The right to repair had to be won in the UK through a series of laws and regulations to ensure that electronics and other electric devices would last longer by replacing older or broken parts with new ones that renew the device’s full functionality. These laws place the obligation on manufacturers to provide repair professionals, and even in some cases end users, with manuals and directions on how to perform diagnostics on devices and replace parts.
The laws also mandate that the manufacturer make the spare parts and necessary repair tools available.
Through these laws, UK consumers got to make their smartphones, tablets, and other devices last longer, even if the battery dies or the screen is cracked due to an accidental drop. All you need to do is visit a repair shop, get the broken part replaced, and your device is now as good as new.
With this set of laws, the tech market made a huge leap in terms of both environmental and economic sustainability by allowing devices to be in use for a longer period of time and creating a whole new market with a new set of job opportunities for repair and replacement parts.
However, there comes a point in a device’s lifecycle where the cost of repairing it exceeds the cost of replacing it, and that’s what the aware tech-consumer realizes, and it enables them to save more money than others.
In 2026, the right to repair is a guarantee, but the more important question, financially, becomes: should it be fixed?
Next to the Right to Repair, we’re looking at the Right to Save in this post.
The £200 Rule: The Financial Break-Even Point
To make an informed decision whether to repair your smartphone or replace it, you need to understand the market dynamics from a value point of view. While the prices of replacement parts remain the same, a mobile phone’s prices decrease by 50% only one year post its launch.
Let’s examine the iPhone 14 as an example. In 2026, if you have an iPhone 14 that needs battery and screen replacements, that’s over £350 in repair costs. Considering that the excellent-condition refurbished iPhone 14 costs less than £500, comes with a fresh battery (or at least 80% battery health), and a flawless screen, buying the refurbished iPhone 14 would be a more financially sound decision than repairing the old one.
In a nutshell, your repair quota should be at 50% of the original price you paid for the device. Any repair costs higher than 50% turns your Right to Repair into a Right to Overpay!
Even if you try to “reduce” repair costs by only fixing a screen, for example, and ignore the dying battery or failing processor, you’d be only delaying the inevitable, not saving money. A time will come when you have to face and resolve the other issues, and until it comes, you’ll be dealing with a lagging phone and a 2-hour battery life. This is why it would be easier to solve all issues head-on with a replacement device at a lower cost.
The “Hidden Damage” Factor
If you’re seeking repair services for your device due to a drop, most repair services will address only the parts you request repairs for. This means that you either have to have the knowledge of what has been internally damaged within your mobile phone, or the internal damage will go unaddressed.
So, if you only see a cracked screen and go to a repair centre to ask for a screen replacement, they will not test the phone to make sure that there are no microfractures in the logic board or battery fatigue that may affect the mobile’s performance later.
If you decide to replace your damaged unit with a pristine refurbished one, on the other hand, you can rest assured that the refurbisher checks the refurbished unit inside and out, ensuring the optimum performance from all parts with a warranty protection as well. The only condition to guarantee that, however, is to choose a reliable, trustworthy refurbisher that takes responsibility for the mobile’s performance and the health of its internal parts.
Future-Proofing: The 2026 Reliability Audit
According to the Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation, as of June 2025, all smartphone and other electronics manufacturers are mandated to display a repairability score on every product’s box. This score is usually determined based on several factors, including the availability of the tools, spare parts, and the depth of disassembly required for the repair.
A good way to determine whether to repair a smartphone or replace it with its refurbished twin is to find out the device’s repairability score. If the score is below 5/10, any repair would be considered a temporary fix that will later reappear in the form of secondary failures.
This is not to say that you should abandon the Circular Economy altogether, but to opt for another angle of this economy when necessary. This is what the refurbished market exists for: to give already-existing devices a second life.
The Warranty Gap: System Integrity vs. Quick Fixes
There is a difference in the warranty systems for repair services vs. refurbished smartphones. When you get your mobile phone repaired with a replacement part, the industry’s standard is to give you a 30-90 days of warranty on this specific part and the part alone.
This means that if the part starts to fail one day post the limited warranty, or another part is failing within this duration, the repair centre won’t be able to help you. In other words, you spent the repair cost and the replacement part price for an additional 1-3 months of life for your mobile.
Opting for the refurbished version of the same model, in this case, gives you the benefit of a new 12-month warranty over the entire device. This warranty would protect your mobile’s performance asa whole, not just one part or component.
Additionally, with a screen replacement, you run the risk of defective sensors in the panel, and you would be later surprised that the FaceID or TrueTone is not working. Professional refurbishers, on the other hand, such as QwikFone, run a multi-point check that covers all refurbished phones’ functionalities, parts, and sensors. According to this thorough diagnostic, the phone is graded and given a clear description by the seller so that you know what to expect when buying the device and know exactly what you’re paying for.
Conclusion: The Smart Choice for 2026
When it comes to electronics, and specifically smartphones, the Right to Repair is meant to give the users freedom, save the environment, and create another layer to the Circular Economy. The Right to Save, however, is about having the wisdom to decide when repair would cost you more money.
You have another option within the Circular Economy itself to save money without abandoning the environmental ethics of the matter through refurbished mobiles. Start practicing that right now, and remember to choose a refurbisher that supports your rights to a healthy device at a reasonable price, like QwikFone.
