[Spruce]

What are you actually allowed to do modification wise? Can you drill holes in the floor for GrippaMax?

Can you install a Flettner?

Cut a slot in the floor for hose rollers?

I tried to look for it but can't find a definitive answer.

Because there isn't one.

Back in the days you could fit a Flettner but it had to be done professionally (usually by the supplier) and it would be left in at the end of the contract. A Flettner wasn't seen as reducing a vans value and/or chance of sale at auction.

I think Grippa had an agreement with Kennet?  that they could fit a tank to a lease vehicle supplied by them. I'm not exactly sure what happens to the tank at the end of the day. I presume its part of the lease so left in the van at hand back time the same as BT leave all their racking behind when the van is due for renewal.

Back in my motor trade days councils would order a van for delivery just before a tax year ended. They would pay cash. The value of the van would be a tax write off.  Then at the beginning of the new tax year they would sell the van to a leasing company
and lease it back with all its fixtures from the leasing company.
At the end of the contract the van was sent to auction with all its fixtures still in place.

I would imagine you would have to get written approval to have extras fitted like hose rollers and they wouldn't approve you doing the job even although you would do a better job.

You might be able to fit a roofrack with permission but a towbar could prove to be problematic. Someone could argue that towing a trailer could have increased the wear and tear element of the contract so make you subject to penalties.

There  are leases where you take the risk at the end of the contract. If they valued the final balloon payment at £7000 and the van was only worth £4000 then the difference is from your pocket. You could opt to buy the van at the end of the contract but usually that becomes another loan against a further depreciating asset. If a builder wanted a van on lease they had the initial payment increased considerably and no balloon at the end of the lease.

At the end of the day if you decide to lease you have to ask questions about what you can and can't do before you sign on the dotted line.

[NWH]

Talking of vans being worth 4000 I’ve known people take back a Vivaro and it’s been valued at less than that even lol

[[GQC] Tim]

Thanks Spruce, I guess I'm not much more the wiser unless I contact the lease company but I very much appreciate you taking the time to explain all that.

Dazmond, how do you have your system fitted being with Vanarama. Do they have an issue with it? I know you will buy it after the lease ends, but it should still say in the lease what you can do?

Do you have a GrippaMax?

[deeege]

From my experience of having 3 lease vans Tim, they really don’t seem to care what goes on inside the van.

 At the end of the lease they send Mannaheim (the auctioneers) out to inspect the van, a very good look over similar to when you return a hire car. They literally just open the rear doors and give a momentary glance inside. I just put back in the ply lining to cover the floor which then covers the holes in the chassis that had drilled. This has happened the last two vans I’d sent back, no problem at all.

They are very keen on finding any scratches or dents to the paint work, I just send it to a friend beforehand and he’s repairs or polishes out any damage.

[Tom-01]

Why pay for example 400 a month over 3 years when if you paid that over 5 you’d end up with a far better product than the cheaper option,a van owned over a 5 year period for most window cleaners as far as reliability goes shouldn’t pose to many problems.
Me personally I’d rather spend the extra 8-10k and drive-own a far better van on a daily basis,if you do little mileage then I can see the point but dragging tanks out and putting into another van every 3 years seems pointless to me,before you know it you are changing vans again.

I agree NWH. I got my VW Transporter four years ago, only one year left to pay and its mine, no balloon to pay. I either keep it, sell the van and get a new one, or I might convert to a camper and get a new one for work again anyway.

The lease question was for a guy I know. He’s now looking to buy a 3 year old Custom.

[Spruce]

Thanks Spruce, I guess I'm not much more the wiser unless I contact the lease company but I very much appreciate you taking the time to explain all that.

Dazmond, how do you have your system fitted being with Vanarama. Do they have an issue with it? I know you will buy it after the lease ends, but it should still say in the lease what you can do?

Do you have a GrippaMax?

Grippa fitted his diesel heater so there are a couple of larger holes drilled in the floor of his van, one for the exhaust and the other for the air intake.

He originally had a 500l Wydale tank in his previous van. He purchased a stainless steel frame from Pure freedom and had his mechanic fit it.


 

[Perfect Windows]

You have to spend some money what do you blokes spend money on work wise,if you are saving yourself 4-5 grand a year not paying for a vehicle etc or wages you’ll only pay more Tax.

Usual nonsense on this subject. Let's assume tax at 20%.

If your profit is £20,000 and the tax-free allowance is £10,000 you pay  £2,000 tax.

Lease a van for £4K a year and your profit drops to £16,000. You pay £1,200 tax.

So, you spend £4,000 a year to save £800.

Result! Trebles all round.

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

You have to spend some money what do you blokes spend money on work wise,if you are saving yourself 4-5 grand a year not paying for a vehicle etc or wages you’ll only pay more Tax.

Usual nonsense on this subject. Let's assume tax at 20%.

If your profit is £20,000 and the tax-free allowance is £10,000 you pay  £2,000 tax.

Lease a van for £4K a year and your profit drops to £16,000. You pay £1,200 tax.

So, you spend £4,000 a year to save £800.

Result! Trebles all round.

And he claims to have an accountant! Must be from the same ilk of his insurance broker!!😬

[KS Cleaning]

You have to spend some money what do you blokes spend money on work wise,if you are saving yourself 4-5 grand a year not paying for a vehicle etc or wages you’ll only pay more Tax.

Usual nonsense on this subject. Let's assume tax at 20%.

If your profit is £20,000 and the tax-free allowance is £10,000 you pay  £2,000 tax.

Lease a van for £4K a year and your profit drops to £16,000. You pay £1,200 tax.

So, you spend £4,000 a year to save £800.

Result! Trebles all round.

You forgot about the 9% you would save on N.I contributions.

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

You have to spend some money what do you blokes spend money on work wise,if you are saving yourself 4-5 grand a year not paying for a vehicle etc or wages you’ll only pay more Tax.

Usual nonsense on this subject. Let's assume tax at 20%.

If your profit is £20,000 and the tax-free allowance is £10,000 you pay  £2,000 tax.

Lease a van for £4K a year and your profit drops to £16,000. You pay £1,200 tax.

So, you spend £4,000 a year to save £800.

Result! Trebles all round.

You forgot about the 9% you would save on N.I contributions.

Including that, it's still a false belief to spend on something you don't require to save on tax... and NI.
It's not about how much you turnover,  only how much of that YOU get to keep.

[NWH]

Peavey always comes on here when I’m posting he’s got a hard on under his kilt for me,my advise would be don’t rent a crap van for 3 years then take it back for another crap van.

[NWH]

You have to spend some money what do you blokes spend money on work wise,if you are saving yourself 4-5 grand a year not paying for a vehicle etc or wages you’ll only pay more Tax.

Usual nonsense on this subject. Let's assume tax at 20%.

If your profit is £20,000 and the tax-free allowance is £10,000 you pay  £2,000 tax.

Lease a van for £4K a year and your profit drops to £16,000. You pay £1,200 tax.

So, you spend £4,000 a year to save £800.

Result! Trebles all round.

You forgot about the 9% you would save on N.I contributions.

If I was earning 20 grand a year I wouldn’t be looking at 30 grand vans though would I.

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

Peavey always comes on here when I’m posting he’s got a hard on under his kilt for me,my advise would be don’t rent a crap van for 3 years then take it back for another crap van.

No, Peavey only comes on here to remind you that you're being a complete K n o b!!👍

[NWH]

Still slightly hard by the looks of it 🍆

[NWH]

Still not sure if we should go back to work yet 🤣🤣🤣 🤧 🤧