Short-Term office equipment hire

Hire out printers, copiers and scanners by the day, week or month to events, pop-up offices and project teams.

Startup costA$2k to A$10k
Monthly revenueA$600 to A$3k
Time needed8+ h/week
First incomeWeeks
  • A$2k-10k
  • Side hustle
  • Out and about

Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.

What it is

You keep a small pool of portable printers, copiers and scanners ready to hire short term. You deliver, set up and collect them for customers who only need equipment for a short time.

Your first three steps

  1. List local event companies, project offices and coworking spaces you could approach
  2. Buy two or three portable machines and a set of cables, paper and toner
  3. Set up a simple booking page with prices and a deposit policy, then contact your first customers
Who pays

Event organisers, expos, construction and project site offices, businesses fitting out new premises, and companies covering a broken machine.

How it makes money

Daily, weekly or monthly hire fees, plus delivery and set-up charges and sales of paper and toner.

Skills that help
  • Organising bookings and deliveries
  • Setting up and troubleshooting equipment
  • Reliable, quick customer service
Watch out for
  • Public liability insurance, plus cover for equipment that is damaged or stolen while on hire
  • Take a deposit or card details and have clear damage and late-return terms
  • Check whether your state requires electrical testing and tagging for hired equipment
  • A ute or van is usually needed for delivery
  • Demand can be lumpy, so plan for quiet weeks

Deep research report · Australia

Everything you need to start: short-term office equipment hire

Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.

  • Startup costs with real prices
  • Licences, registration and rules
  • Pricing: what others charge
  • Break-even example
  • Finding your first customers
  • 30-day launch plan
  • Risks and how to reduce them
Ready in about 2 minutes · one-off payment, tax included

See a full sample report

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to start an office equipment hire business?

Startup costs are typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many printers, copiers and scanners you stock and how you deliver them. Treat this as an estimate, and plan for a ute or van, which is usually needed.

How much can short-term office equipment hire earn?

Monthly revenue is typically around $600 to $3,000, depending on how often your equipment is booked and your hire rates. Demand can be lumpy, so plan for quiet weeks. Allow at least about 8 hours a week. These are estimates only.

What rules should I check before hiring out office equipment?

Check public liability insurance and cover for equipment that is damaged or stolen while on hire. Set clear deposit, damage and late-return terms, and check whether your state requires electrical testing and tagging for hired equipment.

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