Hire purchase usually involves paying the VAT and a deposit up-front. Fixed monthly repayments are then made, affected by whether you pay off the entire loan over the term or chose a final balloon payment. The final option to purchase is guaranteed for a nominal fee, transferring ownership of the asset to the customer.

Hire purchase is well-suited for situations where a company definitely wants to own the item at the end of the term, often where the asset has a significant usable lifespan, a high residual value and will not need to be upgraded.

Equipment leasing allows a business to acquire hard or soft assets without the upfront costs associated with large purchases. A lender purchases the item, the business then leases it through fixed monthly payments over an agreed term.

Typically, asset finance is provided for high value ‘hard’ assets such as machinery, equipment or vehicles, but Portman also arranges asset finance for ‘soft’ assets such as IT, fitness, catering or vending equipment, as well as premises fit-outs, furniture or even air-conditioning.

Business loans are a way of borrowing money, which is repaid in monthly instalments, including interest, over an agreed term. Business loans are a common way to help smooth out cashflow fluctuations and take opportunities where otherwise they could be missed due to a lack of working capital.

Business loans can be secured or unsecured. Portman typically provides unsecured loans which can be more flexible and do not require collateral but are likely to require a personal guarantee. Secured loans are tied to an asset which the lender can claim ownership of if repayments are not made, these may be used in equipment refinance deals.

New businesses often need an injection of finance to get them off the ground. Asset finance for new businesses allows you to focus on running your company and bringing in customers, confident that you have the equipment, vehicle or stock you need without the large initial outlay.

Using finance for your equipment means that you preserve the credit card or overdraft for contingency and operating expenses when the unexpected happens.

If you recently bought a high-value item outright but would now prefer to have financed it, we can help with a sale-and-lease-back agreement. If the item is less than 3m old, give us a copy of the invoice and we will calculate the current value. After a few checks and acceptance of the term and monthly repayments, we can give you the cash equivalent of the invoice to put back into the business. You’ll then make fixed monthly payments including interest, whilst your asset earns you money.

If your business owns high value assets that are not currently on finance, subject to a valuation, it is also possible to use them as security for a loan, with lenders offering a cash loan up to a % of the asset’s value.

With no personal guarantee up to £250k, Recovery Loans offer an excellent way of making sure your business gets back on its feet after the effects of the pandemic. Many businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and its restrictions can access the UK government’s Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS), providing UK SMEs with better access to finance.

Recovery Loans can be used for any legitimate business or simply provide cashflow. Up to £350k can be borrowed on terms from 2 to 6 years and with no personal guarantee up to £250k, your personal wealth is not at risk.