Office equipment: rent vs. buy (operating lease) – what really pays off?
Tax, balance sheet, liquidity, scalability: we compare classic procurement of office furniture with modern rental and as-a-service models (technically an operating lease).
Overview
When building hybrid work, many companies face the question: do we buy desks, chairs and monitors – or do we rent them? Both routes have pros and cons, and the answer depends on growth plans, balance-sheet policy and the flexibility you want. Note: what we colloquially call “rent” is technically an operating lease – the tax and balance-sheet treatment is identical.
In this comparison we lay out the cost and tax logic of both models, address typical pitfalls and explain when an onyo service model is a particularly good fit.
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Frequently asked questions
What is cheaper: buying or renting (leasing)?
On unit price alone, buying is usually cheaper. Once you include logistics, repairs, returns and balance-sheet effects, renting (operating lease/as-a-service) is often more attractive from around 30 employees in home office.
How are rental / leasing rates treated for tax?
Rental or operating-lease payments are generally fully deductible as operating expenses. With a purchase you depreciate over the typical useful life (usually 13 years for furniture).
What happens when an employee leaves?
When you own the equipment, you organise pickup and reconditioning yourself. With the onyo rental model this is included – including hygienic preparation and re-deployment.
People also ask
Short, reliable answers from our knowledge base.
Should companies buy or rent office furniture?
Buying and renting serve different needs. When buying, the company pays for the equipment and takes it into its own assets. In the onyo rental model, it uses the equipment for an agreed rental rate and can have the agreed services handled for it.
Read answerWhat is home office as a service?
Home office as a service means companies no longer have to procure and manage home workstations themselves. With onyo, employees choose their equipment within the approved budget; onyo organises delivery and the agreed services through to collection.
Read answerWhat is workplace as a service?
Workplace as a service describes the provision of workstations with ongoing services instead of an isolated furniture or hardware order. Which equipment and services are included differs by provider.
Read answerHow is home office equipment treated for tax?
For German tax purposes it matters which work equipment is provided and whether employees may only use it or receive ownership. Private use of company computers and telecommunications devices can be tax-free under section 3 no. 45 EStG; this rule does not apply across the board to all furniture.
Read answer
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