Printer and copier rental for small offices
Rent refurbished printers and copiers to local small businesses on simple monthly contracts, with delivery and servicing included.
- £3k-15k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
738 UK companies in this field, 17% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 77330 “Renting and leasing of office machinery and equipment (including computers)”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
You buy good-quality refurbished printers and multifunction copiers, then rent them to nearby offices on monthly or rolling contracts. You deliver, set up, handle repairs and swap machines when they fail. Storage is usually a spare room, garage or small unit.
Your first three steps
- Price up refurbished machines from trade suppliers and work out how many months of rent repay each one
- Draft a simple rental agreement covering term, servicing, page charges and who pays for damage, and have it checked by a solicitor or trade body
- Contact ten local small businesses and shared offices, and offer a free trial month on your first machine
Who pays
Small offices, estate agents, surveyors, schools, clinics, start-ups and shared workspaces that would rather pay monthly than buy a machine.
How it makes money
A fixed monthly rental fee per machine, often with an extra charge per page printed or a toner and service package on top.
Skills that help
- Basic IT and printer set-up
- Simple repairs and servicing
- Selling to local businesses
- Keeping track of contracts and equipment
Watch out for
- Insurance for the equipment itself as well as public liability, check what is covered when machines are at customers' sites
- Data left on machine hard drives, check how to wipe them and your UK GDPR duties
- Electrical safety and disposal rules for old equipment (WEEE), check what applies to you
- Cash tied up in machines, and repair costs that can wipe out a month's rent
- Customers who stop paying, so check who you rent to and consider taking a deposit
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: printer and copier rental for small offices
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: 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
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a printer rental business?
Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on how many machines you buy, their condition and your storage. Cash is tied up in machines, and repair costs can wipe out a month's rent.
How much can a printer and copier rental business make?
Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on how many machines you have out on rent and your contract terms. Customers who stop paying can hurt, so check who you rent to and consider a deposit.
What rules should I check before renting out printers?
Check insurance for the equipment as well as public liability, including when machines are at customer sites. Check how to wipe data from hard drives and your UK GDPR duties, plus electrical safety and WEEE disposal rules for old equipment.
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