Capacity decisions at the speed of demand, not the speed of the capex cycle.
Oak Leasing Ltd arranges leasing and finance for data centre equipment across the UK and 30+ European countries: servers and GPU compute, storage, networking, power, cooling and security, for bare metal, colocation and enterprise facilities. We have committed sector appetite from a major European funder, deals from £100,000 to £10 million, and sale and leaseback of installed infrastructure up to €100 million per transaction.
In short: a funder buys the servers, storage, networking, power and cooling equipment you specify, and you pay a fixed monthly or quarterly rental over a term matched to each asset's life. Compute can be refreshed at the end of the term, and the capital stays free for the build-out itself.
GPU refresh cycles, power densification and colocation expansion all compete for the same balance sheet. A five-year depreciation schedule on GPU-dense compute that will be superseded in two or three years is a strategic liability, not a prudent accounting choice. Leasing separates the infrastructure decision from the capital decision, so the roadmap isn't rewritten every time the capex envelope tightens.
Oak Leasing has secured dedicated capacity from a major European funder specifically for data centre infrastructure: bare metal, colocation and enterprise, in the UK and 30+ European markets. It is committed appetite, not a single deal tested against a generalist credit committee.
Indicative terms within 48 hours on standard UK transactions. Cross-border deployments are typically structured in weeks, so procurement doesn't set your go-live date.
Local funders, documents and compliance in each market, coordinated through a single Oak Leasing relationship rather than separate processes in every country.
In short: almost every layer of the facility, from GPU servers to generators, can be financed under one programme rather than piecemeal.
Rack and blade servers, GPU and AI training clusters, inference nodes and AI workstations.
SAN, NAS, all-flash arrays, object storage and backup systems.
Switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers and high-speed interconnect.
Liquid and immersion cooling, CRAH and CRAC units, chillers and heat recovery. See also HVAC leasing.
UPS, switchgear, generators and battery energy storage.
Biometric access control, CCTV, DCIM software, fencing and gates.
Installation, integration and software can often be included alongside hardware. For office IT and device estates, see IT and technology leasing across Europe.
In short: use an operating lease for fast-depreciating compute, a finance lease for long-life power, cooling and networking, and sale and leaseback to turn installed infrastructure into working capital.
The funder carries the residual value risk on GPU and server hardware with a genuine refresh cycle ahead of it. Lower rentals and a built-in upgrade path at the end of the term.
For power, cooling and networking with a longer useful life. Rentals are typically tax-deductible, and we set out the IFRS 16 treatment before you sign.
Unencumbered infrastructure already on your balance sheet is sold to a funder and leased straight back, with no disruption to live operations. Up to €100m per transaction through our large-asset refinance facility.
For OEMs and infrastructure vendors selling to European operators: one vendor finance programme administered consistently across every market you sell into.
For hosting and as-a-service providers with their own rental contracts: release the value of future rentals now. Receivables leasing →
For European-built plant, the funder pays the manufacturer's stage payments, secured by an advance payment guarantee, and you pay interest only on deposits until delivery.
In short: €1 million of power and cooling infrastructure over 60 months works out at about €19,460 a month plus VAT, on an indicative 6.5% APR with one rental in advance. Operating leases on compute are lower again, because the funder carries the residual value.
An operating lease keeps residual risk with the funder. A finance lease is typically on balance sheet under IFRS 16, and FRS 102 brings a similar model to UK GAAP from 2026. Either way, leasing is secured on the assets, so existing bank facilities stay free for working capital. Try the euro calculator.
Illustrative only, excluding VAT and subject to status and funder approval. Not a quotation.
In short: leases are written locally, under local law and in local currency, and we coordinate them as one programme for multi-site and multi-country builds.
Data centre capacity is spreading from the established FLAP-D hubs of Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin into the Nordics, Iberia, Italy and Central and Eastern Europe, wherever power and land are available. Oak Leasing is a bespoke pan-European funding facilitator, so each site's deal goes to a local funder from our panel of 40+, while the operator deals with one point of contact.
Country guides: Germany & DACH · France · Netherlands · Spain & Portugal · Nordics · Southern Europe
Yes. Servers, GPU compute, storage, networking, power, cooling and security equipment can be leased across the UK and 30+ European countries. Oak Leasing arranges deals from £100,000 to £10 million, in GBP or EUR, and sale and leaseback of installed infrastructure up to €100 million per transaction.
Committed. We have secured dedicated capacity from a major European funder specifically for data centre infrastructure, covering bare metal, colocation and enterprise configurations across the UK and 30+ European markets.
Usually, yes. GPU and server hardware has a short refresh cycle, so an operating lease that leaves residual value risk with the funder gives lower rentals and an upgrade path at the end of the term. Long-life power and cooling usually suits a finance lease.
It depends on the structure. Most leases sit on balance sheet under IFRS 16, and FRS 102 brings a similar model to UK GAAP from 2026. Leases are secured on the equipment, so existing bank facilities stay available. We set out the accounting treatment for your finance team before anything is signed.
Indicative terms are usually provided within 48 hours on standard UK transactions. Cross-border European deployments are typically structured in weeks, depending on documentation and jurisdiction.
Yes. Unencumbered infrastructure can be sold to a funder and leased back without disrupting live operations, releasing working capital for the next phase. Our large-asset facility supports up to €100 million per transaction.
Yes. We coordinate local funders and documents in each market under one relationship, with consistent administration across the programme.
No. Oak Leasing is a bespoke pan-European funding facilitator for equipment finance, established in 1992, working with 40+ funders. Fees are typically paid by the funder on activation, and commission is disclosed before documents are signed.
Bring the deployment plan, whether bare metal, colocation or enterprise, and we'll talk through structure and funder fit before anything goes to panel.
Speak to a European Funding Director