Laboratory Equipment Leasing & Financing

Common arrangements

• Operating-style lease: use for a term, return at the end, lower commitment to the asset
• Finance or capital lease: effectively purchase over time, often with a nominal purchase option
• Vendor finance: arranged through the manufacturer or dealer, sometimes bundled with service
• Bank or independent equipment finance: separate from the vendor, so compare independently
• Rental: short-term and service-inclusive rather than a financing arrangement

What to compare

• Total amount payable across the full term, not the monthly figure
• What happens at end of term: return, extend, buy out, and at what cost
• Whether service, consumables and software are bundled or separate
• Early termination and upgrade terms, including penalties
• Insurance, maintenance and damage responsibilities
• Whether the agreement is cancellable if the instrument is unusable
• Accounting and tax treatment, which is jurisdiction-specific and worth checking with your finance team

Questions before signing

• Who owns the asset during and after the term?
• What are the return conditions, and could refurbishment charges apply?
• Is the software licence covered for the whole term?
• Are payments fixed, or can they be adjusted?
• What happens if the manufacturer ends support during the term?
• Can the agreement be assigned if the laboratory is sold or restructured?

A note on pricing

We do not publish instrument or software prices. Real transaction prices depend on configuration, condition, accessories, service coverage, installation, region and negotiation, and published list figures are rarely what a laboratory pays. Where you need a figure to plan with, request quotations against a written specification.