Mobile sports equipment hire
Hire out paddleboards, bikes or garden games by delivery to holiday-makers, families and event hosts.
- £1.5k-7k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
1,758 UK companies in this field, 31% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 77210 “Renting and leasing of recreational and sports goods”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
You keep a stock of popular kit such as paddleboards, kayaks, bikes or garden and beach games, and deliver it by van or trailer for a day or a weekend.
Your first three steps
- Pick one or two types of kit that suit your area, then check local demand and what other hire firms charge
- Buy a small starting stock, a roof rack or trailer, and set up a simple booking page with a damage deposit policy
- Contact holiday lets, campsites and event organisers near you and offer a launch price for first bookings
Who pays
Families, holiday-makers, campsites, holiday lets, school fetes and companies running team days.
How it makes money
Daily or weekend hire fees per item, with delivery charges, deposits and discounts for bundles or longer hire.
Skills that help
- Organising bookings and stock
- Basic equipment repair and cleaning
- Friendly customer service
Watch out for
- Public liability insurance, plus cover for your stock and for hired items being used by others
- Written hire terms covering damage, loss, deposits and safety, so check them with a suitable adviser
- Water sports kit may need lifejackets and safety briefings, and some launch sites need permission, so check with the landowner or council
- Vehicle insurance that covers carrying hired goods for business use
- Storage space and seasonal demand, as summer is busier than winter
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: mobile sports equipment hire
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 sports equipment hire business?
Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £7,000, depending on the kit you stock, such as paddleboards, bikes or garden games, and your insurance and transport.
How much can a mobile equipment hire business earn?
Estimates suggest monthly revenue of typically around £400 to £3,000, depending on stock, bookings and the time of year. Summer is busier than winter. Figures are revenue, not profit.
What should I check before hiring out sports equipment?
Things to check: public liability insurance and cover for your stock, written hire terms covering damage and deposits, lifejackets and briefings for water kit, launch site permission, and vehicle insurance for carrying hired goods.
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Photo: paulbr75 on Pixabay