Effective date: [EFFECTIVE DATE]

1. About Tool Trader and these terms

Tool Trader provides a website, progressive web app and mobile app for discovering tools and equipment, communicating with other users, and arranging supported rentals and purchases. Listings may also indicate that an owner is interested in a trade. A trade listing does not, by itself, create a completed exchange or a payment-protected transaction.

These Terms of Service govern your use of Tool Trader and form an agreement between you and Tool Trader LLC ("Tool Trader", "we", "us" or "our"). Please read these terms, the Privacy Policy, the applicable rental or purchase agreement, and the charges and conditions shown for your transaction before accepting them.

Tool Trader operates the marketplace. Unless a listing expressly identifies us as the owner or seller, the tool is supplied by the user named in that listing. Owners and sellers are responsible for their listings and the items they supply; renters and buyers are responsible for their commitments and use of those items. Our platform role does not remove any rights or obligations that applicable law places on us.

2. Eligibility, accounts and guest browsing

You must be at least [MINIMUM USER AGE] and have legal capacity to enter the relevant agreement. If you act for a business, you must be authorised to bind that business. Do not create an account for someone else without their permission.

Guest browsing allows access to public marketplace information and public information pages. An account is required to rent or buy through the platform, contact sellers through in-app chat, save favourites, list tools, or manage bookings, orders and payments. Account and identity checks may be required before particular actions are available.

Provide accurate information, keep it up to date, protect your password and notify us promptly if you suspect unauthorised access. Do not share an account to avoid verification, a restriction or a suspension. You remain responsible for activity that you authorise through your account.

3. Identity verification and seller onboarding

Some transactions require identity verification. Tool Trader uses Didit for the verification flow, which may include an identity document, a selfie and a liveness check. Sellers may also need to complete Stripe onboarding and provide information needed for payouts. Review the notices presented by those providers before submitting information.

A verification badge indicates the platform's recorded verification status. It is not a guarantee of a user's honesty, competence, financial position, or a tool's condition or safety. We may restrict actions while verification or seller onboarding is incomplete, declined, under review or no longer valid.

4. Listings and permitted use

Only list tools that you own or are authorised to supply. Accurately describe their condition, defects, accessories, availability, location, prices, rental periods, security deposit and any delivery arrangements. Use photographs and descriptions that you have permission to publish. Keep sold, unavailable or unsafe items from being offered as available.

Do not publish illegal, stolen, counterfeit or misleading items; impersonate another person; submit false identity or payment information; threaten or harass users; post unlawful or infringing content; manipulate reviews; or interfere with the platform's operation or security. Do not use chat or listings to solicit unrelated spam or fraud.

Applicable restrictions on regulated or hazardous equipment must be followed. Do not offer or use equipment where the necessary permission, certification or lawful authority is missing.

5. Rental requests, schedules and delivery

A rental request is subject to the owner's response, item availability, required payment steps and the booking conditions displayed in the app. A pending request is not the same as an accepted booking. Requests may expire or be declined, and an accepted booking may be cancelled according to the applicable rules.

Check the selected rental period, pickup and return dates and times, location and time zone. Arrange handover with the owner using the platform. Delivery is available only where offered and agreed; the displayed delivery area and charge should be checked before proceeding.

Pickup confirmation windows and any automatic cancellation deadline are shown or applied by the booking flow. Do not assume that an uncompleted pickup keeps a reservation open indefinitely. If circumstances change, contact the other party and support promptly.

6. Charges, booking deposits and security holds

Review the rental or purchase amount, service fees, taxes, delivery charges and deposits shown before confirming payment. A rental booking deposit and a rental security deposit serve different purposes. The booking deposit reserves a requested rental; a security deposit may be placed as an authorisation hold for the rental's return and condition.

For supported rentals, the platform coordinates the security hold and rental charge during the pickup payment flow. Do not take possession until the required payment and confirmation steps have succeeded. Purchases may use a payment authorisation before handover, with capture after the required seller and buyer confirmations.

Payments, authorisation holds, refunds and seller payouts are processed through Stripe. Additional bank authentication may be required. Your bank or payment provider controls when a hold or refund appears in your account. A release is not always displayed as a separate refund transaction.

Charges relating to late return, non-return or an accepted or resolved damage claim must follow the relevant agreement and the applicable payment authorisation. These terms do not authorise an undisclosed charge or override mandatory consumer protections.

7. Cancellation, expiry and refunds

Before cancelling, review the refund or forfeiture notice for your booking. The current rental cancellation flow uses a 24-hour cutoff before the applicable scheduled pickup instant for renter cancellation: a booking deposit may be refundable before the cutoff and forfeited inside that window. Where forfeiture applies, the app requires confirmation before proceeding.

Owner decline, request expiry and owner cancellation can follow different refund paths from renter cancellation. The outcome depends on the booking's state, timing and payment records. The platform tracks a refund separately from the booking's cancellation; a cancelled booking does not prove that a bank refund has already completed.

Once pickup is completed, the pre-pickup cancellation flow no longer applies. Purchase cancellations and payment releases follow the purchase status and available cancellation options. If a refund or release fails or appears inconsistent, contact support with the booking or order reference.

8. Pickup, inspection and safe use

Inspect the item and included accessories at handover. Record its condition using the photographs, videos, notes and confirmations requested by the platform. Do not confirm receipt, satisfactory condition or authorisation of a charge unless the statement is accurate.

Use equipment only for its intended purpose, follow the manufacturer's instructions and use appropriate protective equipment. Do not operate equipment that appears unsafe or that you are not qualified to use. Report a material defect promptly and stop using the item where continued use could cause harm.

A renter must take reasonable care of the tool and must not lend, resell, modify or dispose of it without the owner's permission. A buyer should inspect the item before completing receipt confirmation. Confirmation records may be used when reviewing a later dispute.

9. Return, overdue items and damage claims

Return rented items and accessories at the agreed location and time. Complete the required return and inspection steps; a chat message alone may not complete the platform's return record. Late or unreturned items can trigger additional charges and resolution steps under the booking's rules. Rates, grace periods and deadlines may vary with the rental period and settings applied to the booking.

The owner may report damage after return with a description, estimated repair cost and supporting media. The current damage-claim flow gives the renter 48 hours to accept or dispute a claim. If there is no response by the displayed deadline, the system can automatically treat the claim as accepted and start settlement. Check claim notifications and respond within the stated time.

Disputed claims may be reviewed by administrators. Depending on the claim outcome, a security hold may be released or captured, and an additional payment may be required. Review the claim amount, evidence, status and payment deadline. Ordinary disagreements should be documented honestly; fabricated evidence or abusive conduct is prohibited.

10. Sales and trade enquiries

For supported purchases, the seller records handover first and the buyer then confirms receipt, inspection and the required payment authorisation. Do not confirm receipt before receiving and checking the item. The platform records the resulting order and payment status.

For trade enquiries or arrangements outside a supported checkout flow, establish the items, condition, timing and responsibilities directly with the other user. Do not assume that Tool Trader processes trade payments, provides escrow, or supplies the same booking, deposit and dispute workflow as a supported rental or purchase.

11. Messages, reviews and uploaded content

Communicate respectfully and keep relevant transaction records. Submit reviews based on your own experience. You retain any rights you hold in your listings, messages and uploaded media. You give us permission to store, process and display that content as needed to operate the marketplace, communicate with transaction participants, and investigate reports and disputes.

Only upload information you have the right to share. Avoid unnecessary personal documents or information about other people. Public listings and profiles are visible to other users, including guests. The Privacy Policy explains the handling of account, message, payment and verification information.

12. Reports, restrictions and account closure

You can report inappropriate content or conduct and use supported blocking tools. We may review reports, remove content, limit transactions, or suspend or close an account for misuse, verification problems, unpaid obligations, fraud, safety concerns or legal requirements. Contact support if you believe a restriction is incorrect.

You can request account deletion through the available account controls. The current deletion flow requires ongoing bookings and unsettled payments, payouts and refunds to be resolved first. Deletion hides published listings and removes account access, but does not automatically erase historical transaction records or release outstanding obligations. The Privacy Policy explains retention and privacy requests.

13. Service availability and responsibility

Availability may be affected by maintenance, network failures, device permissions and third-party providers. Listings, badges and distance estimates should be checked against the actual transaction circumstances. We do not promise that every listing will be available or that every request, payment, verification or delivery will succeed.

Each party is responsible for its own conduct, representations and obligations under the applicable agreement and law. Nothing in these terms excludes liability or rights that cannot lawfully be excluded, including applicable consumer rights.

14. Disputes and applicable law

First contact the other party and Tool Trader support with the booking or order reference and relevant evidence. Administrative review of a platform dispute does not remove a right to contact a regulator, seek legal advice or use any remedy available under applicable law.

Governing law: [GOVERNING COUNTRY / STATE].
Dispute venue or resolution procedure: [DISPUTE JURISDICTION / PROCEDURE]. Nothing in this section limits non-waivable consumer rights.

15. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms as the service or applicable requirements change. The effective date appears at the beginning of these terms. Where required, we will provide notice or seek renewed acceptance. Transaction-specific terms accepted for an existing transaction continue to apply unless a lawful change is agreed.

16. Contact us

For questions, complaints or requests about these terms, contact us using the details below.

Company: Tool Trader LLC
Business address: 1630 Downtown West Blvd Suite 116, Knoxville, TN, 37919
Support email: [SUPPORT EMAIL]