Who am I actually renting from or to?

Everyone on Shared Style has to verify a real ID before they can list an item or book one — it's not optional and it's checked by our team, not just self-declared. You're never transacting with an anonymous account.

Is my payment actually safe?

Every payment goes through TradeSafe, an independent South African escrow service — we never touch your card details directly, and your money doesn't go straight to the other person either. TradeSafe holds it until the item has actually been received and confirmed, then releases it.

How do we prove what condition the item was really in?

Every rental has four photo checkpoints, taken through the app's own camera at the time: the lender photographs it right before sending it, the renter photographs it on arrival, the renter photographs it again right before sending it back, and the lender photographs it once more on return. That four-stage record is what any dispute is actually judged against — not anyone's memory of what happened.

Shared Style does not currently hold a security deposit on bookings. This is a deliberate choice while we're in our early testing phase, not an oversight — see below for what protects you instead, and our full Damage and Loss Policy for the complete terms.

If there's no deposit, what happens if something gets damaged?

The lender has 24 hours after the return to raise a claim with photo evidence, through the app. The renter is notified and has 47 hours to respond — either accepting it, or submitting their own side and evidence. Our team reviews both sides and decides within 5 business days. If the renter is found to owe something, they're charged that amount directly at that point, rather than it being held upfront.

What if someone just refuses to pay a claim they owe?

They can't book anything else on Shared Style — as a renter or buyer — until it's settled. An unpaid, resolved claim blocks new bookings on the account it's owed from.

What if an item just never arrives, or arrives in the wrong condition?

The same photo-evidence and claims process applies — raised the same way, reviewed the same way, resolved within the same 5 business days.

Who actually decides a dispute?

Our team, not the other party — reviewing the photo evidence from both sides, the original listing description and condition grade, and any in-app messages. Nobody can unilaterally decide the outcome of their own dispute.

More detail

This page is a plain-language overview. The full legal terms are in our Damage and Loss Policy, Rental Agreement, and Terms & Conditions.

Contact

Questions about trust & safety: support@sharedstyle.co.za