Lease a refrigerated van on contract hire or a finance lease, or buy one on hire purchase: new or used, chiller or freezer. Spread the cost with fixed monthly payments instead of paying for the van up front, from a £500 +VAT deposit. Finance is for business customers, subject to status.
Fridge van leasing at a glance
- Three ways to pay: contract hire, finance lease or hire purchase.
- Deposit: from £500 +VAT. A van to part exchange can go towards it.
- New or used: finance is available on used fridge vans too, not just new ones.
- One agreement: the van and its conversion are financed together.
- Delivery: free anywhere in the UK, Northern Ireland included.
- Who we are: King Brothers (Finance) Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 667586). We’re a credit broker, not a lender, and work with a number of lenders.
Three ways to lease a fridge van
All three spread the cost of the van. The difference is who owns it, what happens to the VAT, and what happens at the end.
Contract hire: use it, then hand it back
- You pay a fixed monthly rental to use the van for an agreed time and an agreed yearly mileage.
- VAT is added to each rental.
- At the end you hand the van back and can move into a newer one. Extra miles, and wear beyond normal use, are charged for.
- You don’t have to sell the van at the end, so you’re not left guessing what it will be worth.
Finance lease: use it, share the sale
- You pay regular rentals to use the van, with VAT on each rental, so less money is tied up at the start.
- You look after the van: maintenance, repairs, servicing and insurance.
- At the end you can keep using it for a small yearly payment, or have it sold for you and keep most of the price.
Hire purchase: own it at the end
- You pay the VAT on the van at the start and claim it back in the normal way; there’s no VAT on the monthly payments.
- Payments are fixed when the agreement starts.
- There’s no mileage limit, and the van is yours once the last payment is made.
Contract hire, finance lease or hire purchase: side by side
| The question | Contract hire | Finance lease | Hire purchase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who owns the van? | The finance company. | The finance company. | You do, once the last payment is made. |
| VAT | Added to each rental. | Added to each rental. | Paid on the van at the start, none on the monthly payments. |
| Mileage | An agreed yearly mileage; extra miles are charged for. | Set out in your agreement. | No limit. It’s your van. |
| Looking after it | You insure it; servicing depends on your agreement. | You keep it serviced, repaired and insured. | You keep it serviced, repaired and insured. |
| At the end | Hand it back, or move into a newer van. | Keep it for a small yearly payment, or have it sold and keep most of the price. | It’s yours to keep or sell. |
| Often suits | A fixed monthly cost and a newer van every few years. | Keeping cash in the business and the benefit of the van’s value. | Keeping the van for years, or changing it to suit you. |
Not sure which suits you? Tell us how many miles you do, how long you want to keep the van and what you carry, and we’ll talk you through all three. The finance page goes into hire purchase and finance leases in more detail.
Leasing a used fridge van
Most fridge van lease deals you’ll find online are for brand-new vans only. We arrange finance on used fridge and freezer vans as well, so you can choose a van that’s a year or two old, with a lower price and a lower monthly payment, and still spread the cost. Every used van is converted and engineer checked before it’s delivered, with a van warranty plus 12 or 24 months on the fridge unit.
See our used fridge vans and used freezer vans, or new vans built to your spec.
What does it cost each month?
Every van in stock shows its monthly figure on its advert, and the vans below are a few of them. Those figures are worked out on hire purchase over 60 months with a £500 +VAT deposit, subject to status, and every price is +VAT. Contract hire and finance lease figures are quoted for the van you choose.
Your monthly payment depends on:
- The price of the van, including its conversion and any extras such as electric standby or shelving.
- Your deposit. The more you put down, or the more your part exchange is worth, the less you borrow.
- The length of the agreement. A longer agreement means lower payments, spread over more months.
- The way you pay, and on contract hire, the yearly mileage you agree.
- Your business. The lender sets the rate after looking at your application.
Budget for the costs that sit outside the monthly payment too: insurance, servicing for the van and the fridge unit, and on hire purchase, the VAT on the van at the start, which a VAT-registered business claims back on its VAT return.
How leasing a fridge van works
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Choose your van
Pick a van from stock, or have a new one built to your spec: chiller or freezer (down to −25°C if you need it), small, medium or large. A conversion takes 7 to 10 days from the van arriving with us.
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Choose how to pay
Contract hire, finance lease or hire purchase. We explain the difference in plain English and give you the figures for the van you’ve chosen.
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We find the finance
We’re a credit broker, not a lender. With your say-so, we put your application to the lenders we work with that suit your business.
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Approval and paperwork
The lender decides, which is what “subject to status” means. Once it says yes, you sign the agreement, usually online.
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Pay your deposit
From £500 +VAT. A part exchange can go towards it.
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Delivered free
We deliver your van free anywhere in the UK, Northern Ireland included.
Can my business lease a fridge van?
Our finance is for business customers, from businesses just starting out to companies running a fleet. Every application is decided by the lender. It looks at how your business is doing and, for a newer business, at the people behind it.
A brand-new limited company can still lease a van; it usually has to show a little more, such as a simple plan and proof that work is coming in. Read leasing a van through a new limited company for what to have ready. A larger deposit can help any application, because there’s less to borrow.
VAT and tax, in plain English
What HMRC says
- Hire purchase: it counts as buying the van, so VAT is due on its full value at the start, and there’s no VAT on the monthly payments.
- Contract hire and finance lease: you’re hiring the van, so VAT is added to each rental as it falls due.
- Reclaiming VAT: a VAT-registered business can normally reclaim the VAT on a van it uses for the business.
- Capital allowances on hire purchase: you claim on the whole price of the van once you start using it, though not on the interest. The Annual Investment Allowance covers up to £1 million a year.
Checked on GOV.UK on 22 October 2026: VAT Notice 700 (sections 4.5 and 8.4), VATFIN3120, VIT51500, Annual Investment Allowance and CA23310. Tax depends on your business, so your accountant should confirm what applies to you.
Contract hire and finance lease rentals are normally an allowable business expense; your accountant can confirm. For more on the tax side, read 100% tax relief on your next refrigerated van and how to claim tax back on your van.
The right fridge van for your business
A lease runs for years, so it pays to get the van right first: the size, how cold it needs to go, and the extras your round needs. Start with chiller van or freezer van and what size fridge van you need, or see what we build for your trade:
- Butchers
- Fish and seafood
- Catering and events
- Bakery and cakes
- Farm shops and produce
- Food wholesale
- Grocery and dairy delivery
- Florists
- Pharmaceuticals
- Ice cream and frozen food
- Drinks delivery
Thinking about electric? Electric fridge vans can be financed too: read our buying guide to electric fridge vans and fridge vans and your driving licence.
At the end of your agreement
- Contract hire: hand the van back. It’s checked for extra miles and for damage beyond normal wear and tear, so look after the bodywork and the fridge lining. Then move into a newer van if you want one.
- Finance lease: keep using the van for a small yearly payment, or have it sold for you and keep most of the price it sells for.
- Hire purchase: the van is yours to keep, sell or part exchange.
Want a newer van before then? Talk to us about part exchanging the one you have.
Why lease your fridge van from us
- Refrigerated van specialists since 1976. Family run in Burgess Hill, with 50 years in the trade.
- The van, the conversion and the finance in one place, on one agreement.
- New and used, chiller and freezer, from a small Mercedes Citan to a long-wheelbase Sprinter.
- Authorised and regulated by the FCA, working with a number of lenders to find the one that suits you.
- Free delivery anywhere in the UK, Northern Ireland included.
Fridge van leasing questions
Can I lease a used fridge van?
Yes. Finance is available on our used fridge and freezer vans as well as new ones. Tell us which van you like and we’ll explain the ways you can pay for it.
What’s the difference between contract hire and a finance lease?
On both, you pay rentals to use the van and VAT is added to each one. On contract hire you agree a yearly mileage and hand the van back at the end. On a finance lease there’s no handing back: you keep using the van for a small yearly payment, or it’s sold and you keep most of the price.
Is there a mileage limit?
On contract hire, yes: you agree a yearly mileage at the start, and extra miles are charged for at the end. On hire purchase there’s no limit, because the van becomes yours.
Do I insure the van myself?
Yes. Whichever way you pay, you insure the van from the day it’s delivered.
Can I lease the van and its conversion together?
Yes. When you get the van and the conversion from us, one agreement covers both.
Can a new business lease a fridge van?
Yes, though a new business usually has to show the lender a little more. Read leasing a van through a new limited company.
How quickly can I have the van?
A conversion takes 7 to 10 days from the van arriving with us, and sometimes less. Once the finance is approved, we deliver it free anywhere in the UK, Northern Ireland included.
Do you hire fridge vans by the day or week?
No. We don’t do short-term hire: our vans are for sale, on finance, on a finance lease or on contract hire.
Are your prices plus VAT?
Yes. Every price and monthly figure on our website is +VAT.
Are you a lender?
No. King Brothers (Finance) Limited is a credit broker, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 667586). We introduce business customers to a number of lenders, and finance is subject to status.
Tell us what you carry and how long you need the van for, and we’ll explain your options in plain English. Call 01444 245555 or send us a message.
