How It Works

LETS explain
North London LETS is an opportunity to place your skills in the community, whilst receiving skills from others. It's also an opportunity to teach, learn, make friends and create a better, warmer environment to live in. North London LETS is a place where you can get services like a babysitter, an electrician, a dog walker and a gardener, all for nothing. Well not quite, because you also have to participate by offering your own skills to others.
For example, if Maria who lives in N17 needs a baby-sitter she can ring Jim who has brought up a family of his own (and handily lives just three streets away). When Jim needs a haircut he calls Asif who used to work in a barbers and when Asif, who doesn't like heights, wants to completely re-do his kitchen he picks up the phone to Alison who has just finished an interior design course at her local college. And so on... North London LETS is not a barter system. You don't have to do something for a person just because they have done something for you. Pledges that you have earned can be spent on anything in the directory that tickles your fancy. Just think, all those jobs that need doing but which the money isn't there for, can now be done.
As long as we have some time, we can do anything.

LETS get down to business
To take part, you first have to fill in the Membership Form. If you have trouble thinking of what to offer then the INSPIRATION LIST will help. Many people fail to recognise some of their own skills as such and fail to write them down, so take your time with this.
Once you have handed in the Membership Form, you will receive a LETS DIRECTORY and your ACCOUNT will be set up.

Another good thing about North London LETS is that you don't have to earn Pledges before you spend them. Because all the accounts add up to zero, some accounts have to be in debit for the system to work. So don't feel bad if your account is in debit; it is not a bad thing.
Also, don't worry if people aren't phoning you up, wanting your services, as you can look in the wants section to see if anyone is looking for your skills and earn some Pledges that way.
When you do get people phoning, wanting your work, you can refuse the job for whatever reason and likewise, if you are offering, the other person may refuse you doing the job for them.
Negotiation is the key word. Once the job is done, your customer will carry out a pledge transaction in the membership area of the website, or alternatively give you a pledge cheque that you will need to send to the office so that your account may be updated. You may find a mutual timesheet (downloadable from the members' area) a useful interim record of the exchange if it is not possible for your customer to get to the computer immediately.
As a member, you will receive a newsletter filled with news stories, ideas and social events plus a regularly updated directory and account balances.

LETS see what I can get
The real question what can't I get.
North London LETS can offer nearly everything. Shopping, domestic help, cooking, building repairs, gardening, painting and decorating, childcare, learning a language, photography or a musical instrument. The list can go on and on. North London LETS can also help you to make friends and find people with similar interests and hobbies, as well as learning and experiencing new ones.
On top of all this, one of the major things that you get from North London LETS is knowing that you are helping to strengthen the community and making it a better place to live in. North London LETS won't end the ills of the World but it's a step in the right direction. And who knows the power of dreams? When we all share the same dream, reality is created:
Dreams can come true!