10 June 2026

A copier lease can look more complicated than it needs to be.

The agreement may include finance terms, service charges, page costs, renewal conditions, collection arrangements and upgrade clauses. Some of these may appear in separate documents.

Before signing, renewing or cancelling a copier agreement, take the time to identify the key terms in plain English.

Leasing is a form of asset finance. It allows a business to use equipment for an agreed period without necessarily owning it. That can help spread the cost, but the terms of the agreement still need to be checked carefully.

Start by Finding Every Document

Do not assume that everything is covered by one contract.

Your copier arrangement may include:

• An equipment lease
• A separate service agreement
• A maintenance agreement
• A cost-per-page schedule
• A delivery or installation document
• Terms and conditions
• An upgrade agreement
• A finance-company agreement
• An end-of-contract return notice

Put every document together before reviewing the arrangement.

If your copier supplier and finance provider are different companies, make a note of both names.

The Main Terms to Check

1. Contract Start Date

Find the date when the agreement began.

This may be shown as:

• Commencement date
• Start date
• Effective date
• Activation date
• Installation date
• Rental commencement date

Do not assume that the date you signed the document is the same as the date the lease started.

2. Contract Length

Look for the total length of the agreement.

This may be expressed as:

• 36 months
• 48 months
• 60 months
• 72 months
• A number of quarterly payments
• A minimum rental period
• An initial term

A lower monthly figure may be based on a longer commitment.

Write the term down clearly:

Contract length: ______________________ months

Then calculate the expected end date:

Expected lease end date: ______________________

3. Monthly or Quarterly Equipment Payment

Find the amount you pay for the copier itself.

This may be described as:

• Rental payment
• Lease payment
• Equipment charge
• Finance payment
• Quarterly rental
• Minimum rental

Check whether the figure is monthly or quarterly.

Equipment payment: £______________________

Paid: monthly / quarterly

If the agreement uses quarterly payments, divide the figure by three when comparing it with a monthly quote.

4. Total Equipment Cost

Do not compare agreements using the monthly payment alone.

Calculate the full equipment cost:

Payment amount × number of payments = total equipment cost

Example:

£180 per month × 60 months = £10,800

Write down your figure:

Total equipment payments: £______________________

This does not include servicing, page charges, delivery, collection or other fees.

5. Service Agreement

The service agreement may be separate from the lease.

It may cover:

• Engineer visits
• Routine maintenance
• Replacement parts
• Toner
• Remote monitoring
• Meter readings
• Support response times
• Fault reporting
• Software support

Check whether the service agreement has the same start and end dates as the equipment lease.

Service agreement start date: ______________________

Service agreement end date: ______________________

Do not assume that cancelling the lease automatically cancels the service agreement.

6. Mono Cost Per Page

Mono means black-and-white printing.

The agreement may charge a set amount for every mono page printed.

This may appear as:

• Mono click charge
• Black-and-white click rate
• B&W page charge
• Copy charge
• Impression charge
• Meter charge

Write it down:

Mono cost per page: ______________________ pence

A small rate difference can matter if your business prints thousands of pages each month.

7. Colour Cost Per Page

Colour printing usually has a different charge.

Write down the rate:

Colour cost per page: ______________________ pence

Also check:

• Whether the rate can increase
• Whether there is a minimum monthly charge
• Whether colour pages are counted automatically
• Whether some mixed-colour documents are charged as full-colour pages
• Whether scans are charged separately

8. Minimum Monthly Volume

Some agreements include a minimum number of pages or a minimum monthly charge.

You may pay for this minimum even if you print fewer pages.

Look for wording such as:

• Minimum billing
• Minimum copy volume
• Minimum monthly commitment
• Included impressions
• Base charge
• Minimum service payment

Write the figure down:

Minimum monthly page commitment: ______________________

Ask whether unused pages carry forward.

9. Price Increases

Check whether any charges can rise during the agreement.

Look for wording such as:

• Annual increase
• Price review
• Index-linked increase
• Inflation adjustment
• RPI increase
• CPI increase
• Percentage uplift
• Service-rate review

Write down:

Can charges increase? Yes / No

How often? ______________________

By how much? ______________________

Do not assume a cost-per-page rate will remain unchanged for the full term.

10. Automatic Renewal

Look for any wording that allows the agreement to continue automatically.

This may appear as:

• Automatic renewal
• Auto-renewal
• Rolling term
• Renewal period
• Extension period
• Evergreen clause
• Continuation period

Ask:

• Does the lease renew automatically?
• Does the service agreement renew automatically?
• How long is the renewal period?
• Will you receive a reminder?
• What happens if the deadline is missed?

Write down:

Automatic renewal: Yes / No

Renewal period: ______________________

11. Written Notice Period

Find the exact deadline for cancelling or ending the agreement.

The contract may require notice several weeks or months before the end date.

Look for wording such as:

• Written notice
• Notice period
• Termination notice
• Cancellation notice
• Notice of non-renewal
• Minimum notice
• Prior written notice

Write down:

Notice required: ______________________ days

Notice deadline: ______________________

Also note where the notice must be sent:

Email or postal address for notice:

____________________________________________________

Do not rely on a phone call alone. Keep written evidence.

12. Early Exit Charges

Find out what happens if you need to leave the agreement early.

Possible wording includes:

• Early termination charge
• Settlement figure
• Termination payment
• Remaining rentals
• Cancellation charge
• Buyout figure
• Early repayment amount

Ask for an example calculation.

Write down:

Early exit formula:

____________________________________________________

A business-to-business contract does not generally come with an automatic cooling-off period unless the agreement itself provides one.

13. Ownership at the End

Do not assume the copier automatically becomes yours.

Check whether the agreement says:

• The copier must be returned
• Ownership remains with the finance company
• You may request a purchase option
• A final payment is required
• The agreement continues unless notice is given
• A new arrangement must be agreed

Write down:

Who owns the copier at the end?

____________________________________________________

14. Collection and Deinstallation Fees

If the copier must be returned, ask who pays to remove it.

Possible costs include:

• Collection fee
• Transport
• Deinstallation
• Engineer visit
• Stair access
• Restricted-access collection
• Packaging
• Administration
• Missed collection
• Damage
• Missing accessories
• Secure data wiping

Write down:

Collection fee: £______________________

Deinstallation fee: £______________________

Other return costs: £______________________

15. Data Stored on the Copier

Modern multifunction devices may store print, scan, address-book or network information.

Before returning or disposing of equipment, ask whether stored data will be securely erased. The ICO advises that personal information should be properly deleted before hardware is sold or disposed of, so it cannot be accessed by someone else.

Write down:

Is secure data wiping included? Yes / No

Will written confirmation be provided? Yes / No

16. Upgrade Clauses

An upgrade may sound like a simple equipment swap, but it could change the agreement.

Before accepting a new machine, ask:

• Does the lease restart?
• Does the service agreement restart?
• Are existing payments carried into the new deal?
• Is the new agreement longer?
• Are page charges changing?
• Are installation or removal fees added?
• What is the new total cost?

Write down:

Does an upgrade start a new agreement? Yes / No

New contract end date: ______________________

Plain-English Translation Guide

Simple Total-Cost Worksheet

Use this table to estimate the full cost.

Final Checklist

Before signing or renewing, confirm:

Already Have a Copier Lease?

If your agreement is difficult to understand, do not wait until the renewal deadline.

We can review your copier contract free of charge and highlight the main terms you should check before renewing, upgrading or cancelling.

Request a Free Copier Contract Review

Important note

This guide is for general information only. It is not legal, financial or tax advice. Contract terms vary, and businesses should seek appropriate independent advice before making a decision. The British Business Bank also recommends seeking independent specialist advice before choosing an asset-finance product.