Leasing? Worth it?

[fiza]

Does anyone lease their computers instead of buying?

I know leasing got bad press before and some schools got into trouble with it but with the tightened up regulations is it worth looking at?

[CamelMan]

We leased 2 suites and it is fine. Used two different companies (one had their own lease division the other used a 3rd party) and both talked about how the rules have now changed to stop dodgy companies screwing people over.

 

The deal seemed fine and was spread over 3 years - the usual options at the end but we havent hit that yet!

 

I'd rather buy outright and know its ours but it suited us at the time (and secures the commitment over the following years- no "oh we need to replace the machines but we've taken £10k out of your budget for xyz").

[chris_uk]

We leased 500 workstations earlier on in the year. Has made such a massive impact on the whole school ICT. It meant we could go for much higher spec workstations throughout the school.

[Steve21]

Out of curiosity was it with a supplier or reseller? Considering the same to fresh 500~ at once.

 

Steve

[Ephelyon]

Out of interest, what impact does it tend to have on pricing that brings it within the realms of affordability? Are they just quarterly payments? Would you get significant bulk discounts for ordering a couple of hundred and are there external services you can engage to help with the massive scale legwork of a rip-and-replace on that order?

[fiza]

@CamelMan @chris_uk Did you get a choice on which machines you ordered other than what spec they should be?

[CamelMan]

@CamelMan @chris_uk Did you get a choice on which machines you ordered other than what spec they should be?

Yes - basically for us the process was the same as if we were buying them - except that rather than paying £15k in one go you sign the forms to pay £5k per year for 3 years, (the scheme works out less than that per year but then obviously you dont keep them at the end). Aside from each year you have the £#k going out - the service and support was no difference from outright purchase.

[chris_uk]

@Steve21 Will drop you a direct message, lots of hoops to jump through.