1. the people’s guide to
disownership

2. the people’s guide to
disownership
I am the CEO of a growing, mid-sized company in San Francisco and I don’t have a car. I get around town just fine,
usually on public transportation. When I need a car, I use my membership with Zipcar, a car-sharing service that lets
each member simply access the cars when we need them.
I’m not alone. In fact, there is a movement gaining momentum across the country called “disownership”: sharing, renting
and borrowing traditionally-owned items to get the benefits without the expense and hassle of ownership.
My company Sunrun just released a new survey showing that over half (52 percent) of
Americans say they are already engaging in disownership, and many more plan to do
so in the near future. Sunrun is one of a number of companies that have harnessed
the power of technology to help people access things safely without owning them,
and save money doing it.
Disownership represents a major cultural shift in consumer behavior—a shift that
benefits our wallets, our planet and our communities. So we at Sunrun, and our
peers at other disownership and sharing companies, want to make sure you have the
insider insights, tips and best practices to get the most out of disownership.
I hope you’ll enjoy our People’s Guide to Disownership as you explore and take
advantage of this new era of access. Today’s status symbol isn’t what you own. It’s
what you’re smart enough not to own.
As we say at Sunrun: Power Forward,
Lynn Jurich, Sunrun co-Founder and co-CEO
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3. DISOWNERSHIP MANIFESTO
The new status symbol isn’t what we own.
It’s what we’re smart enough not to own: FOUR QUESTIONS
Many of the things we want and need—daily or occasionally— WE ASK BEFORE
are best borrowed, rented or shared. WE BUY ANYTHING
So before we buy something, we see if there’s another way to access it.
1. Do I need to own this
Because the true cost of ownership is far greater than the purchase price.
or just use it?
And the money we save on things we don’t need to own can fund our dreams.
Smart disowners don’t consume. We access. 2. How often will I use it?
And we access only what we need—no more, no less.
3. How much time
We read (and write) reviews. and money will it
We study terms of use. cost to maintain
We get the most for our money and time. this over time?
We believe that paying for storage is nuts, so we don’t.
And parking tickets are for owners. 4. Is there an easy,
reliable way to just
More is more—more headaches, more cost, more trouble. get access to this?
To acquire is human. To disown is divine.
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4. the disownership
dictionary
Access Economy. Platforms, companies and online marketplaces that empower
individuals to use and access products without owning them. This includes Peer-to-Peer
Marketplaces (see next page) and companies that own and maintain traditionally-owned
items while offering rental or other forms of access to users (e.g., Zipcar, Sunrun).
Sharing Economy. A subset of the Access Economy, defined by the Wall Street Journal
as “niche marketplaces for things that get cheaper when people use them together, (e.g.,
pet care, wedding gowns, child rearing and more.)”
Collaborative Consumption. Another subset of the Access Economy. Collaborative
Consumption indicates multiple consumers having access to the same product or service
via sharing, swapping or renting. This does not include certain forms of disownership in
which one consumer has sole access to an item but does not have to own it (e.g., paying
for solar power without owning the panels on one’s roof).
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5. Disownership
Sharing, renting, borrowing or making similar alternative
arrangements to gain access to traditionally-owned items
without the expense or hassle of ownership.
Apps and Platforms. Technology companies and applications (web and mobile) that
facilitate the access economy.
Peer-to-Peer Marketplace. Online platforms and companies that facilitate the
renting and trading of individually-owned homes, cars and other goods by individuals
(e.g., Airbnb, Getaround).
Social Identity Verification. The use of social media profiles, connected to an
app or platform via password permission, to verify a disowner’s identity and identify
common ‘friends’ with other members/users.
Terms of Service. (aka Terms of Use, Terms and Conditions, etc.) The legally-binding
rules that disowners and other sharing app or platform users must abide by in order to
use the technological app or platform and access products or property.
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6. 8 things to disown
in 2013
Cars. You might not realize it, but Vacation Accommodations.
car ownership is optional. There are If you like to take vacations in a home,
many options available for sharing versus a hotel, but you want to be able
and borrowing cars, for as little as to take your pick of cities, platforms
an hour. If your need is occasional like VRBO.com and Airbnb.com allow
use, RelayRides and Wheelz allow you to rent a room, a floor or a whole
you to rent by the hour from other individuals. If you property for as little as a day at
need a car all over town—or the country—on a fairly a time—all over the world.
frequent basis, it might make sense to invest in a
Zipcar membership.
Wedding Wear. The average price
of a wedding dress in the United States
Trucks. Even if you do own a car, is right around $1,100. This is for an
there come those times when you item of clothing you will probably
need something bigger to move never wear again! Men have rented
a piece of furniture or handle a wedding tuxedos for ages. Why not rent a dress, jewelry
gardening project. If you have a need or even threads for fancy, pre-wedding events like
for something smaller than a moving rehearsal dinners? RentTheRunway.com has a wedding
van, try Getaround—one of your neighbors might have boutique dedicated to these occasions.
a truck you can rent for less than $20 an hour.
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7. Luxury Clothes and Goods. Solar. Most homeowners assume
Celebrities go to black-tie events all they can’t afford to pay for pricey
the time, and even they borrow their panels, so they dismiss the concept
clothes, shoes and accessories. If you of going solar as a nice, but unrealistic,
only go to a couple such functions idea. Here’s some myth-busting: solar
every year, renting your fashion makes power service companies like Sunrun
sense—especially since you probably won’t want to repeat. will install and maintain solar panels on your home for
Sites like RentTheRunway.com (apparel and accessories) little to no upfront fee. You pay them for energy, but the
and BagBorrowORSteal.com (handbags, shoes and other rate is cheaper than traditional utility rates.
accessories) allow you to dress like the stars without
zapping your bank account or cluttering your closet
with things you won’t wear again. Tools. How often will you use a floor
sander, or even a power drill? If you
are working around the house, but
Bikes. An increasing number of cities need an expensive tool for a one-off
have municipal bike-rental programs project, check out Neighborgoods.net
that let you just pick up and drop off or ask your home improvement store
bikes as you need to, all over town. to see if they have a tool rental counter. Contractors also
Even if your town (or the town you’re often rent tools they don’t use regularly, so even many
visiting) doesn’t have a city-run program, just Google traditional stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s offer tool
“bike rental” and the name of the town you’re visiting. rental programs you can take advantage of.
Most major cities have a number of hotels and other
companies that will rent you a bike for an hour or a week.
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8. the thinking person’s guide to making smart
disownership decisions
Disownership is freeing. To some, it’s a lifestyle choice Here are some best practices for making wise
that makes a value statement: that owning stuff is less disownership decisions:
important than relationships and experiences. But it’s
also just plain smart. As a practice, choosing to rent, 1. DECIDE WHAT MATTERS THE MOST.
borrow, lease or otherwise access things you don’t need
to own is efficient, eco-friendly and saves time, money Get clear on your values and get real about how much
and energy. you really will use something before you buy it. Cultivate
clarity on what your “why” is for wanting the item and
That said, disownership reflects a shift away from stay focused on that throughout your decision-making
the status quo, a change in direction from the era of process. On the flip side, stay clear about your priorities
Conspicuous Consumption. So, while all of us know how and the experiences you can fund (from vacations to debt
to buy and sell stuff, many of us don’t know the ins and elimination) with the savings from disownership.
outs of navigating the access economy and participating
in disownership while protecting our own interests. 2. DON’T BE SO EMOTIONAL.
Or rather, don’t let emotions drive your decision. Over
the ages, the rush of acquiring and possessing things
has become a primal, addictive force. In real estate they
call it: “pride of ownership.” But in fact, the freedom of
disownership can be more powerful than the possessive
emotions we have about our belongings. Having the time
and money for life-defining experiences freed up by the
things we disown can be a much bigger rush than holding
the title to a car.
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9. 3. GIVE TCOs THE TKO. 5. DON’T HOLD BACK AT Q+A TIME.
Take TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) into account when Ask every question—and then ask a few more! Most
deciding whether to disown or buy something. TCO likely disownership platforms, apps and marketplaces offer
includes taxes, time and financial cost of maintenance, a Frequently Asked Question section that can address
and costs for storing, insuring and repairing items. These most common questions and issues. Beyond that, though,
are all costs that disownership removes in a TKO (Total ask the individual or corporate owner of the items you
Knock Out) kind of way. hope to disown every single question you have, before
you decide to disown, even if those questions are specific
4. KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GETTING INTO. to your personal fact scenario, trip or home.
Read the agreement/terms of use carefully to look for:
As anything from “what happens if you sell your home
– Limitations on the use of whatever it is you with a solar power service agreement on it?” to “What’s
are borrowing the best way to get to your disowned house from the
– Payments, deposits and other financial terms airport?” to “Is it okay to take long-distance trips in your
– Support/help resources dis-owned car?” If you wonder, ask.
– Problem resolution
Make sure you understand what help is available if the 6. GET YOUR EBERT ON.
product or system you are disowning breaks down or Write reviews. Good ones, meaning thorough. Don’t
turns out not to be what you expected. Also, be sure you write glowing reviews over a mediocre experience. Be
understand what the complaint and dispute resolution honest. If something was average, say so. It helps future
policy is in the event a disagreement arises with the owner. disowners know whether the product will be a good fit for
their needs. It also helps owners know how to improve.
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10. how to be a
smart disowner
YOUR DISOWNER PROFILE MATTERS.
Fill it out completely. Disownership doesn’t happen without trust, and the quickest way to
help owners know you are trustworthy is to tell them about yourself. Include your photo
and connect your social media profiles. If you’re renting a house for a vacation with your
family or a work trip, let owners know who you’re traveling with, and why.
People are more comfortable engaging in the transaction when they know the person on
the other end is a fully-formed human being.
UNDERSTAND YOUR RIGHTS—AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
To access and use a car, solar panels or power tools safely and smartly requires a
complete legal contract articulating the various parties’ rights and responsibilities. Whether
this contract is on paper or online, it is legally binding, so read it and know it. Make sure
you understand who is responsible for maintaining the items, what happens in cases of
malfunctions or disputes, and what costs and deposits you are responsible for—at all
points of the transaction.
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11. CLARITY IS GOLDEN.
“Close to Downtown” might mean 5-minute walk to one person and a 15-minute car ride
to another. A solar system might stop saving you money if you increase the energy you
use once you have it installed. Review notes, descriptions, user guides, comments by
reviewers and maps carefully during your decision-making process. Make sure you have
a clear understanding of what you can expect—and what is expected of you.
CALENDAR FOR COLLABORATION.
Disownership requires collaboration. You will usually need to meet with an owner at the
top and the bottom of the transaction, to pick up keys, have goods delivered or installed
or drop off tools. Make sure you have time in your schedule for this. They will likely
have helpful tips and answers to your questions that you might miss out on if you are
distracted by a ticking clock or looming deadline.
TAKE CARE.
You may not be responsible for the maintenance of what you borrow, but you are
responsible for its careful use. You’ll want to use what you are borrowing with as much
care as you would if it were your own. That means keeping a power tool well-oiled, your
rental home locked up when you’re out, or your borrowed bike secured in a safe place.
By being a good steward of the objects you rent, lease or borrow, you maximize the use
you get out of them, while registering some deposits in your own karmic accounts.
The People’s Guide to Disownership (the Guide) is not intended to be and does not constitute financial or investment advice. The
products and services recommended in this Guide may not be available to, or suitable for, everyone, and may change. Nothing
contained in this Guide shall constitute the provision of investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any product or services.
Independent professional advice, including tax advice, should be sought before making a financial or investment decision.