Asset finance · UK and Europe · Since 1992

Asset Finance for UK and European Businesses, £100,000 to £10 Million

Oak Leasing is a bespoke pan-European funding facilitator for equipment finance. We arrange asset finance for limited companies, including leasing, hire purchase, refinance and stage payment funding, placing each deal with the best-suited of 40+ funders across 30+ countries.

Speak to a Funding Director Compare asset finance options

Established 1992 · Founding member, Guild of Business Finance Professionals · Limited companies only

6,500+Businesses funded

£100m+Equipment funded

40+Funder relationships

30+Countries covered

€100mRefinance per transaction

In short

What is asset finance?

Asset finance is a way for a business to acquire or fund equipment, machinery, vehicles and technology by paying for it over time, with the asset itself as the security. It covers leasing, hire purchase and refinance of equipment the business already owns.

Because the funder looks first at the asset, asset finance usually sits alongside your bank facilities rather than using them up. Fixed payments also make budgeting straightforward and preserve cash for growth.

Oak Leasing is not a lender. We structure each transaction and place it with the most suitable funder from our panel. Our fee is typically paid by the funder on activation and is disclosed to you before finance documents are signed.

Asset finance with Oak Leasing

Typical deals £100,000 to £10 million, GBP or EUR
New and used equipment, plus installation and integration
Sale and leaseback up to €100m per transaction
Stage payments funded on European-built equipment
One relationship across 30+ European countries
Reply from a Funding Director within one business day

Asset finance options

Six ways to fund business assets

We recommend the structure that fits how long you will use the asset, whether you want to own it, and how it should sit on your balance sheet. Then we find the funder who will do it on the best terms.

Finance lease

The funder owns the asset and rentals cover most or all of its cost. At the end of the term you continue on secondary rentals, or the asset is sold.

Best for: long-life equipment used for most of its working life.

Operating lease

Lower rentals that reflect a residual value. Return, extend or upgrade at the end of the term.

Best for: technology and assets with regular upgrade cycles.

Hire purchase

Fixed instalments, with ownership passing to your business after the final payment.

Best for: core equipment you intend to own outright.

Sale and leaseback

Release capital tied up in equipment you already own, then lease it back with no interruption to operations.

Best for: growth, acquisitions or restructuring. Up to €100m. Asset refinance →

Stage payment funding

The funder pays the manufacturer's deposits and stage payments, secured by an advance payment guarantee. You pay only interest on each deposit until delivery.

Best for: UK businesses buying European-built equipment with long lead times.

Vendor asset finance

Point-of-sale finance programmes for manufacturers and dealers, with transactions from £10,000 within a programme.

Best for: OEMs and distributors. Vendor programmes →

At a glance

Finance lease vs operating lease vs hire purchase

	Finance lease	Operating lease	Hire purchase
Who owns the asset	Funder	Funder	Your business, after final payment
Payments cover	Most or all of the cost	Cost less residual value	Full cost
End of term	Secondary rentals or sale	Return, extend or upgrade	Ownership passes to you
Tax (typical)	Rentals usually deductible	Rentals usually deductible	Capital allowances usually available

General guidance only. Tax treatment depends on your circumstances, so take advice from your accountant. For costs, VAT and accounting in detail, read our guide to how equipment leasing works.

The process

How asset finance works with Oak Leasing

Tell us the dealWhat you are funding, where it will be used, and when you need it.
We structure itA Funding Director recommends the structure, term and currency.
We place itMatched to the funder whose appetite fits your asset, sector and country.
You sign and use itDocuments reviewed before signature, unusual clauses explained in plain English.

Standard UK transactions usually receive indicative terms within 48 hours. For an illustrative monthly cost on deals of £100,000 to £500,000, use our asset finance calculator.

UK and pan-European

Asset finance across 30+ European countries

Agreements are written locally, under local law and in local currency, but we run them as one relationship: common terms, one point of contact and local-language support. That suits UK groups expanding into Europe, European manufacturers selling into the UK and multi-site businesses wanting one framework.

European equipment leasing →
Funding your UK or European subsidiary →

“As a large international railway equipment manufacturing company based both in the UK and in France, we needed a finance partner who could make equipment leasing simple for our customers. Oak Leasing delivered exactly that: clear documentation, a very good service from start to finish, and a team that fully understands how manufacturers sell.” Gareth Richardson, Managing Director UK, Geismar United Kingdom

FAQs

Asset finance: straight answers

What is asset finance?

Asset finance lets a business acquire or fund equipment, machinery, vehicles or technology by paying for it over a fixed term, with the asset as security. The main forms are finance leases, operating leases, hire purchase and sale and leaseback.

Is asset finance the same as equipment leasing?

Equipment leasing is one type of asset finance. Asset finance is the wider term and also includes hire purchase, where you own the asset at the end, and refinance of equipment you already own. Oak Leasing arranges all of them.

Is asset finance better than a bank loan?

It is often easier to obtain because the funder relies on the asset, and it usually sits alongside your existing bank facilities rather than reducing them. Payments are fixed and can be matched to the asset's working life. A bank loan may suit where the asset has little resale value.

What deal sizes does Oak Leasing arrange?

Typically £100,000 to £10 million, in sterling or euros. Sale and leaseback and large-asset refinance can go up to €100 million per transaction. Transactions from £10,000 are considered only within an approved vendor finance programme.

Can I use asset finance to release cash from equipment I own?

Yes. With sale and leaseback, a funder buys equipment your business owns and leases it back to you, releasing capital while the equipment stays in use.

Can asset finance fund stage payments?

Yes, for UK businesses buying European-manufactured equipment. The funder pays the manufacturer's stage payments, secured by an advance payment guarantee, and you pay only interest on those deposits until delivery. Most main clearing banks don't offer this.

Who can apply for asset finance through Oak Leasing?

Limited companies and other incorporated businesses in the UK and Europe. We do not arrange finance for consumers, sole traders or partnerships, which is why Oak Leasing is not FCA regulated.

How quickly can I get asset finance terms?

A Funding Director replies within one business day. Standard UK transactions usually receive indicative terms within 48 hours. Complex and cross-border deals are given a realistic timeline at the outset.

Talk to us about your asset finance

Tell us what you are funding, where it will be used and when. A Funding Director will reply within one business day.

Speak to a Funding Director

Illustrations only, not an offer of finance. Subject to status and funder approval. Limited companies only. Oak Leasing is not a lender.