UK Photocopier Leasing • New & Used Equipment
Photocopier Leasing Understand the Cost Before You Sign.
Photocopier leasing lets businesses, schools and public sector organisations spread the cost of office photocopier equipment over an agreed term, but the monthly rental is only part of the real cost. Camelott® helps compare the equipment, lease term, service CPC, print volumes, settlement and support structure so you can judge the complete agreement rather than the headline price.
If your current photocopier is still the cheapest and most sensible option, we will tell you rather than automatically recommending another lease.
The short version
Photocopier Leasing in 60 Seconds
Before looking at detailed contract terms, these are the core points every buyer should understand.
- The lease normally finances the equipment. A finance provider purchases the machine and the customer pays agreed rentals.
- The service agreement is normally separate. It can cover toner, parts, labour, monitoring and mono/colour CPC.
- The lowest monthly rental is not necessarily the cheapest deal. CPC, print volume, settlement and extra charges can outweigh a small difference in finance.
- Agreement length matters. Camelott normally recommends no more than five years for office copier equipment.
- Used equipment can be excellent value. Age, meter count, condition and support life need to be checked before committing.
- At renewal, re-specify the requirement. Do not automatically replace the old machine like-for-like.
Best starting point: compare the total cost and actual requirement before deciding which machine and finance structure to use.
Two parts that buyers often mix together
Equipment Finance and Service Are Different Agreements
They may be shown on the same proposal, but understanding the difference is essential when comparing costs, settlements and end-of-term obligations.
1. Equipment Finance
Covers the photocopier, printer or scanner and the agreed rental payments over the finance term. The finance agreement is normally between the customer and the finance company.
2. Service Agreement
Covers the agreed operational support, which may include toner, parts, labour, engineer support, monitoring, remote support and mono/colour CPC.
Cancelling or changing the service agreement does not automatically remove the customer's separate finance obligations. Keep both parts visible when comparing suppliers.
Leasing is not automatically right for everyone
When Does Photocopier Leasing Make Sense?
Leasing works best when the organisation has a stable longer-term requirement and values spreading the equipment cost rather than paying the full amount upfront.
Leasing can make sense when...
The organisation expects to use the equipment for several years, wants predictable equipment payments, has a stable print requirement and prefers to preserve working capital.
Buying may make more sense when...
Capital is available, the organisation wants ownership, the machine is inexpensive enough to buy outright or the expected ownership period is long.
Rental may make more sense when...
The requirement is temporary, uncertain or project-based and the organisation needs more flexibility than a conventional multi-year finance agreement.
Keeping the current machine may make more sense when...
The equipment remains reliable, correctly specified, supported and inexpensive to operate, especially if a significant settlement remains on the finance.
Equipment rental is only the beginning
How Much Does Photocopier Leasing Cost?
Lease pricing varies with machine age, meter count, specification, facilities, usage, customer location, finance term and credit approval.
Used A4 Multifunction Printer
From £20per monthSuitable professionally prepared used A4 equipment for lower-volume office print, copy and scan requirements.
Used A3 Multifunction Copier
From £30per monthA3/A4 office equipment with colour, scanning and additional paper handling depending on the model.
Higher-Speed Used A3
From £40per monthFaster A3 equipment for heavier workloads where speed, capacity and workflow justify the specification.
Many finance providers have a minimum amount they will finance, commonly around £1,000. This can create a practical floor on very low-value leases.
The number buyers should actually compare
Your Real Monthly Cost Is More Than the Lease Rental
A cheap-looking equipment payment can be outweighed by higher service charges once the organisation's real mono and colour volumes are applied.
- Equipment rental: the fixed finance payment for the photocopier.
- Mono CPC: the charge for black-and-white pages.
- Colour CPC: the charge for colour pages and the way colour clicks are counted.
- Actual print volume: realistic monthly mono and colour usage.
- Existing settlement: any remaining financial commitment from the current agreement.
- Other recurring costs: scanning, IT, administration or other chargeable items where applicable.
A £10 monthly saving on rental can disappear very quickly if the service CPC is materially higher on a busy machine.
Service cost per copy
What Is a Competitive Photocopier CPC?
CPC varies substantially with the machine, print profile, parts exposure, service requirement and customer location, but current starting points provide a useful benchmark.
A4 Service CPC
Camelott service can start from around 0.2p mono / 2p colour. Many A4 agreements we currently see are closer to 0.5p mono / 5p colour.
A3 Service CPC
Camelott service can start from around 0.18p mono / 1.8p colour. Many A3 agreements we currently see are closer to 0.3p mono / 3p colour.
Do not compare CPC without also checking how clicks are counted and whether minimum billing or included-print structures change what you actually pay.
Where cheap agreements become expensive
Minimum Billing, Included Prints and Hidden Cost Structures
These are some of the service-agreement details worth checking before accepting a low-looking lease proposal.
- Minimum billing. Are you paying for a minimum number of prints whether you use them or not? Camelott does not use minimum billing as standard.
- Included-print allowances. Are you prepaying for a large volume that may never be produced?
- Colour-click rules. Does a small amount of colour trigger a full colour charge?
- Recurring IT or scanning charges. Are standard print or scan functions carrying a monthly charge that may rarely be needed?
- Toner-delivery fees. Camelott normally supplies toner within the relevant service/CPC agreement without a separate toner-delivery charge.
- Price increases. What does the written agreement allow the supplier to change during the term?
The term changes both cost and risk
Three, Four or Five Years?
The right term depends on the equipment, its expected useful life and how stable the organisation's requirement is likely to remain.
- Shorter terms: normally mean higher monthly rental but less time committed to the same equipment.
- Longer terms: can make the monthly price look more attractive while extending the commercial commitment.
- Camelott normally recommends no more than five years. Beyond that, equipment age and changing workflow become increasingly important risks.
- Do not extend the term purely to hit a monthly budget. That is pricing backwards rather than specifying the right solution first.
The lease does not have to fund a new machine
New, Used or Keep What You Already Have?
The correct decision depends on expected usage, equipment condition, support life, running cost, workflow and how long the organisation expects to keep the machine.
Lease New
Appropriate where latest technology, support life, security, reliability or productivity genuinely justifies the higher equipment cost.
Lease Professionally Prepared Used
Can substantially reduce equipment cost when the age, meter, condition and future support life make it a sensible commercial option.
Keep the Existing Machine
If it remains reliable, correctly specified and economical to run, retaining it can sometimes be the cheapest decision.
Used leasing needs more due diligence
Questions to Ask Before Leasing a Used Photocopier
A used photocopier can be excellent value, but financing it for several years makes the machine's history and future support life important.
- How old is the machine? Calculate its age at the end of the proposed lease.
- What is the meter count? Ask for the current print history.
- Where was it previously used? Office, warehouse, dusty or damp environments are not equivalent.
- Has the meter been altered? Ask for the machine history and meter position where this matters.
- How long will the model remain supported? Parts, firmware and manufacturer support life matter.
- What happens if it becomes unreliable? Can the supplier replace it easily?
- Can you inspect the actual machine? Seeing the specific unit gives more confidence where practical.
- Can you buy it at the end? Do not assume ownership transfers automatically.
A used machine already two or three years old could be seven or eight years old at the end of a five-year lease. Get important answers in writing.
Changing supplier before the current agreement ends
How Settlement Changes the True Cost of a New Lease
If finance remains on the existing machine, that commitment does not disappear simply because a replacement proposal looks cheaper.
- Establish the current finance position. Check remaining rentals, notice and settlement with the finance provider.
- Keep settlement visible. If it is incorporated into the replacement proposal, it is still a real cost.
- Compare changing now with waiting. Sometimes waiting until closer to the existing end date is commercially better.
- Do not replace solely because a salesperson says the old deal can be “settled”. Compare the complete cost after the settlement is included.
Specify before you finance
What Should Be Decided Before the Lease Is Priced?
The monthly payment should be the result of the specification, not the starting point used to work backwards into a machine.
- A3 or A4. Do users still genuinely require A3, or is a smaller A4 device now sufficient?
- Monthly print volume. Use realistic mono and colour volumes rather than old contract assumptions.
- Print speed. Choose speed around real workload and peak demand rather than sales preference.
- Scanning. Consider scan volumes, destinations, cloud services and user workflow.
- Paper handling and finishing. Only pay for extra trays, stapling and finishing if the organisation uses them.
- Security and applications. Authentication, secure print, Microsoft 365, Google and other workflows may influence the best device.
A lease is only useful if the system works
What Should Happen After the Machine Arrives?
Installation and support are part of the real value of the agreement. Many photocopier problems are caused by drivers, printing, scanning or network configuration rather than a failed machine component.
- Professional delivery and positioning. The machine should be moved safely into place.
- Network and driver configuration. Users should be able to print correctly from the systems they actually use.
- Scanning setup. Scan-to-email, folders, applications and cloud workflows should be configured properly.
- User training. Staff should understand the functions relevant to their work.
- Remote diagnosis. Appropriate software, driver and scan faults can often be investigated remotely first.
- Hardware support. When an engineer is required, parts, labour and service responsibilities should be clear.
Camelott has its own in-house technical team and its own print and scanning servers, with Microsoft 365 and Google print applications available where appropriate.
Plan for the end before you sign
What Happens at the End of the Lease?
The finance agreement determines the notice and return process. Do not wait until the final invoice to understand what is required.
- Notice period: diarise the contractual notice date.
- Equipment return: understand where the equipment must go and who arranges collection.
- Data wiping: multifunction devices can contain stored settings, address books and other data.
- Continued rental: payments may not simply stop because the initial term has ended.
- Ownership: do not assume the photocopier automatically becomes yours.
The finance agreement remains between the customer and the finance company. Camelott can advise on practical options, but the customer should complete required contractual actions directly where appropriate.
Renewal should start from zero
Do Not Automatically Renew Like-for-Like
Three to five years of changes in staffing, print volumes, cloud services and scanning can make the previous machine specification irrelevant.
- Recheck A3 usage. The old A3 machine may no longer be necessary.
- Recheck print volume. Use real meter history rather than the previous proposal's assumptions.
- Recheck scanning. Digital workflows may now be more important than print speed.
- Recheck the commercial route. Lease, purchase, used equipment, rental or keeping the existing machine should all be reconsidered.
Compare like with like
A Photocopier Lease Quote Checklist
Before choosing the cheapest-looking proposal, check that the figures and obligations are genuinely comparable.
- Exact make and model including speed, paper capacity, finishing and accessories.
- New or used equipment and, if used, age and meter count.
- Finance term and total number/frequency of rentals.
- Mono and colour CPC plus how colour clicks are counted.
- Minimum billing or included prints and any overage structure.
- Existing settlement and how it is being treated.
- Service inclusions covering toner, parts, labour and support.
- Recurring IT, scanning or administration costs.
- Price-increase clauses within the service agreement.
- Notice and end-of-term obligations.
Like-for-like quote beat guarantee: give Camelott a genuine comparable quotation and we will beat it where the equipment, term, service structure and usage assumptions are genuinely equivalent.
Why Camelott?
The Lease Is Only One Part of the Relationship
Camelott is focused on long-term relationships, whole-solution advice and resolving problems rather than simply getting another agreement signed.
Personal Service
We try to treat customers more like friends than account numbers, with direct access to people who know the business and can make decisions.
Whole-Solution Advice
Equipment, finance, service CPC, scanning, workflow and support are considered together.
In-House Technical Team
Camelott's own engineers and technical team support hardware, print, scan, drivers and related workflows.
Own Print & Scanning Infrastructure
We operate our own print and scanning servers and support Microsoft 365, Google and offline cloud-printing workflows where appropriate.
Multi-Brand Choice
Toshiba Gold Partner, Katun Photocopiers Partner and additional manufacturer options where appropriate.
Award-Winning 2020–2026
Repeated SME News recognition for print solutions, managed print and customer service, including Best Office Photocopier & Printer Supplier 2026.
Photocopier leasing questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How does photocopier leasing work?
A finance provider normally purchases the equipment and the customer pays rentals over a fixed term. The service agreement covering toner, parts, labour and CPC is normally separate.
How long should a photocopier lease last?
Commercial agreements commonly run for several years. Camelott normally recommends no more than five years because equipment age, support life and changing requirements become increasingly important over longer terms.
How much does photocopier leasing cost?
Professionally prepared used equipment can start from around £20 per month for A4, £30 per month for A3 and £40 per month for higher-speed A3. Actual figures depend on machine age, meter count, facilities, usage, location, term and credit approval.
Does a photocopier lease include maintenance and toner?
Not automatically. The lease normally relates to the equipment finance. Toner, parts, labour, monitoring and engineer support can be included under a separate service agreement.
What is CPC?
CPC means cost per copy or cost per click. It is normally charged separately for mono and colour pages and should be compared alongside realistic monthly volumes.
Does Camelott use minimum billing?
Camelott does not use minimum billing as standard, avoiding automatic charges for an artificial minimum number of pages that may never be printed.
Can I lease a used photocopier?
Yes. Used equipment can provide excellent value, but buyers should check age, meter count, previous environment, condition, future support life and how old the machine will be at the end of the finance term.
Should I lease a used photocopier for five years?
It depends on the machine. A copier already several years old could be seven or eight years old at the end of a five-year agreement, so support, parts availability and expected condition need careful consideration.
Can Camelott review an existing lease?
Yes. We can review the machine, finance position, service CPC, print volumes, settlement and current requirement to establish whether replacing, waiting or retaining the existing machine makes more commercial sense.
What happens at the end of the lease?
The exact process depends on the finance agreement. Check notice periods, return arrangements, collection, data wiping and whether rental continues if the required contractual action is not taken.
Do I own the photocopier at the end?
Do not assume ownership automatically transfers. The position depends on the finance agreement and should be established with the finance provider.
Why choose Camelott for photocopier leasing?
Camelott combines personal service and direct access to decision-makers with in-house technical support, its own print and scanning servers, Microsoft 365 and Google print apps, low CPC rates, no minimum billing as standard, new and professionally prepared used equipment and multi-brand advice.
Before you sign
Compare the Whole Photocopier Agreement
Send us your existing costs or competing quotation and we can compare the machine, finance term, rental, mono and colour CPC, settlement, service structure and actual requirement before recommending what to do next.