[ben stevens]

Hi, new to this but have learnt LOADS from the immense amount of information on here over the last week, starting up in Warwickshire on a slightly limited budget so was wondering if anyone has any views or experience of leasing a machine as opposed to buying secondhand....also if anyone knows of any firms that do it?

Thanks in advance
Ben

[John Kelly]

Most suppliers will do a lease on machines. The leasing company is actually a seperate entity and they go through your personal circumstances, credit rating etc and come up with the best deal from a number of finance sources. I would think you would pick up a starter package for around £20 a week.

[JandS]

I leased mine and have just finished paying last month.
Now I own all my gear.
Think it's the best way to go as it doesn't tie up your
money which you can use for other things i.e. marketing,
a rainy day etc.
It also means you start up with all new gear and you tend
to buy the top of the range stuff as with leasing your budget
is better.
I did it and would advise anyone thinking about it to do it.
John's right I was paying £125 per month.

John

[feldon]

Hi Ben

I've leased mine as it enable me to get a top of the range portable.

Where about's in  Warwickshire are you?  I'm based on the Warwickshire / Oxfordshire border and being going a couple of years now.

[ben stevens]

Hi guys, thanks for the huge response already!
I'm in Leamington Spa Richard C, hoping to cover here, Warwick,Stratford and Banbury.
I have a window cleaning round in Leamington and Banbury but im very keen to move into carpet cleaning,i find the whole business fascinating and no ladders or wet days a bonus now i have a family!

[Paul Clapham]

Buy 2nd hand , loads  of cheap gear on Ebay etc, if it you don't like carpet cleaning you can resell the kit , if you lease, you are still committed to the repayments.

[ben stevens]

Fair point Paul but im concerned my budget wont stretch to a machine that will a,do a decent job (im very fussy) and b, might be unreliable,but then again,as you say, atleast id have an asset...

[Buckland]

If you are going to lease find the lease company first then find the right gear second and get the lease company to arrange payment with the machine supplier - that way you avoid any kickback for the supplier using their own sweet lease deal

[Jamie Lindsay]

spend your money on marketing marketing and more marketing

[cleanability]

Bought brand new machines for years but bought my first second hand machine 2 years ago. Bought an Alltec top of the range machine with wand for £600. The wand alone was worth £200. A great buy for me. Keep looking for a used one.

Chris

[alldon]

Just go with what's best for you I have always bought secondhand  you will get a decent one on eBay if your prepared to travel never spent more than £600. Good luck

[feldon]

Hi guys, thanks for the huge response already!
I'm in Leamington Spa Richard C, hoping to cover here, Warwick,Stratford and Banbury.
I have a window cleaning round in Leamington and Banbury but im very keen to move into carpet cleaning,i find the whole business fascinating and no ladders or wet days a bonus now i have a family!

Pretty much the same area as me but that area covers a good 50,000 houses so should be plenty for both of us , what's the name of your window cleaning company?

[John Kelly]

If you are going to lease find the lease company first then find the right gear second and get the lease company to arrange payment with the machine supplier - that way you avoid any kickback for the supplier using their own sweet lease deal

I'd love to find one of these lease companies who give you a kick back, None of ours do. The benefit to us is that people can afford new gear paid for gradually as opposed to second hand. So we get a sale where as we might not have.

[Jamie Pearson]

If you are going to lease find the lease company first then find the right gear second and get the lease company to arrange payment with the machine supplier - that way you avoid any kickback for the supplier using their own sweet lease deal

I'd love to find one of these lease companies who give you a kick back, None of ours do. The benefit to us is that people can afford new gear paid for gradually as opposed to second hand. So we get a sale where as we might not have.

Same!

[peter maybury]

Ben,
I would if I was you lease equipment as you straight away will have a warrantee on that equipment from day 1. How people see you and your professionalism is the most important factor as to how much you can charge for you services. Spend as much as you can on training and learning what equipment to buy and how to get the best out of it.
A business is a commitment and if it does fail you will be liable for any of the debts that the business incurrs, but I feel that a business is something that you do need to be committed to in order to confidently sell to customers. If you are using crap equipment then customers will feel robbed unless you are charging peanuts in the first place. I know a lot about equipment but most of the time you can spend more time being a machine and equipment repairman than doing the job that brings in the money. You can earn good money if you make the investment but you can look like a right dick if your equipment is letting you down. There are a lot of good reliable trustworthy suppliers in the industry, in the same breath there are a lot of negative wallys in the market.

Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com

[ben stevens]

Thanks for all the help guys, im looking into leasing now so if anyone knows of any good suppliers please let me know.
Richard C, my window company is Maxi-View, whats your carpet company called? fancy an intern for a few days....?

[Simon@arenaclean]

Restormate
Cleansmart
Alltec
Solutions (world of clean)

All will do leasing and all are excellent suppliers.

[ben stevens]

Thanks Simon,much appreciated.

[Ian Gourlay]

You could phone Oxford Leasing

Do not know what situation is now obviously suppliers know but i was told a couple years ago unless you own property hard to get a lease.

But as it did not apply to me and I went no further I do not really know.

This   time  i really really am talking out of the top of my hat.

But do think it was a supplier who told me

[ben stevens]

Yes it does seem to be a problem! funny how someone will rent me a £300k house but i cant seem to rent a £1500 quid machine!