4. Keep the End-of-lease Notice and Renewal Periods Short
To avoid hefty unintended lease charges, seek notice and automatic renewal periods that are short. The primary purpose of the end-of-lease notice period is to allow the leasing company sufficient time to redeploy the equipment if you elect to return the equipment. The secondary purpose is to notify the lessor of your plan to either continue leasing the equipment or to purchase it. The notice period generally ranges from one to six months, with three months being typical. If you violate the notice period, the lease kicks into an often unfavorable automatic renewal period, usually one to six months. If the lessor is unwilling to negotiate this provision, you can save money by making sure the notice requirement is fulfilled within the allowed time.
5. Slash Interim Rent
You can slash lease costs significantly by limiting interim rent. Interim rent is the rent you pay for daily use of equipment between the equipment acceptance and lease start dates. The rationale for interim rent is that you have use of the equipment and the lessor is obligated to pay the equipment vendor during this period. While the rationale is not unreasonable, interim rent can balloon lease pricing by arbitrarily extending the term of the lease (albeit by only days). The best approach is to schedule equipment delivery and acceptance toward the end of the month. Most lease terms officially start the first day of the month following equipment acceptance. Another strategy is to negotiate a truncated period at the end of the lease such that the interim period and truncated period total one month of the quoted lease term. A last strategy is to request a limit on interim rent (perhaps ten or fifteen days) regardless of equipment acceptance.
6. Manage Equipment Returns
Save a bundle on your lease by managing the equipment's return. Although you may not anticipate returning the equipment to the leasing company at lease end, it can be costly if you do. When equipment is returned, most lessors care about and will hold your firm accountable for the equipment's condition. Equipment should be properly maintained and returned in good condition. Make sure that you understand the return provision of the lease and that you have good internal controls to adhere to these requirements. If the lease contains an 'all or none' return provision, one strategy is to subdivide the lease into several smaller lease schedules on the front end. Place equipment you are most likely to keep on the same schedules. Try to negotiate the right to return up to 20% of the equipment (based on original value) at the end of the lease, as long as you agree to renew the lease or purchase the balance of the equipment. Track and save all equipment accessories and documentation.
7. Match Lease Term with Projected Equipment Use
The term of the lease should match the expected use of the equipment as closely as possible to save money. If the term is too short, cash outlays for the equipment might exceed the expected equipment benefits over the term. If the lease term is too long, you might lose the flexibility of upgrading to newer more desirable equipment. Notwithstanding your preferences, the term allowed by the leasing company may depend on their perception of credit risk and the expected economic life of the equipment. Any mismatch between your preference and lessor's can be managed by obtaining favorable end-of-lease options.
8. Identify and Understand All Potential Fees
Leasing proposals vary in the types and amounts of fees and penalty charges. Common fees and charges include: commitment fees; non-use fees or facility fees; per schedule documentation charges; attorney fees; UCC financing statements; penalty charges for late rental payments; and early lease termination charges. These are only a few of the possible fees and charges. You can save a bundle by carefully going through each lease proposal and lease agreement to identify and compare likely charges. If fees or charges are significant and likely, they should be incorporated into your pricing analysis. Where possible, especially where one proposal contains fees/charges excluded from the other proposals, try to negotiate these fees/charges.
9. Offer Credit Enhancement to Reduce Lease Rates
In some cases, you can trim lease pricing substantially by offering credit enhancements to improve your firm's credit profile. Enhancements can include: shortening the lease term, cash or other assets as additional collateral, personal or corporate guarantees, adv
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