When most people think of various types of lease pieces of equipment, they think of a modern worldwide procedure comparable to the services provided by the Global Finance Group. On the other hand, equipment financing is a centuries-old practice that can be traced back to various cultures and historical periods. Ancient civilisations such as the Egyptians, Romans, and Phoenicians used equipment leasing to fund agricultural equipment, large construction projects, and military equipment. Equipment financing was utilised to fund equipment throughout the Industrial Revolution and support the military during WWII and ancient civilisations. For years, equipment financing and leasing have been critical to organisations large and small to encourage new ideas and discoveries.
Definition of Equipment Leasing Company
An Equipment Leasing Company is a non-banking finance company that specialises in the leasing of equipment or the financing of such activities. The word “lease” refers to a contract between a lessor (owner) and a lessee (hirer) in which the lessor offers the lessee the right to use equipment in return for periodic rent payments. The asset is leased to other firms on an operational lease or a financing lease by the equipment leasing company.
The practice of obtaining machinery, vehicles, or other equipment on a rental basis is known as equipment leasing. This eliminates the requirement for capital investment in equipment. To avoid significant expenditures on possibly outmoded items and provide cost-effective solutions to clients needing specific products. The Railroad Era in the 1700s sparked major funding in the United States, which included leasing for trains and rails and subsequently for vehicles and automobiles. The financial institution or leasing firm owns the property, but the business is the one that uses it.
Various Types of Leasing
*Finance leasing: A finance lease is a lease in which all risks and benefits associated with asset ownership are passed to the Lessee for the leased asset. It is a long-term lease that cannot be terminated before its expiration date.
*Operating Leasing: It is advantageous if you do not require the equipment for the duration of its useful life; the leasing company will return the asset after the lease; the leasing company is responsible for maintenance and insurance, and the asset does not have to be shown on your balance sheet.
*Lease of Leverage: Three parties are engaged in a leveraged lease: the Lessee, the Lender, and the Lessor. The Lessor provides a little share of the asset; the lender supplies the bulk. The Lessor acts as an equity participant in the leveraged lease. In this instance, the lessor has no risk connected with the funding given by the lender. And the lessee’s payments go to the lender, who ultimately defaults on the lease and takes control of the asset.
*Domestic Lease: A domestic lease is one in which all of the parties involved in the lease, such as the Lessor, Lessee, and Lender, are from the same nation.
*International lease: An international lease is one in which the parties are based in separate countries.
*Lease with a Combination: Combination leases combine the benefits of both finance and operating leases. This is a type of lease that allows for personalisation. A capital lease with a cancellation clause is a straightforward example of a combination lease.
*Sublease Agreement: A sublet is a leasing arrangement where the original lessee (tenant) rents the property to a different individual known as the sub-tenant or sub-lessee. As a sub-lessee, the new renter has few rights. Only those rights that the actual tenant (lessee) has received from the original landlord can be transferred to the new tenant (sub-lessee) (lessor). He is unable to transfer any further usage rights to the land.
Equipment Leasing Company Example-
*A few instances of Indian equipment leasing company example-
M & M Financial, Manappuram, Bajaj Finance, Shriram City, Srei Infras.
*Few instances of US equipment leasing company example-
Wells Fargo Financial Leasing and AIG Commercial Equipment Finance are two examples of US equipment leasing firms.
Is it possible to secure a lease if my business is new?
Yes. A lease will fund businesses that have been in operation for less than two years. However, because your firm is a higher-risk investment than a more established company, you should anticipate paying a higher rate. You will very certainly be asked to offer a personal guarantee as well.
Conclusion-
Various types of lease equipment have several drawbacks, such as the lessee’s inability to fully utilise the equipment or make significant changes to the asset, and so on. However, there are various lease equipment advantages, particularly for the lessee. For example, cutting-edge technology, cheap costs in contrast to term loans, etc. After weighing the benefits and hazards, the lessee and lessor must engage in an equipment leasing contract.
Last but not least, these businesses allow the hirer to rent machines or other equipment regularly. The Leasing Company/Financial Institution retains ownership of the equipment.