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Reverse Osmosis Unit Finance

Spread the cost of reverse osmosis units from £6,000 to £300,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a reverse osmosis unit?

Yes, reverse osmosis 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 £6,000 to £300,000, and most deals are written over 12–72 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 24–72 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£6k – £300k

Approval Speed

24–72 hours

Same-day for < £50k

Rates From

4.5% APR

What would a reverse osmosis unit cost per month?

£65,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

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

Pre-filled with a typical reverse osmosis unit price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 4.9% APR
Term
12–72 months
Deposit
10–20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Manufacturers wanting to own the unit outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 4.5% APR
Term
12–72 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Tax-efficient, claim 100% of payments against profit

Operating Lease

Rate
From 5.2% APR
Term
Matched to contract length
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at end
Best for
Contractors deploying a unit against a fixed-term project

Representative example

On a purchase price of £65,000: a 10% deposit of £6,500, then 48 monthly payments of £1,371 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £72,308, 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
Small packaged RO unit, food/beverage process water (specification class) £8,000 – £20,000 Packaged RO Unit (food & beverage)
10 m3/hr commercial RO skid (specification class) £25,000 – £55,000 Commercial RO Skid
50 m3/hr industrial RO plant (specification class) £80,000 – £180,000 Industrial RO Plant
Containerised RO unit, remote/temporary site (specification class) £100,000 – £220,000 Containerised RO Plant

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Tax benefits

Reverse osmosis units generally qualify for the Annual Investment Allowance, so the cost can typically be set against taxable profits in the year of purchase. A skid-mounted or containerised RO unit is usually treated as moveable plant, since it can be disconnected and relocated to a different site, which most accountants find straightforward regardless of whether the unit is bought new or used.

Market context

Reverse osmosis units are bought by food and beverage manufacturers needing consistent process water quality, by industrial sites treating water before use in a boiler or cooling system, and by contractors deploying temporary treatment on a remote or short-term site. Because a containerised or skid-mounted RO unit can be moved between sites, contractors delivering work under a fixed-term contract often match the finance term to that contract rather than to the equipment's working life, and can move the same financed unit on to the next project once it ends. Replacement is generally driven by the membranes and pretreatment stages reaching the end of their working life or a change in the required output volume, and a working used market exists for skid-mounted units, supporting refinance of existing equipment.

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 I finance an RO unit that will move between sites during the contract?
Yes. A skid-mounted or containerised reverse osmosis unit is designed to be disconnected and relocated, so contractors deploying treatment on temporary or remote sites commonly finance the same unit across several projects rather than buying a new one for each site. Lenders generally treat this as moveable plant, which most accountants and finance providers find straightforward regardless of how often the unit is relocated. It is worth telling your broker upfront that the unit will move between sites, since this can affect which lenders on the panel are the best fit.
Should the finance term match my contract length or the unit's working life?
It depends on how you plan to use the unit afterwards. Contractors delivering work under a fixed-term contract often match the finance term to that contract, then move the same financed unit on to the next project once it ends, which keeps repayments aligned with the income the unit is generating. A business installing an RO unit permanently for its own ongoing process water needs is more likely to choose a longer term matched to the equipment's working life instead, since there is no fixed contract end date to plan around.
Can I finance a used reverse osmosis unit?
Yes, used RO units can be financed, and it is a reasonably common route given the working used market for skid-mounted equipment. Lenders will want to see the age of the membranes and pretreatment stages, since these are the components most likely to need replacement, along with any service records available. A unit sold through a specialist water treatment dealer with a recent membrane change and a warranty is generally easier to finance than a private sale with no history of maintenance or output testing.
What deposit do I need for RO unit finance?
Hire purchase typically asks for a deposit of around 10 to 20% of the unit's cost, with the balance spread over the agreed term and ownership passing to you at the end. A finance lease or operating lease usually needs no deposit, since the lender's security is the unit itself, which is often the preferred structure for contractors who want to keep cash free for other project costs. The deposit a lender asks for also depends on whether the unit is new or used and how the finance term compares to the unit's expected working life.
Can installation and commissioning be included in the finance?
Yes. Most lenders will finance the full cost of an RO system project, including delivery, pipework connections and commissioning, rather than just the unit itself, provided the supplier's quote sets these costs out clearly. This is particularly useful for containerised or skid-mounted units being deployed on a new site, since connection and commissioning can be a meaningful part of the total cost. Bundling these costs into the finance keeps the repayment schedule reflecting the whole project rather than leaving installation as a separate cash outlay.
What happens if my contract ends early and I no longer need the unit?
If the finance term was matched to the contract and the contract ends on schedule, a hire purchase agreement can usually be settled and the unit sold or moved to your next project, while a lease is more likely to run to its planned return or renewal point. If a contract ends unexpectedly early, you remain liable for the outstanding finance, though most lenders will discuss options such as moving the unit onto a new contract or arranging an early settlement, so it is worth speaking to your broker as soon as a change in plans looks likely rather than after it happens.

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