Difference between an Equipment Rental and a Chattel Mortgage

Equipment Rental Or Chattel Mortgage - Choose The Right Product

A question I am often asked by clients is, “what is the difference between and an Equipment Rental and a Chattel Mortgage?”.

Whilst both are finance products, their implications are different from both an ownership and tax perspective.

For some circumstances and types of equipment, a Chattel Mortgage may be the best option. In other cases, using an Equipment Rental structure may be preferable.

The key is the choice of product needs to be aligned to your circumstances.

Equipment Rental

Under an Equipment Rental Agreement, the Lender purchases and owns the asset(s).

The asset(s) are then rented to the business, for a fixed period and monthly repayment.

Equipment that is rented is of a type that typically depreciates quickly and/or needs to be frequently updated (Examples being IT Equipment, laptops, phone systems.)

At the end of the rental period, the business might opt to:

Purchase the goods from the lender for the agreed market value
Extend the rental period
Hand the goods back to the Lender with no more to pay
Enter another agreement to rent new goods

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Equipment Rental Pros

Provides access to the latest equipment and current technology, which may be needed to remain relevant and competitive
Helps avoid a situation where the business is left owning equipment that is outdated within a short timeframe
Some Rental Agreements can also include the cost of servicing, maintaining the equipment
As the Lender owns the asset, they claim the GST input tax credit, the result being the amount financed is lower than it would be with a Chattel Mortgage (This can be important for more expensive equipment)
Repayments can be structured to suit your cashflow
At the end of the term, you can simply hand the equipment back to the Lender and not be exposed to Residual risk

Equipment Rental Cons

The asset is owned by the Lender and not the business
As the assets financed are generally of the type that depreciate quickly, the repayment structure needs to, (in most instances), fully cover the cost of the asset plus interest by expiry. The result being repayments can be higher.

Equipment Rental Tax Implications

The extent to which the equipment being financed is used for business purposes, the rentals may be tax-deductible.

Chattel Mortgage

One of the key differences between an Equipment Rental and a Chattel Mortgage is that with the Chattel Mortgage, the business owns the asset.

The Lender provides the funds to purchase the asset and takes a charge over the asset (Specific Security Agreement) as security.

The equipment being purchased will appear as an asset on the business balance sheet and the finance a liability.

Another difference between an Equipment Rental and a Chattel Mortgage is that with the Chattel Mortgage, you can include a balloon payment.

The benefit of including a balloon payment is that it can reduce your agreed repayments, as the balloon is not repaid until your last payment is due.

The downside of the Balloon is that you will pay more interest over the term of the facility.

Other differences between an Equipment Rental and a Chattel Mortgage include:

Chattel Mortgage Pros

100% of the purchase can be financed
Can include a deposit to reduce the repayments
Using a Balloon can also reduce repayments
Payments can be structured to your cashflow
Borrowed funds are directly invested into assets that the business owns

Chattel Mortgage Cons

The business has full title to the goods only when the loan (including the Balloon) is fully repaid
The business carries the liability as the owner and user of the goods
The business is responsible for maintaining the goods
The business is exposed to Residual risk – that is; in some instances, the asset may be worth less than the Balloon payment at expiry

Chattel Mortgage Tax implications

With a Chattel Mortgage, if the asset is used for business purposes, you may be able to claim the GST included in the purchase price as an Input Tax Credit.

You may also be able to claim interest and depreciation costs, depending on how much you use the equipment or motor vehicle for business purposes

Summary

Given the differences between an Equipment Rental and a Chattel Mortgage, it is important to seek guidance before committing to one form of finance or the other.

Both are terrific products, used and structured correctly. However, they are very different, so it is important to understand their implications. Mistakes can be expensive to unwind.

Also, depending on the equipment being financed, the choice of Lender will be important. Some specialise in particular fields or simply do it better than others.

If you would like to learn more about the difference between an Equipment Rental and Chattel Mortgage, don’t hesitate to give me a call

0433 210 353

Sharon Piening

Sharon Piening

Highly experienced Equipment and Motor Vehicle Finance Specialist. I love working with my clients and helping them navigate the complex world of equipment and motor vehicle finance.

Sharon Piening is a credit representative (474698) of BLSSA Pty Ltd ACN 117 651 760 (Australian Credit Licence 391237)