The 10 Most Popular Items Of Equipment To Lease

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With an ever growing pressure on cash flow and bank lending figures still falling, equipment leasing is becoming an increasingly important way for businesses of all sizes in a variety of industries to finance the new technology and equipment they require.

With highly competitive interest rates and flexible agreements, there is no doubt that leasing can offer an advantageous alternative to buying as many companies have discovered.

A wide range of equipment, from computers and iPads to furniture and recycling equipment, can and is being leased by businesses across the UK. In fact, almost any type of tangible equipment can be considered for leasing along with maintenance agreements and software.

Popular types of equipment for leasing

  1. PCs and laptops: Over 90% of the top 100 companies now lease computer equipment. With technology moving at such a speed, leasing enables businesses to upgrade computer equipment as and when required to ensure they have the latest systems.
  2. Tablets (e.g. iPad, Microsoft Surface): A growing number of schools and other educational establishments, in particular, are opting to lease tablets to aid teaching and learning in the classroom.
  3. Photocopiers and printers: Leasing photocopiers is popular among businesses of all sizes in all sectors as it means they can pay for the equipment as they use it and can upgrade to a new model when required without having to repurchase.
  4. Office furniture: From seating to workstations, all types of office furniture can be leased as well as entire office refurbishments, including lighting, flooring, interior finishes and even interior design services.
  5. Catering equipment: From commercial ovens and freezers to coffee machines and chillers, all sorts of appliances are being leased by restaurants, caterers, cafes and food manufacturers as it enables them to quickly replace obsolete equipment and pay for the asset as they use it over time.
  6. Leisure and Beauty equipment: from up-to-date gym equipment to salon fit outs.
  7. Minibuses and vehicles: From tractors to minibuses, all types of vehicles are leased every year by private and public sector organisations.
  8. CCTV and security systems:
  9. Processing and packaging machines: From food manufacturers to pharmaceutical companies, a wide range of companies are choosing to lease systems such as labelling machines, conveyors and metal detectors.
  10. Medical technology: From a dentist’s chair or hospital bed to an entire operating theatre, a wide range of specialist medical equipment can be leased.

 

For more advice on leasing equipment for your business, download your free Essential Guide to Leasing for Business.

Drystream EPOS System: Lease cost £182.00/Monthly

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WestWon provided a company based in NO LOCATION SPECIFIED with a lease agreement for 1 Drystream EPOS system via a WestWon Partner who supplies Drystream equipment.

Capital Cost: £6,084.92 ex. VAT

Lease Rental: £182.00 ex. VAT

Payment Frequency: Monthly
Lease Period: 3 Years

ManufacturerModelDescriptionPart No.Quantity
DrystreamEPOS system1

Srtstream EPOS System: Lease cost £128.18/Monthly

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WestWon provided a company based in Hanslope, Milton keynes with a lease agreement for 1 Srtstream EPOS SYSTEM, INCORPORATING PC, 2 PRINTERS 1 MONITOR via a WestWon Partner who supplies Srtstream equipment.

Capital Cost: £4,285.52 ex. VAT

Lease Rental: £128.18 ex. VAT

Payment Frequency: Monthly
Lease Period: 3 Years

ManufacturerModelDescriptionPart No.Quantity
SrtstreamEPOS SYSTEM, INCORPORATING PC, 2 PRINTERS 1 MONITOR1

Inter Tel Telephone System Equipment: Lease cost £280.00/Monthly

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WestWon provided a company based in Rugby with a lease agreement for 1 Inter Tel Telephone System 23 Digital Display Handsets via a WestWon Partner who supplies Inter Tel equipment.

Capital Cost: £12,416.85 ex. VAT

Lease Rental: £280.00 ex. VAT

Payment Frequency: Monthly
Lease Period: 5 Years

ManufacturerModelDescriptionPart No.Quantity
Inter TelTelephone System23 Digital Display Handsets1

2014 Changes To The Annual Investment Allowance For Capital Equipment Could Benefit Your Business

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In recent times business owners have sometimes tended to put investment in plant and machinery on the back burner because of economic instability.

It is in response to this that the Chancellor announced in the March 2014 Budget that there would be a temporary increase in the AIA limit will from £250,000 to £500,000  per annum with effect from 1 April 2014 for companies and from 6 April 2014 for sole traders/partnerships.

 

Window of opportunity for businesses to acquire capital equipment

The objective behind this initiative is to enable more businesses to undertake capital investment with a significantly reduced level of financial exposure.

However, although no announcement has yet been made, it is expected that the AIA limit will revert to £25,000 per annum with effect from 1 January 2016. It may therefore be important that businesses planning to invest in the near future do so before 2016 whilst the higher temporary increase in the AIA limit is in place.

 

Benefit of AIA  for business

A key advantage of AIA is that it accelerates the timing of tax relief on qualifying capital expenditure. Depending on the timing of the investment, the temporary increase in AIA means that businesses may be able to bring forward the tax relief on more of their capital expenditure. However it is worth businesses considering advancing or deferring investments in order to maximise their AIA over the period it is available.

 

More about AIA

The AIA was first introduced in April 2008, providing 100% allowance on the first £50,000 investment in qualifying capital expenditure. The maximum allowance was doubled to £100,000 for qualifying expenditure incurred from 1 April 2010 (6 April 2010 for unincorporated businesses), and was reduced to £25,000 with effect from 1 April 2012 (06 April 2012 for unincorporated businesses).  In the Chancellor’s 5 December 2012 Autumn Statement the AIA limit was temporarily increased from £25,000 to £250,000 for a two-year period from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014, before being temporarily raised to £500,000 in the recent budget.

 

Qualifying expenditure covers most assets purchased for use by businesses

• Office furniture and equipment

• Vans, lorries and equipment

• Building fixtures e.g. shop fittings, kitchen or bathroom fittings

• Business machines e.g. printing press,lathes, tooling machines

• Tractors, combine harvesters and other agricultural machinery

• Gaming machines, amusement rides

• Computer hardware and qualifying software

• Computerised/computer aided machinery including robotic machines

• Wind turbines and fibre optic cabling

• Driving school cars (adapted with dual control mechanisms)

 

The following items of capital expenditure do not qualify.

• Land, buildings or cars

• Expenditure incurred in the accounting period when trade ceased permanently

• Existing plant and machinery

• Plant and machinery that was gifted

• Plant and machinery used by a person for leasing under a long funding lease and

subsequently brought into use by that person for the purpose of a qualifying activity

• Change in the nature/conduct of the trade carried out by a person other than the person incurring the capital expenditure.

 

Download the AIA changes 2014 Fact Sheet

Download the AIA 2104 Changes Fact Sheet for much more information about the AIA opportunity for business and answers to your AIA queries.

Alternatively call us now on Tel: 01494 611 456 to discuss AIA, your capital equipment requirements and leasing options.

 

Top 5 Things To Look For In An IT Support Provider

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A good IT support provider is a company that is able to listen to and understand your businesses needs. It is also vital to partner with a company that you will feel comfortable working with on a regular basis. With a large increase in the number of IT companies to choose from, it can make the selection process much more problematic. WestWon Leasing IT partner, Tegen, shares its perspective on how to go about finding the right IT partner and suggests you consider the following 5 points…

How To Find The Right IT Partner

1. Take References

These provide a different point of view and therefore give you something to compare your viewpoints with – they may give also you a glimpse into a company’s work ethics and ‘habits’. This is invaluable information from someone who has already had experience with them.

2. Look at partners

The easiest and quickest way to check potential partners’ credibility is to have a look at their website and search for any certificates, qualifications and/or industry accreditations that back-up their IT knowledge and skills. A company with an array of partners signifies that they have access to the latest solutions.  By forming strong partnerships with big brands, their service quality should excel.

3. Expect clear pricing

It is always good to know how you will be charged, amounts may vary depending on the service that is being provided. Remember to always check what is included in the cost to avoid any hidden or extra charges, and also what IT lease finance options are available.

4. Look for competency proof  

Ask potential suppliers to provide their service level agreements defining response times and resolution targets. Or alternatively, why not personally test the service out yourself. An IT partner who keeps you on hold, or where you have to go through a variety of stages on the phone before you are physically able to speak with a member of the Service Desk team is probably not a partner you want to work with.

5. Book a meeting  

Companies that recruit the best staff will usually be able to deliver the best services. People do business with people, so look out for company/individual awards that may represent a good work ethic where employees are valued by the company.

For more information about IT support, and to see how Tegen could benefit YOUR business see www.tegen.co.uk

Leasing Helps SMEs Access Latest Technology And Other Business Equipment

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Asset-based finance is an ever more attractive way for SMEs to acquire the machinery and equipment they need to run their businesses and invest in up-to-date IT technology to keep their infrastructure working efficiently.  Leasing is also available to cover the cost of office refits, fit outs and refurbishments, which form an essential part of most companies’ business plans.

Leasing allows companies to:

  • Preserve their cash reserves and existing lines of credit
  • Align costs with income over time rather than making a large upfront payment
  • Avoid technology obsolescence and the problem of disposing of old equipment.

 

These leasing benefits are particularly important for SMEs and Start Up businesses too as they enables them to manage the acquisition of equipment and related services as a predictable monthly or quarterly expense rather than a capital cost, offering  clear advantages in terms and tax and budgeting. After all, no business pays three years’ salary for its staff in advance, so why pay for the equipment they use upfront rather than over its useful life.

Whether for new business start-up or an established SME trying to stay competitive, leasing can generally be arranged in a relatively short timescale subject to status, allowing businesses to acquire the equipment they need when they need it.

SMEs looking at their finance options can obtain an instant leasing quote online using the WestWon lease calculator to help with budget planning. You can also email us with any queries at [email protected] or call on Tel: 01494 611 456. We are here to help you grow your business.

WestWon also provides a series of Leasing Fact Sheets for businesses wishing to find out more about leasing for their particular sector – for example, public sector leasing, catering industry leasing and medical and scientific industry leasing as well as general topics such as ‘Leasing Questions Answered’. You can also download the free guide to leasing – Financing Your Business Plans.

Advantages Of Leasing A Lenovo Server

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At the beginning of 2014 China’s Lenovo, the world’s biggest PC maker, announced it was taking over over IBM’s low-end server business for a cool £1,4bn, encompassing IBM’s System x, BladeCenter and Flex System products.IBM has however retained its powerful mainframe and storage business and recently announced that it would invest more than $1bn in a new division based around its Watson supercomputer, and $1.2bn expanding its global cloud computing business.

Lenovo bought IBM’s PC business in 2005, featuring the ThinkPad range. It has since diversified into smartphones and tablets, and overtook Hewlett-Packard as the world’s top PC maker in 2012.

According to the Finance & Leasing Association, IT equipment finance reported year on year business growth of 14% from January 2013 – January 2014. Leasing IT and computer equipment is a trend that shows no sign of diminishing and for good reason. With the rapid pace of technology change, many businesses are asking themselves: “Why purchase hardware such as Lenovo servers and software when it risks becoming obsolete so quickly?”

5 Reasons To Lease Lenovo Servers

Leasing Servers improves cash flow – Leasing removes the need for major upfront capital investment and protects your cash flow and existing lines of credit.

Leasing servers is quicker to arrange – The process for securing a leasing decision in principle is generally less onerous and time-consuming than for securing a bank loan.  

Leasing Servers allows you to keep up to date with technology – Leasing is great if you require cutting-edge technology as it is easier to make on-going changes server capacity and to afford a more sophisticated solution than you might afford if you had to pay for everything upfront.

Leasing could possibly benefit your balance sheet – There can be tax advantages to leasing rather than purchasing IT and server equipment.

Leasing can solve server obsolescence issues – Leasing a server offer built-in protection against obsolescence and a safe way to dispose of old equipment.

For more information about your IT leasing options call WestWon on Tel: 01494 611 456. You can also download a leasing fact sheet about IT technology and server leasing: Asset Finance for IT equipment and projects


Questions You Should Ask About Leasing IT And Computer Leasing

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Harnessing the latest IT and computer technology is key to enabling business advantages such as fully integrated mobile working. Given the speed at which technology changes, and the onus on companies to keep up with the competition in terms of IT infrastructure efficiency, IT and computer leasing has much to recommend it and is now one of the most popular means of financing technology investments.

However, if you are a business thinking about leasing equipment, you should be prepared to do your homework in order to get the right IT and computer leasing deal for your circumstances.

Questions To Ask About IT & Computer Leasing

  1. With a capital or finance lease, you select the equipment you require and the finance company arranges the finance for it. You make a series of lease rental payments over time, which gives you use of the asset for the duration of the lease and at the end of the lease, you will normally have the option to acquire the asset at an agreed price or return it to the leasing company.
  2. With an operating lease, the equipment is considered a monthly operating expense rather than a depreciating asset, making ‘off-balance sheet’ funding possible.
  3. How long is the lease for? Usually, leases for computer equipment run over 24 to 36 months. The longer your lease, the lower your monthly payments–but you’re also likely to pay more over time with a longer lease.
  4. Does the equipment have to be insured? Some leasing companies require you to insure the leased equipment. If you don’t, fees may be added to your monthly payment to cover insurance.
  5. Can you include software and maintenance services as part of your lease agreement?
  6. Can I add to the lease? Most leasing companies don’t mind if you add equipment to an existing lease. Your lease payment will be recalculated accordingly; lease terms don’t usually change.
  7. Can I terminate the lease early? What if you no longer need the equipment you’re leasing or you want to upgrade to newer technology sooner than you expected? Find out in advance if you can pay off your lease early, and if there’s a prepayment penalty (and if so, how much?).

If you require IT equipment such as computer hardware, software, servers, laptops, routers and cabling for your new company or company expansion, leasing may well be a good option. After all, you wouldn’t pay your employees their wages for 3 years upfront, so why tie up a large amount of cash on computer equipment for them to use – especially when you could earmark that money to establish or grow your business?

For more information about your IT leasing options call WestWon on Tel: 01494 611 456. You can also download Financing Your Business Plans – Guide To leasing

New Asset Finance Business Grows By 9% To Almost £1.7 Billion In January 2014

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UK Finance & Leasing Association members report that new asset finance business grew by 9% to almost £1.7 billion in January 2014, compared with the same month last year.

Geraldine Kilkelly, head of research and chief economist at the FLA said that key asset sectors reported double digit growth – with commercial vehicle finance, business equipment finance and plant and machinery finance up by 25%, 21% and 13% respectively.

IT equipment finance reported modest new business growth of 3% compared with the same month in 2013.

Kilkelly added: “The positive start to 2014 follows exceptionally strong growth of more than a third in December 2013 and reflects growing confidence in the sector.

“The FLA’s Asset Finance Confidence Survey for Q1 2014 showed respondents expect asset finance new business to grow by up to 10% over the next 12 months.”

 

Jan 2014

% change on

Jan 13

3 mths to

Jan 14

% change on

prev yr

12 mths to

Jan 14

% change on

prev yr

Total FLA asset finance (£m)

1,694

+9

5,705

+14

22,535

+4

Total leasing and hire purchase excluding high value (£m)

1,672

+7

5,603

+13

21,843

+4

Data Extracts:
Plant and machinery finance (£m)

343

 +13

 1,069

+9

4,513

+5

Commercial vehicle finance (£m)

420

+25

1,504

+38

5,285

+11

IT equipment finance (£m)

68

+3

412

+13

1,544

+14

Business equipment finance (£m)

159

+21

493

+12

1,961

+3

Car finance (£m)

505

-8

1,599

+1

6,707

-1

Aircraft, ships and rolling stock finance (£m)

6

-62

115

+42

297

-40

 

For more information visit the fla.org.uk

For more information about leasing equipment, machinery, IT resources or office furniture and fit out leasing please call WestWon on Tel: 01494 611 456.

 

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