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It's here! The long awaited financial incentive program where the Berlin Senate pays you back for choosing to repair your electronics! Repair Circle wants to make it easy for you to make Repair your FIRST choice. Here's what you need to know:
What: Receive money back from the repair of electronics and appliances When: From the 17th of September until December 31, 2024 (*An extension is possible beyond this year, but we don't have confirmation yet.) Where: At Berlin repair shops or repair cafes
Who: Private residents eligible
Why: Repair of what we own is one of the most promising ways to save money, conserve resources, and build more resilient and circular communities
IMPORTANT:
PAYMENT: You have to pay with a credit card or pay via bank transfer in order to document the payment and get reimbursed afterwards.
STATUS: You must show your official "Anmeldung" registration of Berlin residency to receive the bonus.
FREQUENCY: One bonus per person per year so far, and we hope to see the program continue into 2025. FORM: Here is a link to ReparaturBonus for reimbursement for electronic repairs completed after September 17th.
If you've been waiting - the Berlin Repair Bonus program is up and running!
Here are the key details of the bonus, as well as a few expert tips from us:
What?
The bonus is focused on just about anything you can plug in or charge, which is great. Here is a link to the list of eligible devices.
How much? The reimbursement works in two different ways depending on where you take your item for repair: For those opting to go to a professional repair shop, half of the repair costs will be covered for invoices that cost at least 75 euros. If you visit a repair cafe, you could get 100% of the costs for spare parts covered, as long the parts cost more than 25 euros*. These cafes work on a voluntary basis as clubs, and therefore you should still make a donation to the cafe for the time that was spent helping you and to support the space where they operate in your neighborhood. This donation is not reimbursed.
*We'd like to raise some concerns we have with this, because Repair Circle believes that the Senate could support and respect Berlin's wonderful network of repair cafes better through donations to help them continue their valuable volunteer work.
Here's why we believe the current Bonus setup fails the cafes:
It's not at all common to order spare parts through a repair cafe, so the "100% reimbursement" has many Berliners feeling confused.
The cafes could use funds to keep operating, so some donations to each location, perhaps based on the average number of repairs they complete monthly, would be more helpful.
The communication around these cafes hasn't been as clear as it could be since the launch of the bonus.
Repair Circle would love to see direct financial support to Berlin Repair Cafes as part of the Berlin Repair Bonus, as a small "danke" for their dedication to community repair.
We'll see if something changes in 2025, but repair cafes can still be a highly affordable, convenient and FUN option to fix your devices. You can find a list of cafes and their operating times HERE. Note: Some require sign-up before you attend.
Can't decide? We're happy to help The choice is yours, and Repair Circle is happy to help you find the option that is most convenient and suits your needs. Simply fill out the form on our homepage and we'll be in touch.
Pro Tips
Not sure what’s wrong with your device? Let us support you in finding a diagnosis ahead of seeking a repair. Once you’re clear on the problem, it’s much easier to compare options and find the repair choice that’s perfect for you.
Send us a short video of your issue. It REALLY helps us diagnose the problem and find the right repair shop. Sometimes we can even find spare parts locally, giving you significant cost savings. Upload those strange sounds or that shattered screen when you fill out this form. (You’ll be prompted, have it ready. Or email it to us later if necessary.)
Have a business with electronics in need of repair? Repair Circle offers business support for finding the best options to lengthen the life of your devices and find the most sustainable way to manage ageing IT. All of this comes complete with impact measurement that you can pack directly into your own sustainability reports.
Repair for everyone:
Even if you're not the business owner, but want to help your company or organization promote sustainable and circular habits in the workplace, we can help. Everyone is welcome to get in touch with us to find out how repairs can be a quick and easy way to make the business you care about greener!
Let's slow the flow of electronic waste together and make repair the norm again!
If you have any trouble during the Repair Bonus process, we’re here to help! You can always contact us via our website under “Get Repair Options” for a specific repair, or you can write to us with more general questions via info@repaircircle.eu Note: *Some of these details may change as the program is rolled out. It’s new for Berlin, so please be patient with the process! Keep an eye on our social media channels and our website and we’ll be sure to update you with any changes. We’re a young startup, working hard to Make Repair the Norm Again.
As we grow, we’re grateful to hear your feedback so that we can continue developing our services until repair of electronics is JUST AS EASY as buying new.
Send feedback to us at: info@repaircircle.eu
Help us help your neighbors
Do you have experience with a repair shop in Berlin that you would recommend? If so, we’d love to hear about it.
Please send your praise to us : info@repaircircle.eu
Please let us know:
Name or address of the shop
What you had repaired
Why you would recommend this shop to others
Repair Circle is expanding its network of skilled and reliable repair technicians across Berlin and we’re always happy to get to know new people and support small businesses across the city. Get the step by step guide to get the repair bonus here
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