What is commercial van hire?

Types of van hire

Flexible vehicle hire

Flexible hire offers companies customisable contract periods. With a flexible lease, you can choose to hire a vehicle for around 1 to 18 months, though longer contracts are possible for commercial van hire.

Think of a pay as you go mobile phone contract – flexible commercial van hire is very similar in how it operates and in which businesses it suits best.

Flexible hire doesn’t use a typical contract. When you no longer need the vehicle, you can simply return it. You’re not locked into a strict contract.

What businesses is flexible hire best for?

• Unpredictable demand
• Short term, flexible growth
• Lacking security for long term hire or purchasing

Flexible commercial van hire is a great choice for some businesses as it lets you expand your fleet when you need it with none of the drawbacks of purchasing.

If your business needs to meet unexpected demand, flexible hire is just what you need. Sometimes circumstances change, and you may find yourself needing more vehicles than you have. Instead of being locked into a contract or making a purchase, flexible hire gives you more control over the costs. Circumstances may change again, and you may want to return the vehicles – flexible hire is best for these unpredictable circumstances.

What are the benefits of flexible vehicle hire?

1. Avoid the risks of long-term hire

Long term hire has its benefits as well, but there’s no denying that you are locked into a contract longer than some businesses would prefer. With a flexible commercial van hire, you can return the vehicle at a time that suits you.

2. Make an upgrade

Flexible hire is exactly what it says on the tin. Just like a pay as you go mobile phone contract, you might find that you want something more instead. With flexible hire, you can request an upgrade to your vehicles, get more vehicles, or only return some vehicles. This makes flexible hire the most customisable type of lease.

Long term vehicle hire

Long term vehicle hire lets your business hire a vehicle for a longer time period. Most providers have a minimum contract period of at least a year. The contracts have a fixed price and often offer businesses a better deal than purchasing.

What businesses is long term vehicle hire best for?

• You need a vehicle for a longer time frame
• You want the most bang for your buck

What are the benefits of long term vehicle hire?

1. Hassle-free admin

One of the best parts of long term hire is the ease of its admin. The maintenance work, repair scheduling, and vehicle inspections are all completed by the provider which saves you plenty of time.

2. A vehicle when you need it

With long term vehicle hire, you’re guaranteed a vehicle for the time frame you choose. If you know how long you’ll need the vehicle, long term hire can often be a better solution than flexible hire as the rates tend to be lower.

Sale and hire back

Need more control of your budget? Sale and hire back lets you sell your company vehicles and get them back on a lease. You choose the lease time frame to suit your business needs.

What businesses is sale and hire back best for?

• Companies that need a quick cash injection
• You need to improve the business’s cash flow management

What are the benefits of sale and hire back?

1. Improve a company’s cash flow without disruption

There are few ways to get a cash injection in your business without causing some disruption. From the outside looking in, little changes when you sell and lease back. You’ll still have all your vehicles and the way you manage your fleet won’t change too much. Your business operations aren’t affected.

2. Improve your cash flow management

Owning vehicles ties up your assets. Selling means you get a cash injection but hiring them back means you aren’t getting rid of them. Some companies may also get a reduction in their income tax and benefit from improvements to their balance sheet.

What vans can I hire?

There are many vehicles available for hire on the market, including electric vans. But not every vehicle is made qual to suit what your business needs. Depending on what demand you need to fill, some vehicles will suit you better than most. Here are just some of the top vans available for vehicle hire.

Mercedes-Benz eSprinter

The standard model has a maximum range of 103 miles, making the eSprinter a speedy electric van for urban journeys and more. Its fast-charging time means the eSprinter is a good choice for any business in a hurry to get to where they need to be. Of all vans on our list, the eSprinter is proving itself to be the popular choice for a variety of businesses on the go. But the eSprinter isn’t the only electric van from Mercedes-Benz on the market to hire.

Mercedes-Benz eVito

Ready to make the switch to electric? The Mercedes-Benz eVito is a 3 seater van built for longer journeys. It has a heavier payload than the eSprinter too, if you need to make deliveries. Upgraded to rapid charging, the eVito can get up to 100% in 30 minutes.
Think the eVito might be right for your business? Read our Mercedes-Benz electric van guide.

Peugeot Expert Van

This van is a popular pick for tradesmen. Need to bring a passenger or two along with your tools? The Expert van is a handy choice. The van is available in 3 sizes (Compact, Standard, and Long) to suit different payloads. With a payload range of 1,099kg to 1,498kg, the Peugeot Expert is built to handle some extra weight. If you’re sticking to diesel, a Peugeot is worth considering.

Ford Transit Courier Van

The Ford Transit remains one of the top selling vans in the UK. The van range has plenty of legacy. But how does it hold up in 2022? The Ford Transit Courier Van lives up to its name. It’s a smaller, compact van to get you on those difficult to navigate streets.
If you need a higher payload, though, the Ford Transit 5-Tonne van might be more your thing. The van has a maximum payload of 2250kg.

Find a commercial van hire with iCompario

Ready to find the best commerical van for your company? All you have to do is let us know what you need and what type of business you are. We’ll run a hassle-free comparison for you and let you know which vans match what you need.