Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions that matter before a first booking: payment, deposit, payout, cancellation, handover and damage.
How does Leihnachbar work?
Neighbours in Munich rent out equipment they own: rotary hammers, carpet cleaners, hand trucks, pressure washers. You find a device, request it for specific days, collect it in person once the contract is concluded, and bring it back. The rental contract is between you and the owner — Leihnachbar concludes it on the owner's behalf once they have confirmed availability — and Leihnachbar provides the platform, payment processing through Stripe and the documentation.
How does payment work?
Every payment runs through Stripe, never in cash. When you send a request you save your card; it is only charged once Leihnachbar has concluded the rental agreement on the owner's behalf — straight into the owner's Stripe account. If the owner does not confirm within 24 hours, nothing happens.
When is my card charged?
48 hours before the rental starts — until then you can cancel for free. If the rental starts within 48 hours, the card is charged as soon as the contract is concluded.
What does Leihnachbar cost?
The owner sets what they want to receive (payout). The rental price the renter sees is that amount plus a surcharge borne by the owner alone: 25 % of the payout at the base rate, down to 20 % when both sides are well rated. The surcharge covers the Stripe fee (expected 1.5 % + €0.25 for EU cards; if it is higher, the difference comes out of the commission, not your payout) and the Leihnachbar commission (including VAT); nothing is added for the renter. The rate follows both sides' track record in equal halves: each side's first successfully completed rental counts like a top rating, and from five reviews the average rating counts (3.0 or below: no reduction, 5.0: the full half). Example at the base rate: €36.00 payout → €8.07 commission + €0.93 Stripe fee = €45.00 rental price. The surcharge is at least €5.00 per booking; on small amounts the rental price rises accordingly, the payout is untouched. The rate shown at booking is the one that applies.
How does the deposit work?
If the owner sets a deposit, it is only reserved on your card at the handover, not charged — in favour of the owner's Stripe account. On longer rentals Leihnachbar renews the reservation through Stripe. After a clean return it is released at once. Only what you accept on a damage report, or what the review establishes, is captured; the rest is released with the capture. Until a review is complete the deposit stays reserved, normally at most 14 days after the report and 30 days after the return at the latest.
When does the owner get their money?
The rent goes straight into the owner's Stripe account when the card is charged; Leihnachbar holds no money. Stripe pays it out to the owner on its schedule. The rent is owed even where there is a dispute about damage — that is settled separately through the deposit.
What happens if I cancel?
As long as the rental contract has not been concluded, you can withdraw your request free of charge at any time. After that: cancelling is free up to 48 hours before the rental starts — a charge not yet made is not made, one already made is refunded in full. Less than 48 hours before the start you owe 25 per cent of the rental price; the remaining 75 per cent is refunded, the platform fee in the same proportion. If the owner cancels, everything is refunded. A deposit already reserved is released.
How does the handover work?
In person, at a time agreed in the chat, confirmed with a one-time code the owner shows the renter. The handover can only be confirmed once the rent is paid and any agreed deposit is reserved. The condition is documented with photos and the message thread serves as the record. The exact address only becomes visible after the contract is concluded, with the agreed appointment.
What happens if something breaks?
The owner reports the damage with photos and an amount when taking the device back. The renter can respond and submit their own evidence within five calendar days (at least three business days); silence does not count as acceptance. If they accept, the amount is captured from the reserved deposit. Otherwise Leihnachbar reviews the documented evidence. Until then the deposit stays reserved; only what the review establishes is captured, the rest is released. If no deposit was agreed or reserved, the report is only recorded; claims then — like anything beyond the deposit — remain between renter and owner.
What if the device comes back late?
After 24 hours of grace, each started day costs the device's daily rate, up to the amount of the deposit. The clock stops as soon as the renter declares the return — waiting for the owner to respond costs nothing.
Am I insured?
No. Leihnachbar is not an insurer and does not currently arrange rental insurance. The protection consists of the deposit, ID verification of renters from a booking value of €100, Stripe's verification of owners when they set up their account, the photo and chat record, and deposit claims being handled through the platform. For valuable equipment it is worth checking your own liability or equipment cover.
Do I need an account and ID?
Booking and listing both need an account with a confirmed email address, and owners also confirm a mobile number. Renters: above a total value of €100 including the deposit, an identity check through Stripe is required as well. Owners: you set up your own Stripe account, where the rent is paid; Stripe verifies your identity and bank account there, so there is no separate ID check at Leihnachbar. Your listing becomes visible once that account takes payments.
Where does Leihnachbar operate?
In Munich and the surrounding neighbourhoods. The equipment sits with neighbours, so distance decides: search sorts by proximity, and handovers happen in person.
What if nobody is offering what I need?
Post a Gesuch — a request. It describes what you need and when, and reaches neighbours who own such a device but have not listed it yet. Anyone who can offer it replies with an offer.