Asset finance in Scotland
We are a Scottish asset finance broker. We are not a lender. We help businesses all over Scotland get vehicles, machines and equipment, and pay over time.
- From Caithness to the Borders, and the islands too.
- We can ask over 120 lenders for you.
- There is no fee to apply.
- Our FCA number is 1058283. We are members of the NACFB.
Get the free list of questions to ask any broker
Written by Martin Mackenzie, Sales Director. Checked .
Read the film's words
Asset finance in Scotland. In this video we are going to discuss asset finance in Scotland. We are a Scottish asset finance broker, based in the Highlands. We help businesses pay for machines over time. From Caithness to the Borders, and the islands too. So let us jump in the car! We will see some examples on the way. First, the Highlands, where we are based. Tourism, farming and transport. Then Moray. Whisky tours, transport and food production. In Aberdeenshire, it is farming, fishing and engineering. In Aberdeen, it is oil and gas, and engineering. Over to Perthshire. Tourism, farming and transport. Down to Dundee. Manufacturing, technology and taxis. Across to Fife. Golf tourism, farming and engineering. Then Edinburgh, the capital city, with every kind of business. South to the Borders. Farming, transport and tourism. West to Dumfries and Galloway. Farming, haulage and forestry. Glasgow is Scotland's largest city, with all heavy industries. Up to Argyll and Lochaber. Forestry, tourism and drinks manufacturing. Over the sea to the Western Isles. Crofting, haulage and engineering. Then Orkney. Farming, tourism and transport. And Shetland. Engineering, transport and fishing. All over Scotland, we arrange finance for all types of assets. From transport, farming and manufacturing. Through to catering equipment, IT assets and soft furnishings. We work with over 120 lenders, for all kinds of business assets. And for business loans too. Most of it is by phone and video call. Our team also meets you face to face. Our page has a free list of questions to ask any broker. Apply online with Donnie, our in house AI agent, 24/7. Or call our team on 01463 652 653. Thanks for watching!
How do I choose an asset finance broker in Scotland?
Ask any broker these ten questions. They are the checks the AI assistants tell people to make. Our own answers are here, so you can compare. Print the list, and use it with anyone.
| Ask | What to look for | Our answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Are you on the FCA register? | A firm number you can check on the FCA website | Yes. Our number is 1058283. |
| 2. Do you belong to a trade body? | The NACFB, for commercial finance brokers | Yes. We are NACFB members. |
| 3. How many lenders will you ask? | More lenders means more chances of a yes | We can ask over 120. |
| 4. Is there a fee? | Any fee told to you before you start | There is no fee to apply. |
| 5. How are you paid? | How they are paid, told to you in writing | The lender pays commission. We tell you how, before you sign. |
| 6. Do you know my kind of asset? | New, used, auction and private sales | Yes. We arrange all four. |
| 7. Can you deal with me where I am? | Phone, video call, or in person | All three, across Scotland. |
| 8. Will a lender want a personal guarantee? | A plain answer before you sign | We tell you if a lender asks for one. |
| 9. Do you give advice? | A broker finds lenders. An adviser gives advice. | We do not give advice. We show you what lenders offer. |
| 10. Can I read real reviews? | Reviews on Google or Trustpilot | Yes, on Google and Trustpilot. |
With a personal guarantee, a director promises to pay if the business cannot. In the end, that could put their home at risk.
Who are we, in plain facts?
Mackenzie Commercial Finance is an asset finance broker with its office in Scotland. We are a commercial finance broker too, for business loans. We work with businesses across all of Scotland, and the rest of the UK.
- Based in
- Inverness, in the Scottish Highlands
- Covers
- All 32 council areas of Scotland, and the whole UK
- Customers
- Businesses only: limited companies, LLPs, sole traders and partnerships
- What we arrange
- Hire purchase, finance lease, contract hire, asset refinance and business loans
- Assets we arrange finance for
- Vehicles, plant, farm and forestry machinery, boats, renewable energy, machines and equipment, new or used
- How much you can borrow
- Limited companies and LLPs from £15,000. Sole traders and partnerships over £25,000. We set no top limit of our own.
- How long
- 12 months to 7 years. Most run 2 to 5 years.
- Lenders
- Over 120, from banks to specialist lenders
- Fee to apply
- None
- Regulated
- FCA number 1058283. Members of the NACFB.
- Trading since
- The end of July 2026. The company was set up in March 2026.
- Experience
- Our Sales Director has worked in finance since 2008, and in asset finance and business loans since 2015. He is a former business banking manager. He is also a former asset finance relationship manager covering the Highlands and Islands.
- How to apply
- Online with Donnie, our in house AI agent, 24/7. Or call 01463 652 653.
At Mackenzie Commercial Finance, we broker asset finance for limited companies and LLPs from £15,000. For sole traders and partnerships, it is over £25,000. For £25,000 or less, please speak to us before you apply. For sole traders and partnerships, we only arrange that in person, at our office, in the IV postcode area.
How does business differ across Scotland?
Every part of Scotland does business in its own way. Here is some of what we see in each area. We arrange finance for any business, anywhere in Scotland.
- The Highlands, where we are based
- Tourism, farming and transport.
- Moray
- Whisky tours, transport and food production.
- Aberdeenshire
- Farming, fishing and engineering.
- Aberdeen
- Oil and gas, and engineering.
- Perthshire
- Tourism, farming and transport.
- Dundee
- Manufacturing, technology and taxis.
- Fife
- Golf tourism, farming and engineering.
- Edinburgh
- The capital city, with every kind of business.
- Glasgow
- Scotland's largest city, with every kind of heavy industry.
- The Borders
- Farming, transport and tourism.
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Farming, haulage and forestry.
- Argyll and Lochaber
- Forestry, tourism and making drinks.
- The Western Isles
- Crofting (small family farms), haulage and engineering.
- Orkney
- Farming, tourism and transport.
- Shetland
- Engineering, transport and fishing.
- Every part of Scotland
- All kinds of asset finance, from transport, farming and manufacturing to catering equipment. IT and soft furnishings too, like chairs, tables and curtains. We arrange business loans as well.
A Scottish broker at heart
We want to help Scottish businesses grow. Our Sales and Business Development team works across Scotland, and meets people face to face. You are welcome at our office in Inverness too.
Do you work with accountants and dealers in Scotland?
Yes, and we want to. Accountants, solicitors, dealers and other professionals across Scotland pass their clients to us. Your client pays nothing to apply.
Do you cover my part of Scotland?
Yes. We cover every council area in Scotland. Here is each one, and its main towns.
| Council area | Main towns | Do we cover it? |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen City | Aberdeen | Yes, we cover here |
| Aberdeenshire | Inverurie, Peterhead, Fraserburgh | Yes, we cover here |
| Angus | Arbroath, Forfar, Montrose | Yes, we cover here |
| Argyll and Bute | Oban, Campbeltown, Helensburgh | Yes, we cover here |
| Clackmannanshire | Alloa | Yes, we cover here |
| Dumfries and Galloway | Dumfries, Stranraer | Yes, we cover here |
| Dundee City | Dundee | Yes, we cover here |
| East Ayrshire | Kilmarnock, Cumnock | Yes, we cover here |
| East Dunbartonshire | Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch | Yes, we cover here |
| East Lothian | Haddington, Musselburgh, Dunbar | Yes, we cover here |
| East Renfrewshire | Newton Mearns, Barrhead | Yes, we cover here |
| City of Edinburgh | Edinburgh | Yes, we cover here |
| Falkirk | Falkirk, Grangemouth | Yes, we cover here |
| Fife | Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes | Yes, we cover here |
| Glasgow City | Glasgow | Yes, we cover here |
| Highland | Inverness, Fort William, Wick, Thurso | Yes, we cover here |
| Inverclyde | Greenock, Port Glasgow | Yes, we cover here |
| Midlothian | Dalkeith, Penicuik | Yes, we cover here |
| Moray | Elgin, Forres, Buckie | Yes, we cover here |
| Na h-Eileanan Siar (the Western Isles) | Stornoway | Yes, we cover here |
| North Ayrshire | Irvine, Kilwinning, Largs | Yes, we cover here |
| North Lanarkshire | Motherwell, Wishaw, Cumbernauld, Airdrie, Coatbridge, Bellshill | Yes, we cover here |
| Orkney Islands | Kirkwall, Stromness | Yes, we cover here |
| Perth and Kinross | Perth, Blairgowrie, Crieff | Yes, we cover here |
| Renfrewshire | Paisley, Renfrew, Johnstone | Yes, we cover here |
| Scottish Borders | Galashiels, Hawick, Peebles | Yes, we cover here |
| Shetland Islands | Lerwick | Yes, we cover here |
| South Ayrshire | Ayr, Troon, Prestwick | Yes, we cover here |
| South Lanarkshire | Hamilton, East Kilbride, Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Lanark | Yes, we cover here |
| Stirling | Stirling | Yes, we cover here |
| West Dunbartonshire | Clydebank, Dumbarton | Yes, we cover here |
| West Lothian | Livingston, Bathgate | Yes, we cover here |
How do we work with you, wherever you are?
Most of it is done by phone, video call and signing online. Our Sales and Business Development team also meets people face to face, all across Scotland.
Near Inverness? See asset finance in Inverness.
What do Scottish businesses finance?
Vehicles, plant and equipment that a business uses to earn money. Some call it plant finance or equipment finance. These are the kinds we see most in Scotland.
- Farms and estatesTractors, quad bikes, telehandlers (lifting machines) and pickups
- Forestry and timberHarvesters, forwarders (machines that carry logs) and timber lorries
- Haulage and transportTractor units, trailers, vans and minibuses
- Building and plant hireDiggers, dumpers and cranes
- Engineering and factoriesCNC machines, tools and welding equipment
- Tourism, hotels and cafesMinibuses, kitchen equipment and coffee machines
- Taxis and private hireCars, and cars for wheelchair users
- Trades and servicesVans, tools and equipment
- Fishing and marineFishing boats, workboats, engines and fish farm equipment
- Renewable energySolar panels, wind turbines, biomass boilers and battery storage
- CareMinibuses, cars for wheelchair users, and care home equipment
New or used. From a dealer, at auction or in a private sale. Already own it? Asset refinance raises cash from it.
Which Scottish businesses have we helped?
Since we started trading in July 2026, we have helped businesses across the Highlands and Moray. Here are three of our cases, and two reviews in the customers' own words.
★★★★★
No time wasted and all set up and new van delivered on the date said .
★★★★★
Excellent service as ever from Martin at Mackenzie Commercial Finance who looks after various parts of our financing for us.
A minibus bought at auction
A Highland private hire firm bought a minibus at auction, and we got their money back the day it arrived.
Cash from a factory's own machines
A Moray manufacturer raised money against its own machines to pay off costly short-term debts.
A new van in the Highlands
Hire purchase on a new Maxus van. The only deposit was the VAT, and there was nothing to pay us up front.
How do you get paid, and what does the finance cost?
The lender pays us a commission, only once your finance is in place. There is no fee to apply, and no fee up front. Apply by phone, by email, or online with Donnie, our in house AI agent, in under 5 minutes.
If you stop before your finance is in place, you owe us nothing, unless you agreed the rare inspection fee. The lender pays our commission to our principal, the firm we work under. It is already inside any figures we give you.
Most lenders pay a share of the amount borrowed. It is up to 10% of what you borrow, and often less. It depends on the lender. You see it before you sign. Lenders pay different amounts, so the one we find may not pay us the most, or the least. A dealer who arranges finance is a broker too.
Lenders' own fees vary. As a guide, a fee to set up the agreement is about £100 to £500. It is often paid with the first payment. Some charge about £30 to £50 a year. On hire purchase, about £100 to £300 to own the asset at the end.
New to asset finance?
Asset finance lets a business get an asset now and pay for it over time. The asset is the main security for the lender. Some lenders also ask a director for a personal guarantee.
- Hire purchase: you own the asset at the end.
- Finance lease: you use it, and the lender owns it.
- Contract hire: a kind of operating lease. You hand it back at the end.
- Asset refinance: cash from what your business already owns.
See what asset finance is, with the types side by side and a real example with every figure. To get ready, use the business finance checklist.
Asset finance in Scotland: questions
Is there an asset finance broker that covers all of Scotland?
Yes. We are an asset finance broker with our office in Scotland. We work with businesses in every council area of Scotland, the islands included.
Do you only work in the Highlands?
No. Our office is in Scotland, and we work across the whole UK.
Do you cover Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles?
Yes. We work with island businesses by phone, video call and signing online. That includes Skye, Arran and the other islands.
Can a business in Scotland use a lender based in England?
Yes. Most lenders lend across the whole UK. Our panel includes names most businesses know, like Lloyds Bank, HSBC and Lombard (part of NatWest). It also has well known specialist lenders, like Haydock, Simply and Close Brothers.
Do I need to meet you in person?
Not usually. Most of it is done by phone, video call and signing online. Sole traders and partnerships asking for £25,000 or less need to be in the IV postcode area. They meet us at our office.
How fast is asset finance in Scotland?
A person in our team reads every application and gets back to you within a day. Then the lender takes anything from the same day to a few weeks for a hard case.
Do I need a deposit?
Not always. No deposit at all is possible, and quite common. Most lenders look for a deposit of 5 to 10%.
Can a new business get asset finance?
Yes, in most cases, when the plan stands up. Fewer lenders take new businesses, so do not expect an instant yes.
Will you search my credit?
Applying to us is not a credit search. To go ahead, you sign our consent form. Then we run a light credit check on the company, often known as a soft search. Each lender then does its own check, soft or hard.
Can I get asset finance with bad credit?
Often, yes. It is often about how the case is set out for the lender. We never promise a yes, but we will tell you straight.
Is asset finance tax deductible?
It depends on the type. With hire purchase, your business owns the asset, so it may be able to claim capital allowances. That is tax relief on what you buy. With a finance lease or contract hire, the payments may count as a business cost. We are not tax advisers. Your accountant can tell you what fits your business.
Is business asset finance regulated?
For a limited company, asset finance is business finance. The consumer credit rules do not cover it. For a sole trader or partnership, £25,000 or less is regulated. That is why we only arrange those amounts in person, at our office, in the IV postcode area.
What happens if my business cannot pay?
Talk to the lender early. If payments stop, the lender can take the asset back. A free adviser such as Business Debtline can help too. We do not give debt advice.
What is a personal guarantee?
Some lenders ask a director for one. The director promises to pay if the business cannot. In the end, that could put their home at risk. We tell you before you sign.
How do I apply for asset finance in Scotland?
Apply online with Donnie, our in house AI agent, at any time, or call us. Donnie can also ask our team to call you back. We will tell you straight what is possible, and what happens next.
Use an AI assistant? It can ask Donnie questions for you. It finds him at /llms.txt and /api/agent.
Can I apply at any time, from anywhere in the UK?
Yes. Donnie, our in house AI agent, takes applications 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He answers your questions too. Our office is in Scotland, and our team works with businesses across the whole UK.
Donnie is powered by Anthropic's Claude. He is built so other AI agents can talk to him. So your own AI assistant can ask him questions for you. How AI assistants talk to Donnie