Panel van finance
The everyday workhorse of British trade, funded properly, new or used, in your business name, with the paperwork handled for you.
- FCA regulatedAppointed Representative, FRN 1031964
- 60+ lendersWhole-of-market panel, not one bank
- 5.0 from 19 Google reviews
- No credit checkEnquiring leaves no mark on your file
Yes. A panel van is the most routinely funded asset in light commercial finance, and almost every lender we deal with writes them. It is normally placed on hire purchase or a lease, with the van itself standing as the security, so a business with a short trading history can often still get a decision. Used stock is very fundable. The thing that catches people out is the seller: lenders want a VAT-registered dealer or trader with a proper invoice, and a private sale off a marketplace listing is where most applications quietly stall.
Who finances this
Electricians, plumbers, joiners and delivery subcontractors replacing a van that has started costing more in repairs than it earns. Typically a sole trader or a two-van limited company who has found the stock already, often on a dealer website, and needs a decision before someone else buys it. The trigger is usually an MOT advisory list, a failed clutch or a new contract that needs a second vehicle on the road next week.
How lenders see it
Panel vans are the easiest thing we place because the resale market underneath them is enormous, a funder can move a repossessed Transit or Vivaro in days, so the credit decision leans harder on the asset than on the balance sheet. Limited companies with filed accounts get the widest choice; sole traders are perfectly fundable but a homeowner declaration widens the panel considerably. New-start businesses are doable with a deposit and a clean personal profile. What gets declined: private sales the funder cannot verify, auction purchases where there is no recourse, and applicants who cannot evidence any trading income at all. Age matters less than condition and mileage.
Buying used
Yes, used panel vans are funded all day long, and lenders are comfortable with vehicles that are several years old provided the mileage is sensible and the van will still hold value at the end of the agreement.
Also in van and light commercial finance
See everything we fund in van and light commercial finance →
Van buying guides
We are a broker, not a dealer. We have no stake in which van you choose. These are written on that basis.
The van is one cost
Flowzo covers fuel, wages and the wait for customers to pay, working capital rather than the vehicle itself.
Machines we have funded
| Ford Transit Custom L2H1 | Medium panel van, the trade default |
|---|---|
| Vauxhall Vivaro L2H1 | Value medium panel van |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 315 L3H2 | Long high-roof panel van |
| Volkswagen Transporter T6.1 LWB | Long wheelbase medium panel van |
| Renault Trafic LL30 | Long medium van with roof racking options |
| Peugeot Boxer L3H2 | Large panel van for bulky loads |
| Citroen Relay L4H3 | Extra long high-roof panel van |
| Volkswagen Crafter CR35 L3H3 | High-roof large van for stand-up loading |
| Toyota Proace Long | Medium panel van with good payload |
| Nissan Primastar L2H1 | Medium panel van for mixed trade use |
Can I get a panel van on finance as a sole trader?
Yes. Sole traders make up a large share of van agreements. Lenders will look at your trading history, bank conduct and affordability rather than company accounts, and being a homeowner opens up more of the panel. Bring proof of trading and recent statements and the process is straightforward.
Does the van have to come from a dealer?
Most lenders strongly prefer a VAT-registered dealer or motor trader because they can pay a business account and rely on the invoice. Private sales are possible with a small number of funders but need extra checks on ownership and condition, and they take longer to arrange.
Can I put a van through the business for tax?
A van is generally treated as plant and machinery rather than a car, which usually means it qualifies for the annual investment allowance where a car would not. That is one of the main reasons trades buy commercially. Your accountant should confirm how it applies to you.
Will I own the panel van at the end?
On hire purchase you own it once every payment and the option to purchase fee are made. On a lease you do not own it. You hand it back or the agreement is settled another way. We will explain which structure suits how long you intend to keep the van.
How quickly can van finance be arranged?
For a straightforward panel van with a dealer invoice, decisions often come back the same working day and payout can follow quickly once documents are signed and the usual checks clear. Complications like a private seller or a very new business add time.
Tell us what you need
About a minute of plain questions, and no documents to dig out.
Prime is established and profitable with clean credit. Specialist covers newer businesses and credit that needs explaining, the asset carries part of the risk, so finance is often available where an unsecured loan is not.
Illustrative only, not a quote, a flat rate is not an APR, so the APR on a given agreement will be higher. VAT and fees excluded.
Start my enquiryNo credit check, and enquiring leaves no mark on your credit file. Finance is subject to status. We are a credit broker, not a lender.
Only pricing it up?
An enquiry is a conversation, not an application. Nothing runs against your file until you tell us to go ahead.
No credit check to enquire
Your credit scoreUntouched
Conor reads every enquiry himself. We will call you within 24 business hours, and it will be the person who actually arranges the finance, not a call centre, and not a form that disappears.
A real person on your side
One adviser from your first enquiry to the money in your account. No call centres.
Your adviser
Conor HullMon to Fri, 9am–6pm
5.0 from 19 Google reviews
Thinking about panel van finance?
A few questions, and we will tell you what the panel can do. No obligation, and no call centres.
