1 What this policy covers
This policy explains what happens when a booking doesn't go to plan: problems at pickup, items that aren't as described, and damage, loss or late-return claims after handover. It sits alongside our Terms of Use Privacy Policy (sections 15, 17, 19 and 20) and the Cancellation Policy.
HireHire's role in disputes is as a neutral platform reviewer. We look at the evidence both sides provide and make a reasonable platform decision about refunds, bonds and payouts. We're not a court, an arbitrator or an insurer, and using our disputes process never removes any rights you have under Australian law.
2 Your evidence: condition reports
Every booking includes condition photo steps at pickup and at return. These photos, with their timestamps, are the backbone of every claim decision. Clear photos of the item — front, back, and any existing marks — protect both sides equally.
3 Problems at pickup
If something is wrong at handover — the item isn't as described, it's unsafe or not working, or one party doesn't show up — raise it in the app at pickup, before the rental starts.
Pickup problems are resolved with the same money outcomes as a last-minute cancellation, applied to whoever is at fault:
- Found in the renter's favour (for example, the item was misrepresented or the owner didn't show): the renter is refunded in full, the bond hold is released, and the owner bears the late-cancellation penalty — the service fee plus one day's rental, deducted from their next payout.
- Found in the owner's favour (for example, the renter refused a fairly described item or didn't show): the renter pays the service fee plus one day's rental, and the owner receives one day's rental less commission.
- Agreed compromise: the parties can settle for less — for example, the owner accepting half a day's rental — directly in the app, at no cost.
- Where fault is genuinely shared, our team may split the outcome, with each party paying half of the service fee plus half a day's rental.
4 Claims after handover
Once the rental has started, cancellation is off the table — instead, either side can raise a claim.
If you're the renter: the rental wasn't right
If the item was materially not as described or didn't perform as it should have, you can request a partial or full refund. The refund comes out of the owner's earnings for that booking, so the most you can claim back is the owner's payout for the rental. Your bond is unaffected by your own claim and is released in full.
If you're the owner: damage, loss, theft or non-return
If your item comes back damaged beyond fair wear and tear, comes back incomplete, or doesn't come back at all, you can make a claim against the bond. The most you can claim through the bond is the bond amount set on the listing. Approved claims are charged to the renter's card from the bond hold, and any remainder of the bond is released back to the renter.
Fair wear and tear means ordinary minor deterioration from normal use. It doesn't include breakage, water damage, missing parts, smoke odour, pet damage, loss or theft — see clause 19.2 of the Terms of Use for the full definition.
5 How a claim is resolved
Step one: agree between yourselves — free
The claiming party proposes an amount with their evidence. The other party can accept it, decline it, or propose a different amount. If you reach an agreement, we process it immediately and no fees apply. Most claims should end here — two reasonable neighbours looking at the same photos usually reach the same conclusion.
Step two: request a HireHire review — $10
If you can't agree, either party can escalate to our team. The person who requests the review pays a $10 review fee, charged separately from the booking. Our team then reviews the evidence from both sides and makes a decision: award the claim in full, award a different amount, or dismiss it.
In assessing a claim we may consider condition reports and their timestamps, the listing description, receipts, repair quotes, replacement and market-value evidence, serial numbers, police reports and platform records. For damage claims we may ask an owner to obtain a repair quote before claiming full replacement, and we account for the item's age, prior condition and fair wear and tear.
What decisions look like in dollars
Using the same example throughout: a $100/day item for 3 days — renter paid $330 ($300 rental + $30 service fee), the owner's payout is $255, and a $500 bond is held.
| Outcome | Renter's final cost | Owner's final payout | Bond released |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renter claims $150 — owner agrees, or review awards it | $180 | $105 | $500 — all of it |
| Renter claims $150 — review dismisses it | $330 | $255 | $500 — all of it |
| Owner claims $150 damage — renter agrees, or review awards it | $480 | $405 | $350 of $500 |
| Owner claims $150 damage — review dismisses it | $330 | $255 | $500 — all of it |
The $10 review fee sits outside these numbers and is charged to whoever requested the review.
6 Timeframes and cooperation
Raise pickup problems at pickup, and post-rental claims as soon as reasonably possible after return — we may set deadlines for reporting damage, missing parts or non-return, and late claims may be declined. Both parties must respond and provide evidence within the timeframes we set; if one side doesn't cooperate, we may decide on the information available.
7 Honesty, both ways
Exaggerated or bad-faith claims by owners, and dishonest denials or concealed damage by renters, are serious breaches of our Terms of Use and Community Guidelines. They can lead to claims being dismissed, accounts being suspended, and — for suspected theft or fraud — reports to law enforcement.
8 If you're still not satisfied
Our review is a platform decision, not a legal judgment. If a dispute remains unresolved after our process, you can pursue it independently — through your own insurer, consumer affairs bodies, courts or tribunals, or the police where a crime is involved. Nothing in this policy limits those rights.