Frequently asked questions.

Pricing

• How is hire priced?

  By the week, all-in. Any part-week counts as a full week.

  The price on each gear page is for one week. The longer you hire, the less you pay per week.

  Need it for 12 weeks or more? Lease it for our best weekly price.

• Can I pick up or return on a weekend?

  Yes, you can pick up and return gear on a weekend. But a hire can't start or end on a Saturday or Sunday, and every weekend is charged as a full week. Most people shoot on the weekend, so that's when gear is most in demand.

  So book your hire to start and end on a weekday. Monday to Friday, or Monday to Monday, counts as one week. See it on a calendar.

• Is there a bond?

  No. We don't take a bond on any gear.

• How can I pay?

  We accept:

  Hires: card, Apple Pay, Afterpay or bank transfer.

  Leases: bank transfer, direct debit or card. Card payments on a lease have a 3% surcharge.

• What if I pay late?

  After 28 days we may charge a late fee of 20% of the amount outstanding. A further 10% may be added each month while it stays unpaid.

• What's the early-booking credit?

  Book a hire 7 or more days before it starts and we'll email you a code for $10 off a future hire, as soon as you book.

  It's for hires, not leases. The code is single use, you get one per booking, and it expires 12 months after you book. If the booking is cancelled, the code is cancelled too. It can't be exchanged for cash, and it can't be used on the booking that earned it. You'll find your codes in your account.

• Does hiring for longer cost less?

  The longer you book, the lower your weekly rate. From 12 weeks you can lease instead, at our lowest weekly rate.

Leasing

• Can I hire for longer, or lease?

  Yes. Hire for as many weeks as you need, or lease for 12 weeks or more, which is cheaper. A lease can be open-ended or for a fixed term, with a 12-week minimum, and you can end it at any time (charges apply before 12 weeks). Lease 2 or more items from $20 a week each and save 10%.

  Where a lease is offered, the gear page shows its rate and a Start a lease button. Any questions? Email contact@dreamgear.co.nz.

• What if I return a lease early?

  If you return the gear before 12 weeks, you'll pay our standard weekly hire rate for the weeks you've had it, less what you've already paid, and never more than 12 weeks at your lease rate. From 12 weeks there's no early-return charge.

  You can end any lease, open-ended or fixed term, at any time; the charges above apply. End it in your account: open the lease, choose when the gear will be back, and you'll see what it comes to before you confirm. Or email us. Your lease ends when the gear is back with us.

Booking and delivery

• How do I book?

  Browse the gear and open the item you want. Its calendar shows what's free, so pick your dates, choose pickup or delivery, and book.

• I haven't hired from you before.

  Please fill in our first-time form before you book, so we can get your hire ready sooner. If you book first, we'll email it to you.

• What if I return a hire early?

  There's no refund for bringing gear back early: you pay for the weeks you booked. If your plans change, feel free to email us and we'll see what we can do.

• Where do you deliver?

  Anywhere in Aotearoa New Zealand, by courier.

• Where can I pick up or drop off?

  Our two bases, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Ōtautahi Christchurch. Or have it couriered to you. Now and then, when the member before or after you is nearby and it suits everyone, we'll arrange a handover between you instead.

• What time does a hire start and end?

  A hire starts and ends at 9am, so gear is due back by 9am on the last day.

  Need a different time? Just work it out with us: always arrange a pick-up or drop-off time with us first. Business hours (9am to 6pm) are easiest; outside those we'll work something out.

• Can you send gear overnight?

  We can't guarantee overnight delivery. Please give us at least 48 hours' notice before you need the gear, and the earlier the better. Book more than a week out and it's all but certain to arrive in time.

  We'll always try our best with a late order, but couriers can be delayed, so if you book late and we send the gear, there's no refund if it arrives late.

• Does gear go straight to the next member?

  Our gear is spread across Aotearoa New Zealand. By default it goes from base to base. Often it's couriered straight on to the next member, and sometimes, when two members are in the same city and it works for them both, it's passed from one to the other directly.

  If we ask you to send gear on to the next member, it's free for you: we provide the label.

  Photos of the gear are taken and sent to us at every handover, so its condition is recorded.

During your hire

• What should I do when the gear arrives?

  It's important to take photos of every item and email them to us, or send them to our Facebook page.

• Something isn't right. Who do I tell?

  Get in touch early: if you haven't received a tracking number, if the tracking looks late for a deadline, or if gear isn't performing the way you expect. The fastest way is a message to our Facebook page; otherwise email contact@dreamgear.co.nz.

• What if I return the gear late?

  Once we've asked for gear back, you have 48 hours to send it or drop it off. After that, the hire keeps running: each extra week, or part of a week, is charged at the gear's normal weekly price, the same as if you'd booked it.

  If being late means we have to rush other gear to the next member, we may also pass on that extra courier cost.

  We'll always talk to you before charging anything. If something has come up, tell us early and we'll work it out.

• How do I send the gear back?

  If you're couriering it back, always use the return label we email you: print it, stick it on the box, and drop the parcel at any courier depot. It goes where the label says, which is usually one of our bases. Never send gear back to the member it came from.

  Before you pack it up, take photos of the gear, and a photo of the parcel once it's packed. Pack it really well. Haven't got a label, or not sure where it goes? Email us or message our Facebook page before you send anything. If we ask you to send it yourself, use a signature-required courier and send us the tracking number.

  Delivery is charged at checkout, and when your gear is delivered, your return label is included at no extra charge. It's emailed to you shortly before your hire ends.

  Collected it from one of our bases? Drop it back for free. If you'd rather courier it back, we can sell you a return label: $9 for one item, $19 for two, or $29 for three or more items or anything oversized.

Damage and cancelling

• What if gear is damaged, lost or stolen?

  The excess for damage, drops or drowning, including burglary by forced entry, is $800. For unexplained loss or theft, it is the full replacement cost.

  If you send gear without a signature-required courier, or without tracking details, and it goes missing, you are liable for the full cost of replacement.

• What if I need to cancel?

  Cancellation fees are:

  More than 14 days before the hire: no fee.
  Less than 14 days before, but before the gear is shipped: 30% of the hire.
  After the gear is shipped: at least one week, charged in full.
  If you don't pick up as arranged: the full hire.

  That's the most we'd charge, and it's at our discretion. If you need to cancel, tell us as early as you can: we're often able to work something out.

Still wondering?

See how it works, browse the gear, or get in touch with us.