A majority of english people estimate that their spending power has decreased over the last year. Zilok is a great way to soften this blow: you win with little effort and no investment!

If you have young children, then you most certainly had to buy a stroller, a baby-bottle heater and lots of other nursery materials besides. Now that your child is getting around and feeding themselves, you can profit by renting your equipment to other young parents.

On Zilok, everything is for rent : you can offer sports equipment that your children are fast growing out of and you have to always replace. Your rentals will quickly pay back what you need to replace your used goods.

Sports equipment rental between individuals

Team sports rental

Here it is ! The new version of Zilok is online ! As you can see, our team made some modifications to the search function and the registration of items for rent.

In addition to the new design, the structure of the various categories has been reworked from the inside out so that each user can more quickly and easily find the item they are looking for.

We put a lot of time into this overhaul, so be sure to get in touch with your comments and feedback, and especially regarding any bugs that crop up ! Thank you everyone in advance.

Originally separated into 12 categories, the items for rent are now available in 8 themed sections:

• Auto
• Tools
• Party
• Electronics
• Leisure
• Luxury
• At Home
• Vacation

Live today, Zilok's new search engine is showing results for your requests faster than ever. After the recent makeover of our booking system, we now turn another important page in Zilok's development: an optimized search engine.

We asked our community what would improve the search experience on Zilok. The responses were quite uniform: less map (sometimes confusing), more speed, and more filtering options. That's pretty much what you'll get today when you run a search on Zilok.

The filtering options allow you to:

• Narrow down your search very quickly by selecting the exact category of rentals you are looking for,
• View rentals with photos only,
• Search rentals from individual members only, or from rental businesses only,
• Select a daily rental price range that suits your budget,
• Automatically zoom in or out by choosing how far you are willing to collect the rental.

As you filter your search, results will update instantly.

The number of rentals available on Zilok has been increasing rapidly in the last few months, somewhat slowing down the system. The added speed comes very handy to help our users find what they need in a few seconds.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the redesign, we are very proud of this new search engine that has made searching rentals on Zilok faster and more convenient than ever. Let us know what you think of it!

Zilok has changed its booking system to make it easier for all its member to rent online! No more missed requests or expired bookings.

The Zilok team is happy to announce its new rental booking process:

• Owners and renters brought even closer together!
• No more waiting! Once a booking request is made, the renter can contact the owner to verify the item is available and make arrangements for pick up!

Search -> Book -> Call -> Arrange Pick up: Now all within 5 minutes!
Zilok still follows you all the way, only giving you more freedom and agility.

Click here to try the new interface!

Zilok has just established a new partnership with www.LondonAmigo.com to help newcomers find everything else they need in Town. You already know you can hire anything you need on Zilok, but if it's practical advice you need, go to LondonAmigo.com!

LondonAmigo is an internet portal for people moving to London.

You will find tips and links on accommodation, housing, legal matters, transport, jobs, courses, schools, health, sight seeing, leisure, banking, eating out, events and, of course, shopping. Have a look at their Survival Guide and find out for yourself!

It offers all the necessary information for newcomers, helping you with your move, settling down and integrating into the new community. The information is free to access and is available in English, Spanish and Turkish.

So if you're new to london, hire everything you need on Zilok, and go to our new partner londonAmigo for everything else!

The Sun's Columnists mentioned Zilok in The Sun's "The Whip" this April 2nd, telling readers how "(...)an online rental marketplace was boasting how it could make you safe travelling through the capital."

The Sun mentioned Zilok and the Helmets and Stilts its community members offer for hire to Londoners wishing to travel in town during the G20.

"Zilok UK offered a “wide selection of helmets” for a mere £5 a day.
"Stilts to take you above the rioters for a tenner and — for really famous bankers — a Batman mask to disguise your greedy mug."

No doubt, you can rent ANYTHING on Zilok, whatever the occasion may be!

To read the full story, click here.

Tom Morris and William Wright from the Drivetime Show discussed what they might want to rent from each other, and how Zilok can help you cash in on anything and everything you have laying around your house. Listen in!

BBC Radio Lincolnshire Drivetime Show interviewed Joana Picq, Zilok UK General Manager, as they explained to their listeners how they can turn their belongings into money makers by renting them online!

William and Tom started off discussing the various things one might need on occasion and the other might have at home, such as fondue sets and party clothes, then asked Joana about the weirdest items posted on Zilok, and whether people only rent from close neighbours.

William also wondered about the new dynamics of renting out personal items, such as clothes, and pointed out how useful it can be to hire baby equipment from each other, especially when travelling.

Want to hear the full interview? Listen in!

London, April 1st 2009 - If the images of today's riots got you worried about getting to work or circulating around London tomorrow, Worry no more! The Zilok community is here to help you.

A website where people can rent anything to and from anyone can help you bypass the G20 protests and make sure you keep your job while you still have it!

To make sure you can safely get from A to B within London during the G20, Zilok.co.uk offers a wide selection of helmets across town, for just £5 a day.
Ladies who want to protect their heads in Style can even choose from more fashionable models such as this Hello Kitty design in West London:

If you are a bit too claustrophobic for helmets, or just curious to see the protests, you may also hire Stilts for only £10, right in the centre of town:

However, if you happen to be a recently famous banker, Zilok highly recommends renting a Batman Mask if you really must travel within London this week...

And if you decide to stay home after all, how about making a few quid renting your helmet, stilts, masks or anything else online?
Here is your opportunity to make money renting things you own that can help people walk safely in London during this week's protest! Don't miss out!

About Zilok
Zilok is an online rental marketplace where you can rent anything and everything to and from anyone, both individuals and businesses. Zilok’s mission is to support and develop peer-to-peer renting as a new, sustainable and community-driven way of consumption. Zilok.com went live in the UK in Spring 2008, and is the World's largest online rental marketplace, with operations in the USA, UK, France, Netherlands and Belgium. Zilok.com was elected the best European Startup by the Plugg Startup Rally 2008 audience, won the Startup 2.0 Challenge, and was awarded Site of the Week and selected in the Top 100 2008 Websites by PC Magazine. Zilok is a member of the European Rental Association and Hire Association Europe.

Press Contact - Joana Picq - 02032866101

Joana Picq, General Manager of Zilok UK, was interviewed by Rachel Horne on Chris Evan's show, the Drivetime Programme, BBC radio 2's Number 1 show in the UK.

Rachel quickly presented Zilok and how it can help all listeners make money renting things out, as well as save money renting things in.

She then asked Joana what were the most popular items, how the hand-over works between members, and how owners could get refunded in case items were damaged by renters.

Last but not least, they talked about average earnings on Zilok, and how some members are making almost £300 amonth renting things online!

To listen to the interview, go to 1h25min10sec on Chris Evan's show recorded.

Sean Gourley of YouNoodle predicted, mathematically, that Zilok will become the next Google. The numbers do not lie. Neither does Sean...

Sean's webiste, YouNoodle, uses savvy technology and takes over 24 factors to calculate an online start-up's potential to become the next big thing.

Watch the Interview on NBC, with BBC's tech reporter Maggie Shiels:

Zilok is very proud to announce it has been approuved as member of the Hire Association Europe, consisting of 1.000 members, from tool and equipment to audio visual, catering, inflatable, marquee and portable sanitation hire sectors.

Hire Association Europe: protecting, developing, supporting and promoting the Hire and Rental Industry for the benefit of its members and their customers.

As the most recent HAE member, Zilok will follow guidance and use the association's support to improve industry standards and increase awareness of the benefits of hire & rental to end users.

To learn more about Hire Association Europe, visit their site.

Christopher Middleton recently wrote about Zilok and the growing popularity of online renting. The article, entitled "Homeware for hire", features four proud Zilok members in Greater London sharing their renting experience: Mayya, Jimmy, Chris and Corin

Jimmy Mattrel and Mayya Layt from maida vale, London, were interviewed by the Sunday telegraph following a rental transaction, in which Mayya was the happy renter and Jimmy the £10 richer owner of a fondue set posted on Zilok.
"Now where, you might ask, could you possibly find someone who (a) was the proud owner of a stainless steel cheese-melting device plus pronging forks, and (b) was prepared to let it out on hire? The answer is Zilok, a website designed to put people renting things out, in touch with people in their neighbourhood who want to rent them.

Jimmy also told Christopher about testing an iPhone on Zilok before making a decision to (not) buy one, and Mayya mentioned her experience making money online with her dresses and handbags.

Christopher also spoke to Chris and Corinne from Reading who told him how renting on Zilok can make life with small children more practical: "Chris and Corinne Waldie, from Reading, hired a two-seat stroller (£7) for a trip to London to see friends who, like them, have one small child. “Having the stroller meant we could fit both children into it, and it was great having just the one pram to push,” says Chris. “Now we’re hoping to earn a bit renting out all the things our son has grown out of: car seat, bath seat, you name it.”

Thanks again to our four supportive members for making time to speak to the journalist and helping others find out about the joys of online people-to-people renting!

Read the full article here.

London, March 10th 2009 - A new online marketplace, where people can rent out their useful property, is prospering in the UK as more people look to new ways to generate income in the tough economic climate.

Zilok allows people to rent anything to and from anyone, from video game consoles and digital cameras to DIY tools and handbags.

With unemployment almost tipping 2 million and a number of major employers putting staff on reduced hours and wages, www.zilok.co.uk is providing the opportunity to transform consumer goods into cash.

1,000 people are joining Zilok every month with a number of members on the site already making over £100 a month renting drills and game consoles alone.

Pioneered in France, the site aims to do for rentals what eBay did for direct person-to-person selling, only with the additional benefit of repeatedly cashing in on the same item, while still being able to use it.

Across its entire operation, Zilok has over 60,000 active members with over 250,000 items for hire and hosts almost 300,000 visitors every month across France, Netherlands, the US and the UK.

The most searched rental items today are:
* Game consoles
* Wedding/Gala dresses
* Baby Equipment
* Party/events items (lights, bouncy castles, etc)
* DIY tools
* Cameras

Gary Cige, co-founder and CEO of Zilok, said: "Because of the financial crisis, renting is becoming a popular way to make money using items that people already have sitting around the house. We have been overwhelmed by the interest in the site and renting is on the way to becoming the latest consumer-trend.

"Zilok allows people to easily set up a new business from the comfort of their own home and quickly start making money out of what they already own."

Joana Picq, Zilok’s UK Managing Director, said: “Items like Nintendo Wiis are becoming popular rental items, maybe because people are going out less but cannot afford the outlay for a brand new console. It’s a good opportunity for people who own one to start cashing in on it!”

Zilok attended the American Rental Show this week in Atlanta. Our team says they've had lots of interesting visits to their booth and we can expect to have even more partners posting exciting items on Zilok very soon. Stay tuned!

Make your garden party even more exciting this spring with Zilok and its partners. We have recently established a partnership with the British Inflatable Hirers Alliance (BIHA) to offer you more bouncy castles for hire!

Not sure what to do for your son’s birthday party? Thinking of something fun for the kids this spring? Looking for ways to make the next company event a bit more “fun”? Think no more, hire a bouncy castle!

If you own a bouncy castle and are renting it out on Zilok, we recommend you join the BIHA association today to start improving your bouncy castle business!
The BIHA welcomes new members from all aspects of hiring inflatables in the UK (also with a section for international hire companies), from weekend garden party hirers to Showmen and Corporate Event Hire companies. It was founded in December 2000 and has around 2,000 members. You might also want to join the BIHA discussion forum at the BIHA on its partner site: www.BouncyCastleOwner.com

Tim Bradshaw, writer for the Financial Times, recently wrote an article on Hire trade growth as consumers seek out value, and mentioned Zilok and its expansion to the UK, calling it an "innovative new model to emerge" during recession.

"The rental market is growing rapidly amid the downturn, as cash-strapped consumers search out costeffective substitutes for high-street spending."
"One innovative new model to emerge aims to do for rentals what Ebay did for direct person-to-person selling."
Tim goes on describing how Zilok is "accelerating its international expansion as it sees opportunity in the downturn", mentioning the ongoing increase in UK members, and some of the most searched items on Zilok.co.uk.

You can read the full article here.

Zilok has found a new online community that can help its london members get even more from each other! If you already enjoy renting to and from other londoners, why not also get hints and tips from them?

Zilok has recently partnered with beLondoner, a social network that allows Londoners to meet likeminded people, share interests and ideas, and find out what festivals, expos and other events are happening in Greater London every day.
Now you may not only rent from each other, but also share hints and tips on what to do and where to go in London!

beLondoner is a private social network accessible only by registered members aiming to establish a friendly, cosy and secure online social community for all londoners. Join in!

Rob Lewis wrote on the Money-Watch UK blog about how to earn money renting out your stuff on Zilok. He explained how the site works, and how it can eb helpful for your personal finances. Let's hear the expert!

\"For example, you might have some tools that you rarely use that may be of use to others for a weekend’s DIY, or you may wish to borrow a hedge trimmer for a couple of days to clear up a garden, but don’t want to pay as much as you would from a normal hire shop..\"
As Rob mentions, \"At the moment, there seems to be little coverage for items outside of the UK’s major cities, but given time this should improve if people find it a useful service.\". If we spread the word, we might just be able to rent wellies and camping tents at Glastonbury this summer!

You can read the full article here.

London, February 13th, 2009 – Did you really need another drill? Was there nothing more romantic than a smoothie maker? And does anyone really want to watch Sleepless in Seattle for the 14th time?

Couples across the UK exchange Millions of presents on February 14th each year, but not all of them have quite the desired effect...

Whether your girlfriend tried too hard, or your husband didn’t try hard enough, there is a new solution to your Valentine’s frustration: Rent your present online, make money out of it, and get what you REALLY wanted!

Turn that set of heart-shaped cushions into football tickets, and let your new Dyson buy you a day at the Spa on Zilok.co.uk, the new eBay for renting. Because nothing says “I love you” more than keeping your rubbish valentine’s present and making money out of it!

About Zilok
Zilok is an online rental marketplace where you can rent anything and everything to and from anyone, both individuals and businesses. Zilok’s mission is to support and develop peer-to-peer renting as a new, sustainable and community-driven way of consumption. Zilok.com went live in the UK in Spring 2008, and is the World\'s largest online rental marketplace, with operations in the USA, UK, France, Netherlands and Belgium. Zilok.com was elected the best European Startup by the Plugg Startup Rally 2008 audience, won the Startup 2.0 Challenge, and was awarded Site of the Week and selected in the Top 100 2008 Websites by PC Magazine. Zilok is a member of the European Rental Association.

Press Contact

Joana Picq
Mobile: 07530057536

London, January 27th, 2009 – 1.92 Million unemployed, one home repossessed every 10 minutes... Recession is here, and we can’t deny it. What we can do is find ways to get through it. Time to make use of everything you own: time to rent!

On Zilok.co.uk, you can rent anything and everything to or from anyone around you.

Zilok.co.uk is an online community platform that allows you to make money renting things you own to people near you. DIY tools, sewing machines, cameras, electronic devices, sports equipment, lawn mowers, game consoles, DVDs, furniture, handbags, clothes, costumes, projectors, strollers, books, vacation rentals… you can rent it all online. By the same token, you can save money renting anything from people near you; DIY tools to work on the house, a bicycle for your son who’s outgrown his, a fancy handbag for a special evening...

For those who aren’t very creative, or are anxious to find out how much money they could earn on Zilok to fight recession in the household, there is an online simulation tool. The rental income simulator takes you on a virtual tour of your house, you tick the objects you own, and it calculates your expected earnings per month if you were to rent them on zilok.co.uk.

A fast growing marketplace

Members are bringing new people to Zilok every day, widening the community and increasing both the demand for your rental items and the supply of things to rent for your needs. Beth from Reading agrees: “ I made £30 renting my lawn mower and my fancy handbag on Zilok last month. I'm definitely going to start posting more stuff on my profile!”. And so does Adam from Leeds: “ I wanted to take photos at my sister’s wedding, so I went looking on Zilok and I found the perfect small camera a couple of miles from my house for just £10! I can’t afford to buy much these days, so I’m glad I can rent things on Zilok when I need them.”

About Zilok.com

Zilok is your online rental marketplace where you can rent anything and everything to and from anyone, both individuals and businesses. Zilok’s mission is to support and develop peer-to-peer renting as a new, sustainable and community-driven way of consumption.

Zilok.com went live in the UK in Spring 2008, and is the World's largest online rental marketplace, with operations in the USA, UK, France, Netherlands and Belgium. Zilok.com was elected the best European Startup by the Plugg Startup Rally 2008 audience, won the Startup 2.0 Challenge, and was awarded Site of the Week and selected in the Top 100 2008 Websites by PC Magazine. Zilok is a member of the European Rental Association.

PR Contact: Joana Picq - 07530057536