Rental Policies
Refund Policy
GEARS is a service-based marketplace. Please read this document carefully before booking — it explains how payments, missed pickups, and equipment issues are handled.
Last updated: April 2026
No general refunds
As a service-based business, GEARS does not issue refunds once a booking payment has been made.
Faulty equipment exception
If gear is confirmed faulty, we will swap it. If no replacement is available, you receive a full cash refund.
1. General No-Refund Policy
GEARS operates as a service-based rental marketplace. When you complete a booking and payment is processed, those funds are allocated to reserve equipment and compensate the vendor for holding the gear exclusively for your booking date. For this reason, completed payments are generally non-refundable.
Please book only when you are ready
Before completing a payment, confirm your shoot date, location, and equipment needs. Vendors block their inventory for confirmed bookings — a last-minute change affects their other customers too.
2. Missed Pickup — Payment Retained as Credit
If you do not pick up your booked equipment on the agreed rental day, your payment is retained and converted into a GEARS account credit. This credit is automatically applied to your next booking — you do not lose the value of your payment.
Your payment is held securely and credited to your GEARS account.
The credit is applied automatically to your next confirmed booking.
Credits do not expire and can be used for any equipment on the platform.
Credits cannot be converted back into cash — they are for future bookings only.
Repeatedly missing pickups may result in booking restrictions on your account.
3. When Is a Booking Confirmed?
A booking is only considered confirmed once you physically pick up the equipment from the vendor. Payment alone reserves the equipment — it does not constitute a completed rental.
Booking Lifecycle
Payment made
Your payment reserves the equipment for your chosen date. The booking is now pending.
Pickup scheduled
You coordinate a pickup time with the vendor through the booking message thread.
Equipment collected
You arrive at the vendor location and physically collect the gear.
Booking confirmed
The moment you pick up the equipment, the booking is marked confirmed and the rental period begins.
Both parties are protected
Confirmation on pickup — not on payment — ensures you only pay for rentals you actually use, while giving vendors certainty that reserved gear will be collected.
4. Faulty Equipment
We take equipment quality seriously. If you encounter a fault with rented gear, the following process applies immediately.
Report the fault
Contact the vendor immediately and notify GEARS support. Document the issue with photos or a short video.
Equipment assessed
GEARS or the vendor will verify the fault. If confirmed, a replacement unit of equal or greater spec is prepared.
Swap or refund
We swap the gear as quickly as possible. If no replacement is available, you receive a full cash refund.
Replacement available: We will source a like-for-like replacement unit from the same or another verified vendor on the platform at no additional cost to you.
No replacement available: If we cannot source a suitable replacement within a reasonable timeframe for your shoot, you receive a full cash refund of the rental amount paid — no questions asked.
Partial fault: If the equipment is partially functional and you choose to continue the rental, a pro-rated adjustment will be applied to your account credit at the vendor's discretion.
Cash refunds for faulty equipment
This is the only scenario where a direct cash refund is issued. Refunds are processed within 3–5 business days to your original payment method.
5. What Is Not Covered
Change of mind: Deciding you no longer need the equipment after booking does not qualify for a refund.
Operator error: Equipment malfunction caused by improper use, drops, water exposure, or unauthorised modification is not covered and you remain liable for damages.
Dissatisfaction with results: Refunds are not issued because a shoot did not go as planned or the output was not as expected — provided the equipment was functioning correctly.
Late returns: Late-return fees charged by vendors are not refundable. See our Return Policy for details.
Have a question about a payment or refund?
Our support team is available every day between 6 AM and 10 PM.