The situation, honestly
Most leasing companies decline first and ask questions later. They run a hard credit search at the application stage, knock points off your score whether they accept or not, and reject anyone whose number does not clear an automated threshold — regardless of what the business is actually doing.
We do not work that way — we start with a soft credit check via Creditsafe, and here is exactly how that works.
How the soft check works
Soft check at quote, hard search only with your permission
A soft search is recorded on your file in a section other lenders generally cannot see, and where one is carried out on you we will tell you in advance. If something needs further review, a hard search may be required — but only with your permission. We will always ask first.
Two situations. One way of looking at them.
Don't let a thin trading history or a bumpy credit record keep the business off the road. We look beyond the numbers and work with the facts behind them.
Sole trader? Both views apply — switch freely.
A thin or bumpy trading history
A young company has no track record yet, and that is not the same thing as a bad one. We look at what the van is actually for — contracts in hand, invoices going out, work already booked in — rather than waiting for a first set of filed accounts. The van is a working asset, and we treat it that way.
Sounds like you if
- Trading for under two years
- A newly formed limited company
- A sole trader without filed accounts
- A director with a bumpy personal record
Evidence we work with
- SA302s or your latest accounts
- Three months of business bank statements
- Signed contracts, recent invoices, or work already booked in
- Photo ID for the director
A bumpy credit record, personally
Missed payments and old defaults tell us what happened. They do not tell us who you are now, or what you can comfortably afford if you are leasing the van in your own name rather than through the business. We start with the affordability picture and work outwards from there.
Sounds like you if
- Missed payments in the last few years
- Defaults that have since been settled
- A CCJ on your file
- A thin credit file because you have rarely borrowed
Evidence we work with
- Recent payslips
- Three months of bank statements
- Proof of current address
- Photo ID
What a decision is actually based on
Honest list, not a scare list. Some things make approval harder; some make it impossible. Most are not deal-breakers on their own.
Affordability against committed outgoings
We need to be confident the monthly payment is genuinely affordable against what the business already has going out. This is the single biggest factor in any decision.
Pattern, not single events
One missed payment from three years ago reads very differently to ongoing late payments. Context matters, and so does what the business is doing now.
Active formal arrangements
IVAs, current bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, and active CCJs are case-by-case. Some can work, some cannot. We will tell you which.
Identity, address and trading verification
We need to be able to verify who you are, where you live, and — for a business — that the company or trading activity is real. This is regulatory, not a judgment.
Van leasing with a bad credit history — what changes the price
The same things affect every van lease — the van itself, term, mileage, and initial rental. A bumpy credit record does not move you onto a different product or worse terms behind the scenes; it simply shifts where those levers sit.
Initial rental
The higher of our 1.5- or 3-month structures usually does the most to widen what’s available.
Term & mileage
A shorter term and an honestly estimated mileage keep the monthly number predictable.
The vehicle
A well-proven panel van with a payload that matches the job — not a bigger van than the work needs.
How it works, start to finish
- 1
Soft check via Creditsafe
Online or by phone. Identity, address and fraud checks, on you and the business if you are trading. Does not normally affect your credit score the same way as a full lending application.
- 2
Honest indication
We come back with a yes, no, or yes-but. If we cannot help with a lease, we will say so — and where Rent to Buy fits better, we will tell you that too.
- 3
Van & terms
Together we sort the van, term, mileage, and initial rental around how the business actually uses it.
- 4
Full agreement
Hard search runs only here, with your agreement.
- 5
You collect or take delivery
And you get back to work.
The questions people ask first
“Will it leave a mark?”
No. The soft check at quote-stage is generally not visible to other lenders.
“What if I’m declined?”
We tell you, plainly, and where we can we say what would change the answer. No mark, no chase, no follow-up sales pressure.
“Will you judge a new business?”
No. A young company with no track record is not the same as a bad one. Plenty of the people we approve were turned down elsewhere first — that’s rather the point.
Real people, real place
Decisions made by a person in Exeter
Billy Lang, our Director, and the team here in Exeter review applications themselves. If your situation is unusual, we would rather talk it through than let software make the call.
01392 249250If a lease isn't the right fit — Rent to Buy
A lease is not the only way to get a van, and it is not always the right one. If a bumpy credit record or a thin trading history means a lease is a stretch right now, or you simply want to own the van outright at the end rather than hand it back, Rent to Buy is worth a look. You pay to use the van now, and ownership transfers to you at the end of the agreement — it suits people who want the van to be theirs, not just borrowed for a term.
It is a different product with different maths — see Flexi Lease vs Rent to Buy for the straight comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Can I lease a van with bad credit?
Often, yes — subject to status. We start with a soft check and look at the whole picture: what the business is earning, what work is booked, and who is behind it. A low score narrows the options rather than closing them.
Can I lease a van with a bad credit history as a new business?
Yes, this is one of the most common situations we deal with. A company trading under two years has no track record yet, which is not the same as a poor one. Contracts, invoices and business bank statements do the work that filed accounts would.
Will checking with you affect my credit score?
A soft credit check via Creditsafe does not normally affect your credit score in the same way a full lending application search does. A hard search only happens with your permission.
Can I get van leasing with bad credit and no deposit?
Sometimes. A larger initial rental generally widens what is available, so no-deposit is harder with a bumpy record — but ask us rather than assuming, because it depends on the vehicle and the term.
What if a lease is not the right fit?
Then we will say so. Rent to Buy suits some situations better, particularly if you want the van to be yours at the end. It is a different product with different maths, and we are happy to walk you through both.
What if I am declined?
We tell you why and what would change the answer where we can — a larger initial rental, a different van, or a few more months of trading history. You will not be left guessing.
Reviewed by
Billy Lang, Director
FCA Registration No: 835008
All applications are subject to status.
We do not offer guaranteed approval. We do not make “100% acceptance” or “no credit check” claims. Some applications will be declined. First Flexi Lease is a trading name of Oak First Investments Ltd. FCA Registration No: 835008. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
See where you stand
A soft check via Creditsafe takes minutes and gives you an honest answer either way.
No mark from checking. No pressure to proceed.
