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Business Equipment Finance

Find lenders, expert consultants and a huge choice of options for business equipment finance with Savvy.

No obligation. It won't affect your credit score.
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, updated on August 28th, 2023       

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Thinking business equipment finance?

Savvy specialises in helping thousands of Australian businesses just like yours to get the tools, machines, appliances, or even office equipment they need to continue to thrive.

Our expert asset finance consultants are always on hand to help and you can choose from a broader range of products and options designed to fit the way you operate. Whether that’s an asset lease or a loan, our expert business finance consultants are ready and waiting to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Effortless business equipment finance

Almost every business needs reliable equipment to succeed – and helping Australian businesses succeed is exactly what Savvy is here for. Whether you need to buy tools of the trade, hospitality equipment like commercial fridges, vehicles like trucks, cars and utes or even fixtures and fittings for refurbs, our helpful brokers make the whole process quick, simple, and effortless.

When you’d rather be running your business than chasing up loans, filling out forms, and crunching numbers, you can trust Savvy to source the best value lenders and products that are designed specifically for your industry or sector.

Plant & machinery finance

Business equipment finance explained

What’s a business equipment finance residual payment?

A residual or balloon payment is a portion of the finance principal that you don’t repay during the term. Instead, the amount becomes due when the agreed period ends. At that point, depending on your circumstances, you can either pay down the residual amount or refinance it. Let’s say you have a five-year chattel mortgage with a 30% residual. After five years, you’ll have paid 70% of the borrowed amount back, but if you refinance the residual – let's say over an additional two years – you effectively extend the chattel mortgage. 

Companies use residuals because they’re an effective way to manage regular repayments during the loan term. Because they’re only repaying a percentage of the borrowed amount over the period of their finance agreement, repayments are lower. With a chattel mortgage, you can adjust the residual amount so that repayments are a lot more manageable than if you elected to repay 100% of the borrowed amount over five years. Leases don’t offer the option of adjusting the residual amount – because the ATO sets the percentage based on asset depreciation during the finance term. 

What is low doc business equipment finance?

Low doc asset finance is a specialist product offered by lenders to businesses that don’t have up to date financials or tax returns when they need to apply for credit. Savvy partners with several providers who’ll consider low doc applications, and this is how they work: 

Borrowing needs don’t always sync with the financial year, so many businesses out there find themselves short on up-to-date financial information when the time is right to apply for a loan or lease. With conventional asset finance, lenders will request: 

  • Your driver’s licence or equivalent ID  
  • You’ll need your ABN  
  • The lender will need to know the details of the equipment you’re financing  
  • An up-to-date tax return 
  • Accounts for the current tax year, including a P&L statement 

Often, preparing returns and accounts lags behind the end of the financial year, and that’s where low doc asset finance comes in. Provider requirements differ, but some lenders will let you apply with alternative documentation, such as: 

  • Evidence of property ownership 
  • Personal financial details 
  • Lenders may as for personal guarantees that the loan will be repaid
  • Lenders might request business bank account statements 
  • They may also want to see quarterly business activity statements 
  • You can help lenders assess your business by providing a cash flow forecast 
  • Some lenders may consider evidence of current orders and sales in conjunction with the above details 

One of Savvy’s expert business equipment finance brokers can help you navigate a low doc finance application, and they’ll quickly assess your requirements before identifying relevant lenders and products. 

Why choose Savvy?

Your equipment finance application process

Talk to a Savvy consultant

Getting in touch with one of our expert business equipment finance consultants means getting the ball rolling. We’ll ask you a few simple questions, and once we know your situation, well instantly start finding you the best lenders. 

Your business finances

Have your business financials handy, so we can figure out which products are most suitable, and we can check you’ve got everything the lender needs to approve your lease or loan. Once we’ve done that, it’s time to get your application started.  

Only relevant lenders

Savvy’s expert consultants work hard to source only the ideal finance products for your business. We’ll select the providers who offer the products that suit your cash flow requirements from our extensive lender panel.  

Time for paperwork

You don’t need to worry – our people will be there from the start of the process until the end. We’ll ensure your paperwork is in order and that funding for the equipment vendor ready, so there won’t be any delays. 

Time to take delivery!

At Savvy, warrange everything, and once the lender has settleyour finance amount, we’ll make sure the dealer is paid in good time so you can take delivery of your new equipment! 

Bad credit equipment finance

If you’ve had a couple of defaults in the past, you can learn about potential bad credit commercial loan options with one of our consultants, assessing your situation before recommending the most suitable one.  

Got business equipment finance questions? Get answers here

What can I use business equipment finance to buy?

You can use business equipment finance to purchase any machines, vehicles, tools, or equipment you need to carry out your business activities. You can buy new or second-hand from private or commercial sellers. 

Is it better to use a lease or a loan?

That depends on your business. Both loans and leases have specific advantages. Most business equipment loans are in the form of a chattel mortgage, which is a secured loan with competitive interest rates and some great GST incentives. Leases work well for businesses that don’t want the hassle and cost of maintaining their own vehicles and heavy equipment too. Talk to one of our friendly commercial finance consultants to help you figure out which option is best for your needs. 

How long does it take to repay business equipment finance?

Leases usually run for anything between two and five years – and with some business equipment leases, you get the option to extend the lease period. Chattel mortgage equipment finance runs for periods between one and five years, and you can also extend the finance term via the residual.

What’s wrong with getting finance at the equipment dealership?

Dealerships tend to deal with either one lender or a couple at best. That limits competition and ties you into a narrow band of business equipment finance options. When you get finance at the dealer, you also limit yourself to the prices and equipment they offer, so it’s far better to get funds in place and then shop around until you find a great deal on the ideal equipment for your needs.

Do I need to contribute a deposit on these transactions?

No, all equipment finance transactions whether they end up being a chattel mortage or a lease do not require any deposit. 100% financing is available.

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