Terms of Use

What Rent a Machine is

Rent a Machine is an online marketplace and listings platform that connects renters who need plant and construction equipment with independent companies that hire it out. We provide the space where the two of you find each other. The actual hire, everything about it, is a separate agreement made directly between you and the other party.

What Rent a Machine is not

To avoid any confusion about where our involvement ends, we want to be explicit:

  • We are not a party to the hire agreement. Price, deposit, delivery, collection, duration, damage liability, and every other term of the hire is agreed directly between the renter and the company. We don't draft, review, sign, or enforce that agreement.
  • We do not own, inspect, certify, or maintain any machine listed on the platform. We don't verify that a listed machine is safe, roadworthy, correctly licensed, or matches its listing description at the time of hire.
  • We are not an insurer. We carry no insurance over machines, deliveries, or any injury or property damage arising from a hire. Renters and companies are each responsible for arranging their own cover.
  • We are not a payment processor, escrow agent, or guarantor for the hire itself. Any money that changes hands for the machine hire (deposits, hire fees, damage charges) is handled directly between renter and company, entirely outside this platform. (The only payments we process are companies' own subscription fees for listing on the platform, via PayFast. See "Fees and payments" below.)
  • We are not a broker or agent of either the renter or the company, and we don't negotiate on anyone's behalf.
  • We do not check that an operator is licensed or competent to operate a given machine, whether that's the renter, the renter's own staff, or an operator supplied by the company.

Due diligence when you're hiring a machine

Before you commit to a hire, we strongly recommend you:

  • Check the company's details: registered company name, registration number if given, physical address, and how long they've been listed on the platform.
  • Ask for the machine's condition and service history, and photograph it yourself before it leaves the company's yard or arrives on-site.
  • Confirm who's operating the machine, and that they hold any licence or certification the law requires for that type of equipment.
  • Ask whether the company carries insurance covering the machine while it's in your possession, and what you're liable for if it's damaged, stolen, or causes injury or damage to a third party.
  • Get the price, deposit, hire period, delivery/collection arrangements, and damage terms in writing. An email or text confirming the agreed terms is far better than a verbal understanding.
  • Remember a "Phone Verified" / "Email Verified" / "ID Verified" badge on an account reflects checks made at a point in time. It is not a guarantee of that party's conduct in any specific transaction. See "Verification badges" below.

Due diligence when you're listing a machine

If you're a company hiring out equipment through the platform, we strongly recommend you:

  • Confirm the renter's identity before handover: name, contact details, and (for a company renter) their own registration details.
  • Put a signed hire agreement in place covering price, deposit, duration, permitted use, and who's liable for damage, loss, or theft during the hire.
  • Satisfy yourself the renter, or their nominated operator, is competent and, where the law requires it, licensed to operate the machine.
  • Take a deposit or security proportionate to the machine's value and the risk of the hire.
  • Keep your own insurance and maintenance records up to date. Listing on Rent a Machine doesn't substitute for your own compliance with equipment safety, roadworthiness, and occupational health and safety obligations under South African law.
  • Document the machine's condition, ideally with photos or a signed checklist, before and after each hire.

Accounts

You're responsible for the accuracy of the information on your account and for keeping your login credentials secure. Companies are responsible for keeping their machine listings, pricing, and availability up to date and accurate.

Verification badges

A "Verified" badge on a company, or a trust badge on a renter, reflects checks we've done at a point in time, for example a confirmed email address or phone number. It is not a guarantee of that party's conduct, and it does not extend to the condition, safety, or legality of any specific machine or hire. Use your own judgement alongside it, and see the due-diligence guidance above.

Prohibited conduct

Don't use the platform to: list equipment you don't have the right to hire out; send fraudulent, spam, or misleading inquiries; misrepresent who you are or your company's details; or attempt to circumvent the platform's abuse-reporting or moderation systems. Accounts found doing so may be suspended or terminated without notice.

Fees and payments

Companies pay a subscription fee to list machines on the platform once their free trial ends, processed via PayFast. That subscription fee is the only payment we process. Any payment for the machine hire itself (deposit, hire fee, damages) is a matter between the renter and the company, made and settled entirely outside this platform.

Limitation of liability

To the extent permitted by South African law, Rent a Machine is not liable for disputes, losses, injury, or damages arising from a hire agreement between a renter and a company, including equipment condition, delivery delays, deposits, no-shows, or the conduct of either party. You can report a problem to us and we'll look into the account involved, including suspending it where our own terms have been broken, but we can't act as an escrow, arbitrator, or insurer for the hire itself.

Indemnity

You agree to indemnify Rent a Machine against any claim, loss, or cost arising from your use of the platform or from a hire you entered into through it, except to the extent caused by our own gross negligence or wilful misconduct.

Suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate an account that breaches these terms, or that we reasonably believe poses a risk to other users. You can close your own account at any time.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. Continued use of the platform after a change means you accept the updated terms.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of South Africa.

Last updated 2026-09-08. This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. If anything here is unclear, contact us before relying on it for a business decision.