Lender Guide

Safely listing, managing, and earning from your gear


Thank you for choosing to be a Cammunity lender!

By turning your equipment into a valuable income stream, you’re nurturing the UK creative community, as well as empowering fellow photographers and filmmakers to create without constraint.

This guide walks you through how to effectively list your gear, safely manage bookings, and receive secure payouts - giving you total peace of mind every step of the way.

1. Register your account

Creating your profile is the first step to joining Cammunity.

We ask for basic details to connect you with our network of trusted creatives - built for the industry, by the industry.

Does Cammunity provide insurance?

While we require proof of insurance from our borrowers to keep Cammunity secure, please keep in mind that Cammunity is not an insurance provider. 

We're the specialists here to connect you, but all our members are responsible for maintaining their own applicable policies and understanding their specific terms. We always recommend reviewing your documents so you can create with total confidence.

How to sign-up seamlessly

  • Accuracy matters: Using your real, verifiable details ensures a seamless approval process, letting you start listing and earning without delay.

  • Optional insurance verification: If you’re planning to borrow gear as well as list your own, this is the perfect time to verify your insurance. Once you’ve uploaded your document, our specialist team will review it and send a confirmation or next steps within 48 hours.

  • Your privacy, protected: We handle your documents with the utmost care, and they are never shared publicly. We're here to manage the logistics so you can stay focused on your listing.

2. Listing your gear like a pro

Think of yourself as your own hire house: your profile is your shop window, and your listings are your products. 

To maximise your earnings and minimise questions, you need to provide potential borrowers with confidence. A complete, professional listing attracts the right creatives and ensures your kit is treated with the respect it deserves.

Four steps to create a great listing:

  • Create a clear, detailed description: When it comes to listing your gear on Cammunity, there’s no such thing as TMI (Too Much Information). Share full specifications, compatibility notes, and the current condition. Detail is what creates a seamless rental experience.

  • High-resolution, recent images: Use high-resolution photos of the item in its current state. This manages expectations and provides vital visual documentation of your gear’s condition before it heads out on a shoot.

  • List all accessories: Every battery, cable, case, and memory card counts. Clearly listing your accessories ensures the borrower knows exactly what’s in the kit, preventing any last-minute hurdles at handover.

  • Price your gear for success: Setting a competitive rate is the best way to maximise your earnings while supporting the local sharing economy.

3. Accepting booking requests

Once your listing is live, requests will start coming in.

This section covers how to vet potential borrowers and manage communications securely to ensure a smooth, professional rental experience.

Accepting booking requests like a pro:

  • Reviewing borrowers: Before accepting a request, always review the borrower's profile and feedback from fellow lenders. Look for a history of timely returns and clear communication to ensure your kit is in safe hands.

  • Use the in-app messaging system: This is highly recommended. Use our secure chat to coordinate exact exchange times, answer questions, and finalise the handover location. Keeping your chat on-platform also creates a clear record of your conversation, enabling us to support you if plans change.

  • Be responsive: Quick replies are the hallmark of a reliable lender and often lead to secured bookings. Being active on the app helps you build a reliable reputation and maximise your rental opportunities.

IMPORTANT WARNING:
Keep all chats and payments in-app

Protecting your gear is our top priority. Moving away from the platform removes your secure 'paper trail' and means you lose the vital evidence needed if things go wrong. 

To stay protected, please keep all conversations, handovers, and payments within the Cammunity app.

  • Protect your coverage: Moving a booking off-app (known as 'circumvention') is a material breach of our terms. When this happens, we lose the ability to verify the transaction, and we’ll be unable to support you if there’s a dispute.

  • Stay connected: We want you to remain a vital part of Cammunity. Please note that attempting to bypass the platform can lead to account suspension or restricted access, as it undermines the safety of our platform.

  • See something? Say something: If a borrower suggests taking a deal off-app, please let us know. Reporting these requests lets us keep Cammunity safe and ensures you aren't held liable for a "bad actor’s" request.

At Cammunity, we’ve ensured getting you paid is as straightforward as possible.

We handle the financial logistics and ensure your earnings are processed safely, letting you to focus on your listing.

4. Payout Process and Platform Fees

Payout process: getting paid

  • When funds are transferred: Your funds are securely held by Cammunity during the rental period. Once you've confirmed that equipment has been successfully returned via the app, the payout process begins.

  • Secure payouts: Funds are transferred to your designated bank account, with payouts automatically sent at 09:00 GMT every Monday. All payouts are handled via Stripe and are subject to their standard processing times.

Platform Fees

To keep Cammunity running smoothly and securely, we apply a small 5% service fee to all lender bookings (calculated as a percentage of the total rental price).

This fee is essential for covering the operational costs of secure payment processing, platform development, and our dedicated customer support, empowering you to lend your gear with total peace of mind.

Transparency is key to Cammunity; the fee amount is always clearly visible before you accept a request, ensuring you know exactly what you’ll earn from every rental.

IMPORTANT WARNING

You must only accept payment for a booking through the Cammunity app. Never, and we mean never, accept cash payments or direct transfers.

Any transaction conducted outside of the app is not covered by Cammunity’s policies or dispute process, and Cammunity bears no responsibility or liability in respect of these transactions.

5. Cancelling a booking after accepting

We know that plans can change, but since borrowers rely on your gear for their creative projects, cancellations can have a big impact. 

Here is how we handle things to keep Cammunity dependable:

What if a borrower decides to cancel on me?

Your kit is a professional asset, and we know that every day it’s booked is a day it’s unavailable for other projects. To protect your time and potential earnings, we apply a fair refund schedule if a borrower needs to cancel:

  • If they cancel more than 48 hours before the handover: If a borrower cancels with plenty of notice, they receive a full refund. This gives you a fair window of time to re-list the kit for other creators.

  • 24 to 48 hours before: At this stage, you have likely turned down other bookings. You will receive a 20% payout of the rental fee to compensate for the reserved dates.

  • Less than 24 hours before: If a cancellation happens with less than 24 hours' notice, the borrower is not eligible for a refund. You will receive the full rental fee (minus platform fees) to cover the lost booking.

This approach ensures your commitment to holding the gear is respected, while still allowing for the flexibility that production schedules sometimes require.

Cancellation timeframes and refund outcomes

  • More than 48 hours before: The Borrower receives a full refund. While we're sad the rental didn't work out, there is no penalty to you.

  • 24 to 48 hours before: The borrower receives a full refund. Please be mindful that frequent late cancellations can affect your reliability rating on the platform.

  • Less than 24 hours before: Because cancelling at such short notice leaves a borrower without the kit they need for their production, you will be charged a penalty equal to 20% of the hire fee. This may also result in a strike against your account, as maintaining reliability is essential for keeping Cammunity trustworthy and professional.

6. Handover: A lender checklist

The handover is where the magic happens, but it’s also the most important part of the process.

Use this time to show off how the kit works and document its current condition so you can lend with total peace of mind.

Here are five important “must-dos” for a safe and effective handover:

  • Have you kept the chat on Cammunity?: Keeping all conversations on-platform helps us to verify your rental agreement (and “pull up the chat” if there’s a dispute!)

  • Is the location safe?: Suggest to meet at a safe, well-lit, public spot for the handover.

  • Did the borrower check the kit?: Has the borrower reviewed the gear before they head off? It prevents any "was that scratch already there?" conversations later!

  • Did you record a video of the gear using our in-app feature?: We recommend you record the condition of the gear using the in-app video feature. This video can ensure you’re protected from any accusations later on!

  • Have you scanned the QR code?: This is the big one! Scanning the QR code means you officially ‘handover’ responsibility to the borrower for the duration and kicks off the booking.

7. Returning the gear: The checklist for getting your gear back

The return is the final lap!

When the rental period ends, use this checklist to make sure your equipment comes home safely and in the right condition.

A quick, thorough check at the finish line is the best way to prevent any headaches later and keeps your gear ready for its next shoot.

Your checklist for a safe return:

  • Have you kept the chat on Cammunity?: Just as before, you should arrange the return in-app. Keeping your conversations on-platform lets us verify your agreement and ensures we can still “pull up the chat”.

  • Is the location safe?: Suggest to meet at a safe, well-lit, public location for the return.

  • Is the gear in the same condition?: Give your equipment a once-over before the borrower heads off. If you find new issues or damage that’s occurred during the rental, notify Cammunity support immediately via the app.

    It’s worth noting that after the return is confirmed, no further claims for damage or missing items can be made. So please take a moment to double-check your gear before you swipe.

  • Did you record a video of the gear using our in-app feature?: We recommend you record the condition of the gear using the in-app video feature. If something is wrong with the gear, this video will be helpful to support your dispute.

  • Have you confirmed the return in-app?: Once you both swipe to close the booking, it’s a wrap! This action verifies the kit is returned and in great shape, officially closing the booking and triggering your payout.

Having trouble confirming the return within the app?

Don't worry! Report this immediately through the app, with timestamped photos of the exchange.

This enables Cammunity Support to step in, review the evidence, and protect your interests while we resolve any issues.

8. Can’t make it to the return?

When it comes to life, we know things happen and meetings can be missed. However, to keep Cammunity running smoothly and ensure your kit is handled safely, staying in constant communication is vital.

Our top priority is a secure handover and return. When these meetups are missed, it creates a 'grey area' for your equipment’s safety. To protect everyone involved and ensure no one is left stranded, we have a few simple protections in place.

Your situational checklist

  • What if I’m late to a return?: You have a 1-hour grace period. If it’s a no-show beyond this point, the borrower is compensated 50% of a day’s rental (deducted from your payout) to cover their time and travel. 

    To keep your gear safe, we also extend their booking for free until a new time is set.

  • Worried I’ll miss the return. What should I do?: If you’re running late and need to shift the return time or date, please let the borrower know ASAP. All extensions must be agreed and paid for in-app before the original return time.

  • What if the borrower is late to a return?: The borrower also has a 1-hour grace period for the return. If they miss this without requesting an in-app extension, they will be charged a full daily rate for every overdue day. 

    This is paid out to you (minus platform fees) as compensation once the kit is back and confirmed in good condition.

  • Authorising support: In using Cammunity, you authorise us to manage these late fees and compensations automatically. This keeps the process fair, professional and ensures you’re always backed by our platform terms.

9. Leaving reviews

Once your gear is safely back, we’ll ask you to share a quick review of the borrower. Your feedback is a huge win for Cammunity- it helps fellow lenders list their gear with confidence and ensures Cammunity remains a trusted space for everyone’s equipment.

Whether it's a note on their communication or how well they looked after the gear, your honest input helps us maintain the high professional standards of our network.

Thanks for helping us grow!

Start earning with Cammunity

By following these simple steps, you enable us to protect your gear and your business. We’re here to handle the logistics and security so you can focus on being part of the UK’s most trusted creative network.

Whether you're an individual filmmaker or a boutique rental house, we're proud to help you put your equipment to work. We can't wait to see your gear in action!

Support and Terms of Service

If you have questions about a listing or need assistance with a payout, our team is standing by:

In-app support: Message us directly through the help centre.

Email: support@cammunity.co.uk

Full terms and conditions: Click here