BUD's Toys - Policies & Terms

Membership Policies

Fees
Membership is available on an annual basis. The current non-refundable, non-transferrable membership fees are: $10 per family/$8 concession (health care card holders)/$5 seniors and grandparents and $20 groups such as family day carers, schools, pre-schools and playgroups.

Membership forms
Membership forms can be completed and submitted online at www.bssn.org.au/budstoys/ or by calling the co-ordinator on 6655 2650. For your convenience, there is a designated computer with free internet access at each of our agencies, with BUD’s Toys members having priority of use.

Your membership will only become active once payment is made. Once you have signed up you will then be required to pay your membership fees in person at your preferred agency. Our agencies will accept cash/cheque/money orders.

Toy Loans
After your payment has been processed you will receive your login details allowing you to access the toy database and make bookings. A full colour catalogue and price list is available by clicking on the 'check out our toys' link on the website homepage. There will also be a hard copy of the catalogue at each of the BUD’s Toys agencies’ for your perusal. If you are unable to place an order online you may call and place orders with the BUD’s Toys co-ordinator on 6655 2650.

The following general conditions apply when borrowing BUD’s Toys:

* Cut off for toy hire is at midnight each Sunday.

* Toys will be despatched to the agencies each Monday for pick up.  They are not guaranteed to arrive at the respective agencies until 1:30pm depending on the transport method used.

* Toys may be ordered at any time during the week prior to despatch, making them available on a first in, first served basis.

*  Toys may be borrowed for either 2 weeks or 4 weeks per item.   Toys may be reborrowed if this is arranged by phone or email with the coordinator PRIOR to the date the toys are due to be returned. The extention fee must be paid before the renewal is granted.

*  A maximum of 20 items out at any time per membership applies.

* Toys must be returned by the due date or late fees will apply.

*  Toys may be returned before the due date and other toys borrowed if required, keeping in mind that no refund shall be given on unused time.

* If a toy is not collected within 5 working days of the booked date, we will cancel the booking and return the toy to circulation. If this occurs with a particular member frequently the toy library reserves the right to suspend borrowing rights.

* Borrowing fees will be calculated based on the value of each toy and their expected lifespan. Toy hire ranges in price depending on the purchase price and expected life of each item as outlined in the online catalogue.

* Toys may not be taken from the pickup agency until payment is made.

* Our agencies have limited space for toy storage so we ask that you try to pick up toys from the agencies on the day they are delivered. This also maximises the amount of time your children can play with the toys you have hired.

* Loan time will begin from the time toys are delivered to the agencies, not from time of pick-up by the borrower.

Please note: BUD’s Toys have been categorised into a variety of broad age ranges. This is intended as a guide only, to assist parents when searching the database to find suitable toys for their children. However, it remains the parent or carer's full responsibility to read the instruction/supplied information when they arrive to pick up their toys to ensure the toy is appropriate for the age of their children. For example you may have a child who is 4 and select a toy from the 3-6 age range, however this toy may only be suitable for 6 year olds. It is important that your children only play with BUD's Toys when under constant, competent adult supervision.

Cleaning of Toys
Please ensure that toys are returned clean and dry. Borrowers are advised to try to clean/disinfect toys the night before they are returned and then put them out of reach of children.

We offer the following cleaning suggestions:

> Please use a clean cloth with hot water and an appropriate cleaning product or disinfectant to thoroughly wipe down toys.
> Hot soapy water and a toothbrush can be used to get into the difficult to reach nooks & crannies of some toys.
> Please do not soak toys.
> If your child has had any illness during toy loans please disinfect them thoroughly before returning them.

Appropriate Use

Toys borrowed must be used in accordance with the purpose for which they were intended, by children of an appropriate age and level of understanding, and with adequate supervision.

Additional Information/Fees
Please note: All prices include GST.

Late fees
Toys that are not returned by the due date will accrue a fine. This shall be equivalent to the booking fee plus an additional 50%, and will be calculated on a daily basis. For example, a $5 per fortnight loan will accrue a fine of 75 cents per day that it is overdue or $3.75 per week(based on 10 working days per fornight for ease of calculation).

Broken toys
For safety reasons please do not try to repair broken toys, but report all breakages to the coordinator. The toy library coordinator will then ascertain if damage occurred due to inappropriate use, normal wear and tear, manufacturing faults or during transit. If the damage is considered to have resulted from inappropriate use and is also unsafe to repair then the borrower will be given the opportunity to replace the broken toy/part (ensuring the replacement is the same as the damaged item or a similar substitute agreed to by the toy library coordinator). Second hand items are acceptable replacements as long as they are clean and in good working order. If the borrower cannot find an appropriate replacement then they will be liable to pay the following fees:

$3 per item for small missing pieces that do not render the toy completely unsuitable for play (for example small play animals, people, vehicles, blocks, beads, board game pieces, cards, pretend food items, doll furniture, beads, small balls, small gardening/cooking implements etc).
Full ‘new for old’ replacement cost of the entire toy or larger missing pieces (for example soccer balls, raquets, CDs, instruments, puppets, dolls, larger gardening/cooking implements or other components etc).
Full ‘new for old’ replacement cost of any puzzles with missing pieces.

Missing pieces
All toys with pieces will be weighed/counted before despatch and upon being returned to the toy storage shed. If a toy is returned with missing pieces the borrower must pay for any replacement parts as outlined above. In the interest of fairness, BUD's Toys will put the toy aside for one fortnight to give the borrower time to find the missing pieces, but you will be unable to borrow any other toys until either the fees are paid or the pieces are returned.

Dirty toys
If a toy is returned in a dirty state a cleaning charge of $2 per small item, $4 for medium items and $6 per large item will apply.

Puzzles
Please ensure all board puzzles are returned finished so they can be seen complete.

Battery Operated Toys
As indicated in the catalogue, some toys with electronic components require batteries to operate. When borrowing these toys it is the responsibility of borrowers to supply their own batteries and also to remove them before returning the item to the toy library, to avoid damage to toys from corrosion.

BUD's Toys guarantees that we will not sell, pass on or use personal information as supplied in the BUD's Toys membership form for any purposes other than the operation of the toy library.

Attention Children: We request that you ask your parents for permission before you fill out the application for membership form and before making any toy bookings online.

Attention Parents: Please monitor your children whilst they are browsing the BUD’s Toys website to ensure they do not inadvertently sign up for membership or book toys without permission.

BUD's Toys reserves the right to change it's terms, policies and membership/borrowing rates at any time.