Photocopier Rental v Lease
A good solution for small and large organisations alike, copier rentals provide an office with an office printer without saddling the organisation with a significant upfront cost.
Aside from the initial monetary savings, renting a photocopier, printer or multifunctional printer as opposed to buying, eliminates upkeep and most supply expenses.
Your business will enjoy the convenience of the equipment without coping with the hassle of breakdowns or the fixed, periodic cost of toner cartridges and other parts that need service or replacement.
After weighing the pros and disadvantages, you might find it’s in the best interest of your company to rent an office printer rather than purchase it.
As a cost-saving measure especially beneficial to start-up businesses with limited capital, multifunction printer rentals provide company with the modern technology they will use immediately.
So, what is the difference between leasing and renting?
In a lease agreement, an organisation agrees to be charged a monthly fee for a specified period of time for a printer, copier or other equipment. The company initially saves money that would otherwise be used to purchase the equipment outright, thereby freeing it up for other outlays, while the lessor covers the expense of maintenance and repairs.
On the flip side, the terms of the lease contract may be inflexible, requiring a three to five-year contract with a significant fee for changing equipment or terminating the agreement.
Should your organisation close or your company needs expand or lessen, you may be saddled with making lease payments to fulfil the contract, regardless of whether or not the office printer is doing the job for you adequately.
Equipment rentals are similar to leases, though they do feature more flexibility. Probably the most important difference is the time frame.
Most rentals are month to month, and a business can usually upgrade or downgrade office equipment or cancel outright without penalty, provided 30 days notice is given.
Rental contracts generally cover all service, parts and supplies, although the business is required to purchase their own paper and staples
For maintenance or repairs, service calls are generally answered within hours, while a next-day guarantee is almost always provided.
This provides a small company with the opportunity to make use of better, more sophisticated printer equipment they might not otherwise have access to due to the high cost, and the capability of replacing as printer technology advances.
Most office printer rental organisations allow you to personalize your office printer – for example, a copier can be ordered that includes all the bells and whistles including; an automatic feeder, sorter, duplex or stapler, two-sided printing(duplex)
Over time, it might make sense to buy office equipment such as copiers and printers.
From a tax point of view, it is always wise to consult with your accountant to determine which form of payment is ultimately most cost effective.
For new businesses, the opportunity to rent could mean the difference between adequate capital to get started, or foregoing important equipment until your business begins to grow.
In any event, with the rapid innovations in office printer technology, a new photocopier may be virtually obsolete in a year.
Equipment rental allows your business to keep up with the latest and greatest, accruing the greatest advantage for the lowest risk exposure and expense.