Commercial sunbeds are extremely expensive, for good reason. They are higher-powered than the domestic versions, with more bulbs and are built to a higher specification since they are used far more intensively. They therefore have to withstand the use of customers many times daily, rather than the occasional use of a home system. The higher power means that they can do their job quicker. This means that more people can use the unit in a day – meaning more revenue for your business. However, this higher quality does mean that they come with a serious price tag attached – you could easily be looking at five figures and upwards. This is not a sum to be taken lightly if you are thinking about adding a sunbed to your business. However, sunbed hire offers a way to have the best of both worlds.

Sunbed hire comes in various forms, depending on the hire company. Broadly speaking, you can expect certain features as standard. You will need to put down a deposit and pay an installation fee, along with your first monthly payment. That means a fairly large upfront sum, although nothing like the cost of buying the sunbed outright. After that, you simply pay fixed monthly fees until the end of the term, which is likely to be a year in the first instance. Other companies take a share of revenue, although this can turn out to be significantly more expensive in absolute terms. The flip side of this is that there is less risk for you; if you are paying fixed fees, then you have to get a certain number of people through the doors to offset that before you make a single pound of profit. A revenue share decreases both profit and risk.

Most sunbed hire companies will throw in extras – for example, servicing and maintenance are important, as you don’t want your sunbed damaged or out of action for any longer than strictly necessary. This works for both parties. You need assurances that the machine will be serviced or repaired reliably and as fast as possible (48-hour guarantees are normal), and the hire company needs to protect its own asset, so it makes sense to use its own engineers. You might also receive promotional literature and accessories like eye goggles, too.

One potentially useful detail is that many sunbed hire companies will offer you the option to purchase the sunbed at the end of the year – at a reduced rate. If you prefer to continue renting it then you can, or else ask the company to take it away. Some firms allow this option from the start, meaning that you are effectively hire purchasing the sunbed in the same way that you might hire purchase a TV or car. Although this is more expensive than buying one up-front, it allows you a way to spread payments over the long term. You should also bear in mind that if you are buying an expensive item then you might require a loan for it, and you would need to pay the interest on that too.

Sunbed hire can therefore be a cost-effective way of adding a sunbed to your business without the substantial financial burden of buying one. With some research, you should be able to find a hire company and a contract option that suits your needs. This can be a good way of determining whether a sunbed is going to be a good investment to make in the long term. If so, you may be able to take advantage of reduced-price deals at the end of the rental period.