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Rooftop Unit Finance

Spread the cost of packaged rooftop units from £15,000 to £250,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance, compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a rooftop unit?

Yes, rooftop 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 £15,000 to £250,000, 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.

200+ UK lenders
2-minute application
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Typical Cost

£15k – £250k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Same-day for < £75k

Rates From

4.5% APR

What would a rooftop 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 rooftop 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
Retailers and owner-occupiers wanting to own the unit

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
36–60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at end
Best for
Multi-site retailers standardising kit across stores

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
Trane Precedent Series £25,000 – £60,000 Packaged Rooftop Unit (3-25 tons)
Trane Airfinity Series £40,000 – £120,000 Packaged Rooftop Unit (20-300kW heating)
Trane IntelliPak Series £70,000 – £220,000 Packaged Rooftop Unit (20-162 tons)
10 ton packaged RTU (specification class) £22,000 – £32,000 Small Retail/Office Rooftop Unit

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Tax benefits

Packaged rooftop units generally qualify for the Annual Investment Allowance, so the full cost can usually be set against taxable profits in the year of purchase. Because a rooftop unit sits on a curb or plinth above the roofline and connects to the building by ductwork and cabling rather than being built into the structure, it is normally treated as moveable plant for capital allowances rather than a fixture, which most lenders and accountants find straightforward to finance.

Market context

Rooftop units are bought by retailers, restaurant groups and light industrial occupiers who need self-contained heating and cooling without the plantroom space a chiller and AHU combination would need. Multi-site operators often finance a rolling replacement programme across several stores rather than one unit at a time, which keeps the capital spread evenly year on year. Replacement is typically triggered by the compressor or heat exchanger failing beyond economic repair, since a packaged unit is not usually rebuilt in the way a central chiller might be. A reasonable used market exists for the smaller packaged sizes, supporting refinance of an existing unit where records of servicing are available.

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 rooftop units across multiple sites in one agreement?
Yes. Multi-site retailers and restaurant groups commonly finance a rolling replacement of rooftop units across their estate under one facility rather than a fresh application for every store, which keeps the specification consistent and spreads the capital cost evenly year on year. This approach also tends to speed up approval for later units in the programme, since the lender already understands the pattern of use and the business's payment history from earlier installations. It is worth discussing a multi-unit facility with your broker if several units across your sites are approaching the end of their working life together.
Is a rooftop unit treated as a fixture?
Generally not. Because a rooftop unit sits on a curb or plinth above the roofline and connects to the building by ductwork and cabling rather than being built into the structure, it is normally treated as moveable plant for finance and capital allowance purposes rather than a fixture. This is one of the reasons rooftop units are popular with businesses that need self-contained heating and cooling without the plantroom space a central chiller would need, since the equipment itself is relatively straightforward to finance, remove and replace compared with ducted, built-in systems.
Can I finance a used rooftop unit?
Yes, used rooftop units can be financed where servicing records are available, and there is a reasonable used market for the smaller packaged sizes. Lenders will want to see the age of the unit and the condition of the compressor and heat exchanger specifically, since these are the components most likely to fail and drive replacement. A unit removed and recommissioned by a specialist HVAC dealer with a warranty is generally easier to finance than one bought privately with no service history.
What deposit do I need for rooftop unit finance?
Hire purchase typically asks for a deposit of around 10 to 20% of the unit's cost, including installation, 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 multi-site operators running a rolling replacement programme across several stores. The deposit a lender asks for also depends on whether the unit is new or used.
Can installation, curb adaptors and ductwork be included in the finance?
Yes. Most lenders will finance the full cost of a rooftop unit project, including delivery, the curb or plinth adaptor needed to fit a new unit to an existing roof opening, and any ductwork or electrical work needed to commission it, provided the installer's quote sets these costs out clearly. This is particularly useful where a replacement unit needs a different curb size than the one it is replacing, since that adaptor work can be a meaningful part of the total cost. Bundling it into the finance keeps the repayment schedule reflecting the whole project.
How fast can rooftop unit finance be approved?
A single like-for-like replacement is commonly approved within 24 to 48 hours once your application, the installer's quote and basic company details are with the lender. A larger project, or a rolling replacement programme across several sites, typically takes a little longer, around one to two weeks, since the lender is reviewing a bigger facility and a more detailed specification. Submitting the full installer's quote alongside your application from the outset, rather than a rough estimate, is the most reliable way to avoid delays partway through.

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