A yard of fully paid commercial vehicles represents real money that most owners never think to draw on until something forces the question.
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Yes, a business can raise money against commercial vehicles it owns outright. The funder values the vehicles, purchases them, releases the proceeds and hires them straight back, so drivers keep the keys and the fleet keeps running. Every vehicle has to be free of existing finance and registered to the business. Valuations follow trade guide figures adjusted for mileage, bodywork and condition, so a five-year-old tipper with heavy use will raise less than the odometer alone suggests. The reason for raising the money is part of the assessment.
Used kit: Yes — vans well into their second half of life still carry releasable value, though the older and higher-mileage they are, the smaller the proportion of trade value a funder will advance.
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Business asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what this shows — with the equivalent APR underneath, because the two are not the same number. A quick guide only; your actual rate depends on the asset, term, deposit and lender.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 6.0% flat rate (equivalent to 11.5% APR representative), you would repay around £646 a month; total amount repayable approximately £31,000, of which £6,000 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval. CW Asset Finance is an Appointed Representative of Rural Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630701).
Commercial vehicle refinance is one of the more straightforward categories to place because used van demand in the UK is consistently strong and disposal is easy. That said, funders scrutinise a few things closely. V5 documents must show the business as registered keeper, and any vehicle still on a lease or contract hire is excluded outright since you never owned it. Bodywork matters: a plain panel van values cleanly, while a heavily specialised conversion narrows the buyer pool and the advance with it. Mileage above the norm for the age pulls figures down sharply. Underwriters also want to understand the purpose, because releasing equity to expand a fleet reads well, whereas releasing it to meet last quarter’s wage run signals a deeper problem. Your accountant should confirm the disposal treatment.
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| Ford Transit 350 L3H2 | Panel van owned outright |
| Ford Ranger Wildtrak | Double cab pick-up owned outright |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315 CDI | Large panel van in the fleet |
| Volkswagen Crafter CR35 | High roof panel van |
| Isuzu Grafter 3.5t tipper | Light tipper truck owned outright |
| Vauxhall Vivaro panel van | Mid size van in the fleet |
| Toyota Hilux Invincible | Four wheel drive pick-up |
| Renault Master LM35 | Long wheelbase panel van |
| Iveco Daily 35S14 | Heavy light commercial vehicle |
| Peugeot Boxer 435 L4H2 | Large panel van owned outright |
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Often a regional installation or maintenance firm with a dozen vans bought outright during a strong couple of years. A contract win now requires four more vehicles, racking and a supervisor, and the directors would rather release value from the existing fleet than put personal money in or wait for retentions to be released.
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Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
Yes. The V5 has to show the business as the registered keeper and the purchase invoice needs to match. Vehicles bought personally by a director and used for work generally cannot be refinanced through the company without sorting the ownership trail out first.
No. On contract hire you are renting, not owning, so there is no equity to release. The same applies to anything still inside a lease. Only vehicles you hold title to and have finished paying for can go into a refinance.
Sometimes. On smaller fleets, photographs, the V5 and an HPI-style check are often enough. On larger or higher-value fleets an inspector may view a sample or the whole lot, checking condition, mileage and that each vehicle exists where you say it does.
Rarely as much as owners hope. Fit-out that suits your trade narrows the pool of buyers who would want the vehicle, and funders value what a trade buyer would pay, not what the conversion cost to build.
Faster than most equipment refinance, because vehicle values are easy to verify and title is proven by the V5. The realistic constraint is how quickly you can gather the documents for every vehicle you want to include.
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See everything we fund in asset refinance and sale and leaseback →
Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 07581 364281 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.