Curtainside Trailer Finance

Spread the cost of curtainside trailers from £18,000 to £35,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance – compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a curtainside trailer?

Yes, curtainside trailers 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 £18,000 to £35,000, and most deals are written over 24–84 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

What would a curtainside trailer cost per month?

Curtainside Trailer price (ex VAT) £25,000

Deposit 10%

Agreement term 60 months

Annual interest rate 9%

Balloon payment £0

Your estimate

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

Pre-filled with a typical curtainside trailer price. Indicative only, not a quote.

Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate: From 5.1% APR
Term: 24–84 months
Deposit: 10–20%
Ownership: Yours at the end
Best for: Hauliers wanting to own the trailer outright

Finance Lease

Rate: From 4.7% APR
Term: 24–84 months
Deposit: None required
Ownership: Return, refinance the balloon, or buy at the end
Best for: Tax-efficient way to add trailers to a fleet without a large upfront payment

Contract Hire

Rate: From 5.4% APR
Term: 24–60 months
Deposit: None required
Ownership: Return at the end
Best for: Fleets expanding capacity for a fixed-term contract without long-term ownership commitment

Representative example

On a purchase price of £25,000: a 10% deposit of £2,500, then 48 monthly payments of £527 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £27,796, 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
SDC Curtainsider Trailer	£20,000 – £28,000	13.6m Tri-Axle Curtainsider
Don-Bur Curtainsider Trailer	£22,000 – £30,000	13.6m Curtainsider
Cartwright Curtainsider Trailer	£20,000 – £28,000	13.6m Curtainsider
Montracon Curtainsider Trailer	£21,000 – £29,000	13.6m Curtainsider

Tax benefits

Curtainside trailers qualify as plant and machinery, so the Annual Investment Allowance lets you deduct the full cost from taxable profits in the year you start using the trailer, up to £1,000,000. VAT on hire purchase is normally due upfront and reclaimed on your next return if you're VAT-registered; on finance lease or contract hire it's charged on the rentals and recovered as you pay, which can be useful when adding several trailers to a fleet at once, since it avoids one large VAT payment across the whole batch.

Market context

Curtainside trailers are financed by hauliers and logistics operators who already run a tractor unit fleet and need to add or renew trailing capacity, often independently of when the tractor units themselves are due for replacement. Because a trailer has no engine, its useful life is generally longer than a tractor unit's, and many operators run trailers for a decade or more with periodic curtain, floor, and brake work. Buying used trailers is common practice in haulage, since the body and chassis depreciate more predictably than a powered vehicle and a well-maintained older trailer can still be a sound working asset.

Frequently asked questions

Can I finance a used curtainside trailer?

Yes. Most lenders will finance a used curtainside trailer up to around 15 years old at the start of the agreement, and some will go older case by case. Rates on used equipment typically run 0.5–1% higher than new because residual values are less certain. An independent inspection or valuation is common for older or higher-value vehicles before the lender confirms terms.

What deposit do I need for curtainside trailer finance?

For hire purchase, most lenders ask for 10–20% deposit. Finance lease and contract hire agreements often need no deposit at all, since the lender keeps an interest in the curtainside trailer throughout the term. Putting down a larger deposit reduces your monthly payments and can unlock a better rate, but it isn't compulsory on most deals; it's a trade-off between cash flow today and the total cost of the agreement.

How quickly can I get curtainside trailer finance approved?

Straightforward applications for a curtainside trailer under £30k are commonly approved within 24–48 hours, and same-day decisions are possible once paperwork (bank statements, accounts, proof of ID) is in. Larger or more complex deals, multiple units, or first-time applicants without a strong trading history usually take longer, sometimes 5–7 working days, while the lender reviews the business case and, for higher-value assets, arranges an inspection.

Do I need to have been trading for a minimum period?

Most mainstream lenders look for 2+ years of trading history before offering standard rates and terms on curtainside trailer finance. Newer businesses aren't automatically excluded, but they may be asked for a personal guarantee from a director, additional security, a higher deposit, or a shorter term to offset the extra risk. Start-ups sometimes do better going through a broker who can match them to a lender that specialises in newer businesses.

Can I finance the trailer separately from the tractor unit that pulls it?

Yes, trailers and tractor units are almost always financed as separate assets, even when bought together, since they depreciate differently and are often replaced on different cycles. This is useful if you're adding trailers to grow capacity without needing a new tractor unit at the same time, or if you want to refinance an existing trailer fleet independently of the vehicles pulling them.