiler fixed, a damp patch sorted or their dimmer switch dimmed, but I can pretty much guarantee I'm never going need my corporate policy complied with, my social media planned, my data mined, my green transport tsared, my information architected or my analytics analysed.

It reminds me of the great DIY con of the mid to late seventies. My Mum bought into it, my Dad didn't. Anyway, my Mum won out and we let the gardener go (he went on to be TV's Timmy Mallett, so that's a warning from history), but my Dad shorted the house out and singed his head when he cut through the flex on his new Black & Decker hedge trimmer.

We all laughed, of course, but he got his own back when, because we didn't use a qualified electrician to do things properly, she electrocuted herself when she pulled the back of the plug off her Carmen heated rollers while it was still in the socket.

Keep things professional, say 'No!' to this sort of nonsense. We pay people a decent rate of pay because they're specialists at these things.

I did once barter my sister's space hopper and roller skates for twenty-odd square foot of crazy paving, though. That was a birthday present my Mum never forgot, and not in a good way.

 

Edited December 31, 2025 by David Peckham
Sp

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

I think the Brixton Pound lives on, so there must be some kind of appetite for it, but I'm afraid I doubt it would be very useful for me.

[Sue]

On 31/12/2025 at 02:03, Pugwash said:

There was a LETS scheme in ED and it ran for a couple of years or so. Trying to remember when it was pre 2000?  A couple of friends joined it, one did baby sitting for exchange for ironing, the other did small painting jobs or simple gardening. There was a set criteria regarding credits, 

Do you know who organised and ran it?

Because it must have been quite a lot of work.

Who kept track of the credits? What safeguards were they? Was there a lower age limit eg over 18?

Was insurance needed? ID? Who checked it?

What was the situation if somebody was injured while working in your house or garden?

What if someone broke or stole something?

What if someone in your house was molested or attacked?

What if you weren't happy with the standard of work?

Sorry to be gloomy, but whilst this sounds a great idea in theory, in common with many people I know I've had several  bad experiences with supposedly professional tradespeople, let alone someone who wasn't doing it for a living.

[Jenijenjen]

I suppose all these issues that need addressing are a reflection of the times we live in. Important and necessary but somehow destroy the underlying spirit.

[malumbu]

Disappointed with all this negativity.

I do occasional favours for mates or neighbours,  I sometimes charge a modest amount.  I know my capabilities, and those accepting my help understand too.  They may at times repay the favour.  To date I have not stolen anything, set anything alight or molested anyone.  Everything I do is within the relevant regulations eg I would move a plug socket hut not rewire the house.

It's what people have done no doubt for 1000s of years.

I do not compete with builders.  My usual response eg following requests on the street Whatsapp is to advise that much of jobs should be a simple DIY. I'm surprised how many house holders have so little experience, more so as the millennials move in.

The Lets scheme is highly regulated.

Meanwhile some of us may let a casual worker into our home, perhaps cash in hand, without checking their credentials.  There is still a considerable black market out there.  What I do is so little time, I'm not depriving professionals of serious business.  A contact who asked me to repaint her buy to let was told a clear no.  

[Sue]

1 hour ago, malumbu said:

Disappointed with all this negativity.

I do occasional favours for mates or neighbours,  I sometimes charge a modest amount.  I know my capabilities, and those accepting my help understand too.  They may at times repay the favour.  To date I have not stolen anything, set anything alight or molested anyone.  Everything I do is within the relevant regulations eg I would move a plug socket hut not rewire the house.

It's what people have done no doubt for 1000s of years.

I do not compete with builders.  My usual response eg following requests on the street Whatsapp is to advise that much of jobs should be a simple DIY. I'm surprised how many house holders have so little experience, more so as the millennials move in.

The Lets scheme is highly regulated.

Meanwhile some of us may let a casual worker into our home, perhaps cash in hand, without checking their credentials.  There is still a considerable black market out there.  What I do is so little time, I'm not depriving professionals of serious business.  A contact who asked me to repaint her buy to let was told a clear no.  

Malumbu, that's great that you are so helpful and honest, but sadly not everybody around is.

And some of us are crap at DIY and would be better off not attempting most of it.  I can wire a plug, unblock a u-bend and paint a wall,  but that's about it.

Mind you some of the people I have paid didn't seem to be much better, unfortunately.

Can you say more about the LETS scheme? Who regulates it, and how?

[malumbu]

Luckily there are mysterious people around like me that can advise on DIY and are house trained.  A bit late for Xmas but here is a wonderful book originating over 50 years ago that for many was like a bible:

But for others:

Think LETs is a members scheme that no doubt has controls, but something I am not involved in.

[Pugwash]

I cannot remember who ran/organised the original ED LETS. They had meetings at the ED Community Centre every so often. I think there were about 20 - 25 people involved.