Startup that allows users to rent home furnishings launches in UK
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March 28, 2022
Homebound, a startup that allows users to rent their home furnishings – from sofas and chairs to side tables, home office furniture and even beds – rather than buy them, has launched in the UK.
Recently featured on BBC Radio 4’s consumer programme You & Yours, Homebound was founded by London-based Bradley Hornby and Oscar Lie. Homebound solves the problem of finding stylish home furnishings when you’re feeling the cost of living pinch, as many people are. It costs on average £4,000 to furnish a one-bedroom flat with quality furniture: at Homebound, you can start renting all your furniture for a one-bedroom flat from as little as £127 a month.
Homebound has tapped into two current trends: the growing interest in keeping things out of landfill and looking after the planet, and using online platforms and apps to rent items rather than buy them on websites – like Airbnb and the growing number of clothing rental and car-sharing apps out there.
With Homebound, you can furnish new spaces without the hassle of moving, selling or disposing of your old furniture. And if your living situation or tastes change, Homebound picks up the items you don’t want and delivers new ones that work for you.
“I’ve personally rented accommodation across London for many years, I found quality furniture is highly expensive and with the uncertainty of your next move, the only real option is fast furniture, which has massively negative impacts on the environment”, says Homebound Co-Founder Bradley Hornby.
“Homebound’s key mission is reducing the dependency on fast furniture and keeping furniture in homes and out of landfills. We aim to save 302,000 tons of furniture from landfill by 2026.”
Homebound partners with a number of furniture retailers who list their items on the site for people to rent rather than buy. One of these partners is Swyft, a stylish home furnishing retailer.
“Swyft is always looking at ways that we can limit our impact. With that in mind, Homebound was the obvious choice of partner who can serve consumers that don’t want the commitment of owning a sofa but still want a beautiful home”, says Keiran Hewkin, Swyft CEO and Founder.
