Finance Assets arranges business and site equipment finance for UK businesses buying IT and office equipment, point of sale systems, portable cabins, telehandlers, skips and bins, workshop equipment and holiday park units.
Business and site equipment finance spreads the cost of the equipment that runs your offices, shops, sites and yards over 2 to 5 years, so cash stays free for stock, staff and growth. This page sets out what we fund, how hire purchase and leasing compare, and links to a detailed guide for each type of equipment.
Written by Marcus Wright, founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, in financial services since 2008 and a commercial finance broker since 2019. Last reviewed October 2026.
On this page
The short version
- Business and site equipment finance covers office and technology equipment, retail and payment systems, site equipment, waste containers, workshop equipment and holiday park units.
- Hire purchase leads to ownership, while leases spread the VAT and suit equipment you replace every few years.
- Software, installation and set-up can usually go on the same agreement, up to a limit set by the lender.
- Hire fleets and operators can often add to their equipment under one facility as they grow.
- Finance Assets arranges business and site equipment finance for limited companies and LLPs, and for sole traders and partnerships on agreements over £25,000.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Equipment covered | IT, AV, print, office furniture, point of sale, pay and display, portable cabins, telehandlers, skips, wheelie bins, workshop equipment, holiday park units and satellite equipment |
| Terms | Usually 2 to 5 years, with 3 years common for IT and up to 7 years for lodges and modular buildings |
| Paid upfront | Hire purchase: often a 10% deposit plus VAT. Leases: usually 1 to 3 rentals in advance |
| New or used | Both, from makers, dealers, auctions and other businesses |
| Extras | Software, installation, cabling, groundworks and set-up can often be included |
| Who we help | Limited companies and LLPs, plus sole traders and partnerships on business agreements over £25,000 |
Business and site equipment finance guides
Each guide covers one type of equipment in detail, including the finance options that suit it and a worked example of the monthly cost.
- Audio-Visual and Broadcast Equipment FinanceAudio-visual and broadcast equipment finance for cameras, recording studios, editing suites, broadcast systems, lighting and LED screens.
- Body Shop Equipment FinanceBody shop equipment finance for accident repair centres and body shops. Hire purchase and leasing on spray booths, paint mixing, jigs, welders and ADAS calibration.
- Car Wash and Vehicle Cleaning Equipment FinanceCar wash and vehicle cleaning equipment finance for car wash operators, forecourts, fleets and valeters. Hire purchase and leasing on gantries, tunnels, jet wash bays and truck washes.
- Holiday Park Caravan and Lodge FinanceHoliday park caravan and lodge finance for park operators, letting businesses and glamping sites buying static caravans, lodges, pods and shepherd huts.
- IT Equipment FinanceIT equipment finance for laptops, desktop PCs, servers, mainframes, mid-range systems, networking, storage and scanners. Leasing and hire purchase for UK businesses.
- Laundry Equipment FinanceLaundry equipment finance for commercial laundries, launderettes, dry cleaners, hotels and care homes. Hire purchase and leasing on washer extractors, dryers, ironers and tunnel washers.
- Office Furniture and Fit-Out FinanceOffice furniture and fit-out finance for desks, seating, partitions, office fittings and shopfittings, on hire purchase, leasing or contract hire.
- Pay and Display Machine FinancePay and display machine finance for car park operators and landowners. Hire purchase and leasing for pay and display machines, parking meters, pay stations and ANPR.
- Point of Sale FinancePoint of sale finance for EPOS systems, tills, card terminals, self-service kiosks and barcoding equipment. Hire purchase and leasing for UK businesses.
- Portable Cabin and Modular Building FinancePortable cabin and modular building finance for welfare units, site offices, shipping containers and relocatable modular buildings. Hire purchase and leasing for contractors and hire fleets.
- Print and Imaging Equipment FinancePrint and imaging equipment finance for office printers and copiers, wide-format printers, desktop publishing, photographic mini labs and studio equipment.
- Satellite FinanceSatellite finance for ground stations, satellite terminals and space test equipment, plus how satellites themselves are funded. Hire purchase and leasing for UK businesses.
- Site Accommodation and Staff Housing Unit FinanceSite accommodation and staff housing finance for staff caravans, modular accommodation units, sleeper cabins and amenity blocks used to house workers.
- Telehandler FinanceTelehandler finance for farms, builders and plant hire firms. Hire purchase and leasing on new and used telescopic handlers, with seasonal payments available.
- Tractor and Farm Machinery FinanceTractor and farm machinery finance for UK farms and estates. Hire purchase and leasing on new and used tractors, harvesters, balers and sprayers, with seasonal payments.
- Waste Skip FinanceWaste skip finance for builder’s skips, roll-on roll-off containers and compactors. Hire purchase and leasing for UK skip hire and waste management businesses.
- Wheelie Bin FinanceWheelie bin finance for commercial waste containers, 1,100 litre bins and recycling banks. Hire purchase and leasing for UK waste collection businesses.
Equipment we finance
Lenders will fund most equipment a business uses, provided it comes from an identifiable maker or dealer on a clear quote and will be used in the business.
| Equipment group | Guides |
|---|---|
| Office and technology | IT equipment, audio-visual and broadcast equipment, print and imaging equipment and office furniture and fit-outs |
| Retail and payments | Point of sale systems, including EPOS, card terminals and kiosks, and pay and display machines for car parks |
| Site equipment | Telehandlers, portable cabins and modular buildings and site accommodation and staff housing units |
| Waste containers | Waste skips, roll-on roll-off containers and compactors, and wheelie bins and recycling banks |
| Workshop and service equipment | Body shop equipment, car wash and vehicle cleaning equipment and laundry equipment |
| Holiday parks and leisure | Holiday park caravans and lodges, including glamping pods and shepherd huts |
| Specialist | Satellite ground stations and terminals |
Hire purchase and leasing for business equipment
The right choice depends on how long you keep the equipment, whether it holds its value and how much cash you want to tie up at the start.
| Type | How it works | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hire purchase | A deposit, then fixed monthly payments. You own the equipment after the last one | Telehandlers, skips, bins, cabins, workshop equipment and lodges you will keep for many years |
| Finance lease | Rentals with VAT added to each one. The lender owns the equipment | Office fit-outs and multi-site roll-outs, where VAT on everything at once would strain cash flow |
| Operating lease | Lower rentals set around the equipment’s expected resale value. Hand back at the end | IT, AV, printers and payment terminals that date quickly |
Hire purchase for business equipment
Hire purchase suits equipment with a long working life and a steady resale value, such as telehandlers, skips, cabins and car wash gantries. You pay a deposit, often around 10% plus the VAT, then fixed monthly payments, and the equipment is yours at the end. You are treated as the owner for tax from day one.
Finance lease for business equipment
A finance lease adds VAT to each rental instead of charging it on the full price at the start. It suits an office move, a new shop or a roll-out across several sites, where furniture, IT and payment systems all arrive together. At the end you can usually carry on at a small secondary rental.
Operating lease for business equipment
An operating lease sets the rentals around what the equipment should be worth when it comes back, so the lender takes the resale risk. It suits laptops, servers, printers, AV systems and card terminals that you expect to replace every 3 to 4 years.
Software, installation and soft costs
Many business equipment deals include costs that are not physical equipment. Lenders call these soft costs and will fund them up to a limit, as long as the equipment makes up most of the deal.
- Software and licences, such as EPOS software, document capture software and operating systems sold with the hardware.
- Installation and set-up, including cabling, AV installation, office fitting and commissioning.
- Site works, such as bases and hook-ups for cabins and lodges, and drainage and water recycling for car washes.
- Training and delivery, where these appear on the supplier’s invoice.
VAT and tax on business and site equipment finance
On hire purchase, VAT on the full price is usually paid at the start and a VAT-registered business reclaims it on its next return. On a lease, VAT is added to each rental. With hire purchase you may be able to claim capital allowances, such as the annual investment allowance, or full expensing for companies buying new equipment. Lease rentals are usually an allowable business expense. Holiday park units and accommodation can be treated differently for VAT and capital allowances, so check the tax treatment with your accountant.
Used equipment and refinancing
Used equipment is widely funded, and equipment you already own can raise cash.
- Used site and yard equipment, such as telehandlers, skips, cabins and containers, which holds its value well.
- Refurbished IT and print equipment from approved resellers, usually on shorter terms.
- Refinance through a sale and hire purchase back on equipment you own outright, to fund more equipment or working capital.
How business and site equipment finance works
Deals follow the same five steps, whether you are buying one card terminal or a fleet of skips.
- Tell us about the equipment: what it is, its price and supplier, and whether it is new or used
- We match the lenders on our panel that fund that type of equipment and business
- We come back with the options that are realistic and what they are likely to cost
- The lender reviews your accounts and bank statements and makes a credit decision
- You sign the agreement, the lender pays the supplier and the equipment is delivered
What lenders ask for
Lenders ask for the usual financial documents, plus details of the equipment and how you will use it.
- Your last 2 years of filed accounts, or management accounts and a forecast for newer businesses
- Your last 3 to 6 months of business bank statements
- An itemised supplier quote, showing equipment, software and installation separately
- For hire fleets and operators, details of your customers, contracts and how the equipment earns its keep
- Photo ID and address history for each director, member or partner
Related guides
Who we can help
We arrange business and site equipment finance for UK limited companies and LLPs, and for sole traders and partnerships on agreements over £25,000 that are for business purposes. We are not authorised by the FCA, so we cannot arrange agreements of £25,000 or less for sole traders or partnerships of two or three partners, or finance for personal use.
Business and site equipment finance FAQs
What can business and site equipment finance cover?
It can cover IT and office equipment, AV and print equipment, office furniture and fit-outs, point of sale and pay and display systems, telehandlers, portable cabins, skips and wheelie bins, workshop equipment, holiday park units and satellite equipment. The equipment must be used in the business. Software and installation can usually be included.
Should I lease or buy IT and office equipment?
Leasing usually suits IT and office equipment that dates within 3 to 4 years, because the lender takes the resale risk and you can upgrade at the end. Hire purchase suits equipment you plan to keep for longer, such as furniture, and may bring capital allowances. Many businesses lease their technology and buy their furniture.
Can software and installation be financed?
Yes, up to a limit. Lenders will fund software, installation, cabling and set-up on the same agreement as the equipment, as long as the physical equipment makes up most of the deal. Each cost should appear separately on the supplier’s quote.
Can a hire fleet add equipment over time?
Often, yes. Skip hire firms, cabin hire fleets and plant hire businesses can usually agree a facility with one lender and draw on it as they buy more units. Each purchase goes on its own schedule, which avoids a full credit application every time.
Can I finance used business equipment?
Yes. Used telehandlers, skips, cabins and workshop equipment are widely funded, and refurbished IT from approved resellers can be too. Lenders look at the age, condition and maker, and may offer a shorter term on older equipment.
Can I release cash from equipment I already own?
Yes. Through a sale and hire purchase back, a lender buys equipment you own outright and sells it back to you over a fixed term, so you keep using it. It works best for equipment that holds its value, such as telehandlers, skips and cabins.
Get a business and site equipment finance quote
Tell us about the equipment
Send us the supplier quote and a few details about your business. We will come back with the options that are realistic and what they are likely to cost.
About the author
Marcus Wright is the owner and founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, which trades as Finance Assets. He has worked in financial services since 2008, beginning his career at Santander, and has been a commercial finance broker since March 2019.
He founded Bolton Business Finance in 2020 to give businesses access to the whole lending market rather than one bank’s own product range. The firm is a member of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers and works with a panel of 135+ lenders. Call 0161 546 9128.
Finance Assets is a trading name of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, an independent commercial finance brokerage, not a lender. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and can only complete non-regulated introductions. All lending is for business purposes only. Registered address: Westgate House, 1 Westgate Avenue, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 4RF. Company number 12495909.