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Air Handling Unit Finance

Spread the cost of air handling units from £8,000 to £350,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a air handling unit?

Yes, air handling units are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £8,000 to £350,000, and most deals are written over 12–84 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£8k – £350k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Same-day for < £100k

Rates From

4.5% APR

What would a air handling unit cost per month?

£55,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical air handling unit price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 4.9% APR
Term
12–84 months
Deposit
10–20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Landlords and owner-occupiers wanting to own the plant

Finance Lease

Rate
From 4.5% APR
Term
12–84 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Contractors passing the cost through a fit-out package

Operating Lease

Rate
From 5.2% APR
Term
36–60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at end
Best for
Keeps the unit off balance sheet during the lease

Representative example

On a purchase price of £55,000: a 10% deposit of £5,500, then 48 monthly payments of £1,160 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £61,180, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
Clivet Fresh Large EVO £18,000 – £45,000 Packaged Fresh-Air Handling Unit (300-2,500 m3/h)
Clivet AQX Series £45,000 – £150,000 Packaged Air Handling Unit (2,160-60,120 m3/h)
3,000 m3/h heat-recovery AHU (specification class) £20,000 – £40,000 Heat-Recovery Air Handling Unit
15,000 m3/h built-up modular AHU (specification class) £90,000 – £180,000 Built-Up Modular AHU

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Tax benefits

Air handling units usually qualify for the Annual Investment Allowance, allowing the cost to be set against taxable profits. Whether the unit counts as moveable plant or as a fixture for capital allowances depends on how it is fitted: a packaged rooftop AHU is generally more straightforward to classify than a built-up unit assembled section by section inside a plantroom and permanently connected to the building's ductwork. It is worth confirming the installation method with your accountant before finalising the finance structure.

Market context

AHUs are bought by developers and building services contractors fitting out new plantrooms, and by facilities managers upgrading ventilation in an existing building. Because the unit is normally installed into ductwork and commissioned as part of a wider mechanical package, the finance decision often sits with the contractor or the landlord rather than the eventual building occupier. Replacement is usually driven by a unit reaching the end of its motor, fan and coil life, or by a scheme needing more heat recovery or filtration than the original installation provides. Used AHUs are uncommon on the open market, since duct connections and unit dimensions are specific to the building they were designed for.

Bad credit?

Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a contractor finance an AHU on behalf of a client?
Yes. Many M&E contractors arrange finance for the AHU as part of a wider fit-out, then recharge the client through the project contract, or the end client takes the finance agreement directly once the specification is confirmed. Either route works, but the lender will want to see the installation contract and commissioning programme alongside the equipment quote. Whichever route is used, it is worth agreeing early in the project so the finance is in place before the unit is ordered.
Is an AHU a fixture or moveable plant?
It depends on how it is installed. A packaged rooftop unit connected by ductwork and controls cabling is generally treated as moveable plant. A built-up unit assembled from sections inside a permanent plantroom, and integral to the building's ventilation strategy, may be treated as a fixture. This affects capital allowances and, in a leasehold building, who is entitled to remove it at the end of a tenancy.
What deposit is typical for AHU finance?
Hire purchase deals typically ask for a 10-20% deposit, while finance leases and operating leases are often arranged with no deposit at all. Contractors financing multiple units across a scheme sometimes negotiate a blended deposit across the whole package rather than unit by unit. Repeat customers financing a second or subsequent piece of equipment with the same lender often find deposit requirements ease over time as a trading relationship builds.
How long does AHU finance take to arrange?
Straightforward applications are usually approved within 24-48 hours. Larger built-up units that form part of a construction programme can take longer, since the lender will typically want to see the wider project timetable and confirmation that the unit has been correctly specified for the building before releasing funds. Having your last two years' filed accounts and a formal supplier quote ready before you apply is the single biggest factor in keeping to that timescale.

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