Commercial Vehicle Finance and Leasing

High quality prestigious car finance solutions for UK & international clients.

• Finance from £25,000
• Competitive vehicle finance that often outperforms in-house car dealer offers
• Van finance, LCV finance and HGV finance solutions
• Flexible finance options which includes: Personal loans, Personal contract Purchase (PCP), Hire Purchase, Lease Purchase
• Tailored bespoke service
• Refinance options
• Flexible repayment periods
• Finance available on new, used and auction bought commercial vehicles
• Business owners - Refinance existing assets to free up your company's liquid capital
• Business owners - Cashflow matched repayments
• Asset finance for commercial vehicles

We can deliver enhanced, bespoke or exclusive terms through our market knowledge.  

Call us on 0203 900 4322 to discuss your requirements.

How it Works

Financing vehicles for your business can seem complicated with so many options available. At Clifton Private Finance, we’ve dealt with a huge range of commercial vehicle finance products - let us share some of that experience to help you get the best deal possible.

What is Commercial Vehicle Finance?

Simply put, commercial vehicle finance covers any funding solution that helps your business buy the vehicles it needs. That can include:

• Company car leasing
• Van loans
• Tractor leasing
• Specialised plant vehicle finance
• Lorry finance
• Fleet finance and leasing
• Hire purchase for cars and vans
• Asset finance for buses
• Finance leasing
• Contract and operating leases
• and more…

With so many options, it’s possible to get a little confused, but it also means there’s a product out there that perfectly fits your commercial vehicle finance requirement. 

Asset Finance - Spreading the Cost of Car, Van and Commercial Vehicle Costs

Asset finance refers to three of the main options for commercial vehicle finance: hire purchase, finance lease and operating lease. We'll explain each of these in greater detail below.

As an unassisted vehicle purchase takes a substantial amount of capital, it is out of reach for many businesses. If you need a vehicle for work but can’t afford the immediate outlay, then asset finance lets you spread the cost over months and years - plus it can come with many additional benefits.

Asset finance is finance secured with the vehicle and in all cases, if you fail to keep up with payments, the vehicle can be repossessed.

Hire Purchase - Asset Finance for Businesses Looking to Buy

Hire purchase is a loan that is taken out against the vehicle as collateral. You end up owning the vehicle in full once the loan is repaid and can use it without restriction. Many standard car loans are hire purchase agreements.

Hire Purchase Pros and Cons

• Full ownership of the vehicle
• Spreads the cost over many months
• No restrictions on use
• Wide range of vehicles available, both new and used
• Requires significant initial payment (deposit)
• Larger monthly repayments
• All maintenance, repair, and insurance costs are your responsibility

Read our full guide to hire purchase.

Finance Lease - Flexible Asset Finance for Medium- to Long-Term Use

A finance lease is designed to offer the maximum flexibility to the business, with an option to purchase the vehicle at the end of the term or replace with a newer model. With many modern finance leases offering low initial payments, finance leasing is a great option for businesses lacking the capital reserves to enter a hire purchase agreement.

Finance Lease Pros and Cons

• Low initial payment
• Flexible option to upgrade to new vehicle or buy at the end of term
• Can come with maintenance and repair support built-in
• Regular monthly payments for ease of cash flow
• Cost-effective way to afford new vehicles
• May have restrictions on use (mileage etc.)
• Fewer vehicles to choose from
• Penalties for vehicle damage and excessive wear

Read our full guide to finance lease.

Operating or Contract Lease - Medium-Term Vehicle Leasing with Full Support

An operating lease (also known as a contract lease) is an excellent option for businesses looking to have a hassle-free vehicle finance option. With an operating lease, you are effectively renting the vehicle from the leasing company, and it typically comes with maintenance and repairs included. One monthly payment covers all issues and you can use your vehicle with the full confidence that if anything goes wrong, it will be sorted.

Many large commercial vehicle leases, such as tractors or buses, are best suited as operating leases.

Operating Lease Pros and Cons

• Full support, including maintenance and repairs
• Single monthly payment easy to factor into accounting
• Easy to upgrade to new vehicles when needed
• More expensive than finance lease
• Greater number of restrictions on use (mileage etc.)
• No option to own the vehicle
• Penalties for damage and excessive wear

Read our full guide to operating leases. 

Traditional Loans - An Alternative to Commercial Vehicle Finance

While asset finance represents a range of specific products designed to facilitate vehicle purchase, it is not the only option available.

Traditional unsecured business loans provide another option and can be preferable to asset finance for businesses looking to combine their vehicle purchase with other expansion. It is often possible to secure an unsecured loan on comparable or even superior terms than equivalent asset finance, and there’s no chance of repossession.

It is always worth discussing your commercial vehicle finance needs with your finance broker before agreeing to a dealer’s asset finance agreement, as it is unlikely it represents the best deal available. 

Specialised Vehicle Finance

Asset finance is not limited to ‘standard’ vehicles, such as cars or vans. Specialised vehicle asset finance is available for a wide range of commercial vehicles and associated equipment, such as:

• Agricultural vehicles - Tractors, harvesters, quads, trucks…
• Construction vehicles - Excavators, bulldozers, forklifts, loaders…
• Public transport - Buses, minibuses, taxis…
• Medical vehicles - Adapted vans, ambulances, 4x4 rapid response vehicles…
• Aircraft - Light aircraft and helicopters
• Boats - Yachts, fishing vessels, houseboats

If you are looking for commercial vehicle finance for any of these more specialised fields, speak to us at Clifton Private Finance - our asset finance team will be able to find you the best deal. 

Fleet Finance

Another major component to commercial vehicle finance is those businesses looking for a fleet of vehicles. Fleet finance is available for companies looking to purchase three or more vehicles at the same time, providing a combined payment structure to include all the vehicles.

Fleet finance can be flexible, with options to add new vehicles, upgrade older ones, and even in some cases, options to own at the end of the term.

Speak to us to get a fleet finance deal that’s suited for your business need. 

Commercial Vehicle Finance FAQ

Q: Can I get a vehicle with a small (or no) upfront payment?

A: With more flexible leasing arrangements, it is now possible to get lease agreements with a single month upfront. Similarly, if you use an unsecured loan for your vehicle finance, there will be no upfront payment.

Hire purchase agreements do require a large initial payment of approximately 30%, so may not be the right agreement for businesses looking to avoid too much immediate capital expenditure.

Q: What is the cheapest method for vehicle finance

A: A lot depends on the type of vehicle and your business need. Finance lease often provides the lowest monthly payment, and initial cost, with the flexibility to own the vehicle at the end of the term. Talk to us about your commercial vehicle budget and we’ll help you get the deal you need.

Q: Can I adapt a van with commercial vehicle finance?

A: Depending on the terms of your lease, you can add livery to your van and make adaptions to the interior as needed for your business purposes. Hire purchase and finance lease arrangements are typically more flexible, but there are many operational leases available that also have room for adaptations. Make sure you let us know what your needs are as early as possible.

Q: Can I take a lease vehicle out of the country?

A: Some leases will have restrictions including that you are not allowed to take the car out of the UK. However, if this is a requirement then a lease with more flexible terms can be found to suit you.

Q: Will my car be repossessed if I miss a payment?

A: Repossession is really the last call for the leasing company, who would far rather solve the problem in a more amicable way. If you run into difficulties, contact them immediately to let them know, or speak to us about some short term cash flow financing that can see you through a difficult patch.

Q: Can I sell a car I have bought under asset finance?

A: No. Until you have completed your contract, whether that’s a hire purchase or leasing contract, you do not have the right to sell the vehicle. This is because it is listed as collateral on any financing. However, if you use an unsecured loan to purchase a vehicle, it is yours in full and you can sell it on if desired.

Q: How long does it take to get asset finance?

A: Commercial vehicle finance can be done swiftly if your credit is in good standing. In most cases, the vehicle will be with you within a few short weeks. 

Apply Now

Our asset finance and commercial vehicle finance teams are experts in finding the best deals from the wide range of options in the UK market. Contact us today to find out more.