For customers & businesses
Keep your cash, protect your bank lines and pay for equipment from the income it earns.
- Lease, buy or loan?
- Costs, terms & payment profiles
- UK tax, VAT & the 2026 changes
- The leasing process, step by step
Established 1992 · UK & Europe
Equipment Finance Across the UK & Europe, £100,000 to £10 Million
Oak Leasing Ltd is a bespoke pan-European funding facilitator for equipment finance across the UK and Europe. Established 1992. We structure equipment leasing, hire purchase, operating leases and vendor leasing programmes, then place each deal with the right funder from a panel of 40+ across 30+ countries.
- £100,000 – £10 million per transaction
- Refinance up to €100m
- Vendor programmes from £10,000
- Indicative UK terms in 48 hours
34Years in equipment leasing
30+European countries, plus the UK
40+Funders on panel
€100mMax refinance per transaction
Founding member, The Guild of Business Finance Professionals. The not-for-profit body for independent UK business finance intermediaries, launched June 2024. Every member signs the Guild Charter on transparent, ethical practice. Read the Charter →
The Complete Guide · UK & Europe
I'm acquiring equipment
I sell equipment
I work across borders
One Guide, Three Ways In
Everything we have learned about equipment leasing since 1992, in one plain-English guide. Start with who you are, and go straight to the part written for you.
For vendors, manufacturers, suppliers & dealers
Turn a £250,000 price into £4,978 a month, close deals faster and still get paid in full on delivery.
- How leasing increases sales
- Vendor leasing programmes
- Turn rental contracts into cash
- Sectors & assets we finance
For UK & European operations
Lease in 30+ countries through local funders, with one coordinated programme and one point of contact.
- Leasing across Europe, by country
- Sale & leaseback and stage payments
- Equipment leasing in Germany & DACH
- Why expertise matters across borders
What we do
Structured Equipment Leasing for Deals That Don't Fit a Standard Box
Most UK equipment leasing companies are built for small-ticket, online-approval deals. We work on the larger, more complex transactions: multi-asset, multi-site and cross-border, where the right funder and the right structure decide whether a deal closes.
We don't lend our own money, so we recommend the structure and funder that fit, not a product we happen to hold. Fees are typically paid by the funder on activation.
The Plain English Pledge
Equipment finance explained properly: plain English, transparent contracts and straight answers. No jargon, no hidden fine print, no unexplained funder relationships.
Stage payment funding
Buying European-built equipment?
The funder pays the manufacturer's stage payments, secured by an advance payment guarantee. Until delivery you pay only interest on the deposits as they are made. Most main clearing banks walk away from this. We don't.
Large-asset refinance
Sale and leaseback up to €100m
Release cash from equipment you already own through our facility with a large independent European funder. European asset refinance →
Finance structures
Compare every lease type side by side in the complete guide →
Equipment Leasing and Finance Across Every Structure
01
Finance Lease
The funder owns the asset and rentals are typically tax-deductible. At the end: secondary rental, sale or renewal.
02
Operating Lease
The funder carries residual value risk, so rentals are lower and upgrades are built in. Ideal for technology and fast-moving assets.
03
Hire Purchase
Fixed instalments, with ownership passing to you at the end. Capital allowances typically available. More on HP →
04
Sale & Leaseback
Release cash from owned equipment while keeping it working. Up to €100m per transaction.
United Kingdom
UK Equipment Leasing for Bigger, More Complex Deals
£100,000 to £10 million, handled properly. Indicative terms within 48 hours on standard UK transactions, straight advice when a deal won't work, and every lease agreement reviewed before signature with any unusual clause explained in plain English.
Many clients have worked with the same team for 10+ years, across railway infrastructure, airport ground support equipment, specialist retail, industrial robotics, medical and IT equipment.
What the 2026 UK capital allowance changes mean for leasing →"Since contacting John Barter at Oaklease we have received a first class service, he understood our requirements straight away and got us the best deals possible."
"John is one of the most honest and straightforward people I have had the pleasure to deal with. I would, without question, recommend John without hesitation."
One team, 30+ markets
European Equipment Leasing Without the Cross-Border Headache
Leases are written locally, under local law and in local currency. We coordinate them as one: a single relationship covering the UK and Continental Europe, common terms, local-language support and one point of contact, from London to Frankfurt and every hub in between.
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Netherlands
- Belgium
- Italy
- Spain
- Poland
- Sweden
- Norway
- Denmark
- Finland
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Ireland
- Portugal
- Czech Republic
- Hungary
- Romania
- + more on request
"We rolled out new sites in three countries using Oaklease. No other leasing company could deal with the complexity. They made it simple."
"Our clients need fast, flexible decisions to optimise operations, and Oak has been a crucial partner. Their professionalism and extensive funding network make them ideal across Europe."
How cross-border leasing really works →
Country guides: Germany · France · Netherlands · Spain & Portugal · Nordics · Southern Europe
Vendor leasing programmes
A Vendor Leasing Programme That Closes Deals
Quote £4,978 a month, not £250,000. A monthly figure is an operating decision, often inside a budget holder's authority, so deals close faster and orders grow. You are still paid in full on delivery.
We design the programme, place it with the right funders for your sector and each territory, and manage the relationships day to day. Programmes run from £10,000 tickets upwards, in GBP or EUR, and usually cost the vendor little or nothing to run.
Read the vendor guide Vendor programmes across Europe
For vendors and OEMs
Already financing your own customers?
Our funder panel can buy the lease receivables from your own rental and "as-a-service" contracts, white-label if you prefer, so you get the cash now and keep growing the book.
Vendor receivables leasing →
Matured in oak since 1992
Why expertise matters →
Three Decades of Funder Relationships
Like a fine port, deal knowledge improves with time. Knowing which funder fits which asset and country is often the difference between a decline and an approval on good terms.
1992Founded
Oak Leasing opens in the year the Maastricht Treaty is signed, building funder relationships across the UK and Continental Europe.
200210 years
The euro enters circulation. Oak is active across multiple European markets with a broad funder panel.
201220 years
The eurozone debt crisis reshapes cross-border lending. Long relationships open routes others cannot access.
202230 years
Supply shocks and rising rates show the commercial value of leasing over capital outlay.
Why Oak Leasing
Four Things Every Client Gets, Every Time
01
Speed
Indicative terms within 48 hours on standard UK deals, and a realistic timeline up front on complex ones.
02
Honesty
A clear reason when we can't help, and a workable restructure when we can.
03
Clear documents
Your agreement reviewed before signature, with any unusual clause explained in plain English.
04
Long-term relationship
Refinances, end-of-term options and variations handled by the same team. Many clients stay 10+ years.
Resource hub
Equipment Leasing Guides and Insight
Start here · Updated October 2026
Equipment Leasing: The Complete Guide for the UK & Europe
The one-stop guide for customers, vendors, manufacturers and suppliers. How leasing works, which type fits, what it costs, how it sells more equipment, and how it works across 30+ countries. Reflects the 2026 UK capital allowance changes.
Read the complete guideEurope
Equipment Leasing Across Europe
Germany, France, Italy, Iberia, Benelux, the Nordics and CEE: how leasing differs by country.
Read the Europe guide →Vendor programmes
Vendor Equipment Leasing Explained
How we design, place and manage a vendor programme from day one.
Read more →Case studies
European Vendor Finance Case Studies
Six real, anonymised transactions structured and funded across Europe.
View case studies →Sales
How Leasing Increases Your Sales
Why monthly-payment framing closes deals capex budgets were about to kill.
Read more →Structures
European Equipment Finance
Finance lease, hire purchase, operating lease and sale and leaseback across Europe.
Read more →2026/2027 insight
Equipment Leasing 2026/2027
Rate and inflation pressure across the UK and EU, and why fixing your rate matters.
Read the insight →
FAQs
Equipment Leasing: Straight Answers
What is equipment leasing?
Equipment leasing lets a business use plant, machinery, technology or vehicles in return for fixed rentals instead of paying the full cost upfront. The funder owns the asset during the term. The main structures are the finance lease, operating lease, hire purchase and sale and leaseback. The complete guide explains each in plain English.
What deal sizes does Oak Leasing arrange?
£100,000 to £10 million per transaction, in GBP or EUR, and large-asset refinance or sale and leaseback up to €100 million per transaction. Smaller transactions from £10,000 are considered only within an approved vendor leasing programme.
Is Oak Leasing a lender?
No. Oak Leasing is a bespoke pan-European funding facilitator working with a panel of 40+ funders. On activation of a finance agreement we typically receive a commission or arrangement fee from the funder.
Is Oak Leasing a member of a professional body?
Yes. Oak Leasing is a founding member of the Guild of Business Finance Professionals, the not-for-profit association of independent UK business finance intermediaries launched in June 2024, and a signatory to its Charter on ethical and transparent practice.
How quickly can I get equipment leasing terms in the UK?
Indicative terms are usually provided within 48 hours on standard UK transactions. Complex and cross-border deals receive a realistic timeline at the outset.
Can you lease equipment across several European countries in one deal?
Yes. We coordinate equipment leasing across the UK and 30+ European countries, including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Poland and the Nordics, through local funders with common terms and one point of contact. How cross-border leasing works.
Can a UK business fund stage payments on European-built equipment?
Yes. The funder pays the manufacturer's stage payments, secured by an advance payment guarantee, and you pay only interest on the deposits as they are made until delivery. Most main clearing banks will not offer this structure.
What is the difference between a finance lease and hire purchase?
Under a finance lease the funder owns the asset and rentals are typically tax-deductible, with secondary rental, sale or renewal options at term end. Under hire purchase ownership transfers to you at the end of the term and capital allowances are typically available. More equipment leasing FAQs →
Equipment leasing calculators
What would your equipment cost per month?
See an indicative 1 + 59 or 3 + 57 rental in euros or sterling, then email yourself the quote.
Let's talk
Let's Talk About Your Equipment Leasing Transaction
Whether it's a £100,000 fit-out, a £10 million multi-country rollout or a vendor programme, tell us the asset and the markets. UK deals receive indicative terms within 48 hours; European deals get one point of contact from first call to signed agreement.
Speak to a European Funding Director View case studiesOak Leasing Ltd, a bespoke pan-European funding facilitator for equipment finance across the UK and Europe. Established 1992. Registered in England and Wales, company number 02737411. Registered office: Lynx House, Ferndown, Northwood Hills, Middlesex HA6 1PQ. ICO registration Z5638866.
Oak Leasing is not a direct lender. All finance is subject to status and funder credit approval. On activation of your finance agreement we typically receive a commission or arrangement fee from the funder. Typical transactions £100,000 to £10 million; vendor programmes considered from £10,000. Figures are illustrative and exclude VAT.
© Oak Leasing Ltd 2026. All rights reserved.