Only firms with “solid figures” can buy cars in leasing with small down payments

The number of companies qualifying for leasing funding with a vey small down payment has dwindled in the past year and only firms with a very sound financial situation, high share capital and profit, can now buy cars or equipment with a down payment of 5 to 15%, financers say. Prior to the crisis, all leasing firms applied this minimum down payment level, but now most firms ask clients to pay 20-40% of the value of the financed good even though leasing demand is still very low. This way, financers are sure they can recoup as much of the granted sum as possible in case clients can no longer pay instalments. "Speaking of new clients, we need 'solid figures' to finance them with a minimum down payment. We cannot trust only Central Credit Register information, we must also analyse all the figures, and they need to be very good," explains Fabio Razzeto, general manager of Afin Leasing, one of the biggest financial leasing companies. The first indicator Afin looks at when it grants funding is share capital level, and then companies' indebtedness level.