This guide is for office managers, controllers and CFOs whose copier or printer lease is financed by DLL, also known as De Lage Landen Financial Services. If your monthly invoice comes from DLL or from its LeaseDirect customer portal and your term ends in the next few months, the steps below will help you plan ahead and choose whether to return, buy or upgrade. DLL offers several options at the end of the term, and the right one depends on the type of lease you have.
Who DLL is
DLL describes itself as a global asset finance company for equipment and technology. It is headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rabobank Group. DLL works with equipment manufacturers, dealers and distributors so their customers can finance equipment, and office equipment is one of its focus industries.
In the United States, DLL lists offices in Wayne, Pennsylvania, Las Vegas and Johnston, Iowa. It also runs a Public Finance team that offers tax exempt leasing to schools, municipalities and other public bodies, and copiers, printers and scanners are among the equipment it lists for that program.
Because DLL is a vendor finance company rather than a copier brand, the dealer that sold and services your machine is usually a separate business. DLL’s own FAQ says questions about service, maintenance, supplies and usage or overage billing go to your vendor, which makes it easy to know which team to call.
How lease end usually works with DLL
Your options depend on your contract type
DLL’s US site describes three main lease structures: a Fair Market Value (FMV) lease, a Fixed Price Purchase Option (FPPO) lease and a $1 buyout lease. The LeaseDirect FAQ explains the end of lease choices for each:
- FMV lease: return the equipment, buy it, or keep leasing on a renewal basis.
- Fixed purchase option: return it, keep leasing on renewal, or buy it at the fixed percentage of original equipment cost stated in your contract.
- $1 purchase option: once all payments and terms are met, you own the equipment. DLL says no $1 payment is needed and the contract closes after the final payment is processed.
Written notice: the window is in your contract
For FMV and fixed purchase option leases, DLL’s FAQ asks for a written letter of intent, by letter or email, within the advance notification period stated in your contract. The FAQ points to a section titled “Redelivery and Renewal” or “End of Lease.” If no option is chosen, the contract continues on a renewal basis, as that section describes, until you choose one.
DLL’s FAQ lists where to send the letter: by email to OPAM@leasedirect.com, or by mail to DLL, Attn: Asset Management, 1111 Old Eagle School Rd., Wayne, PA 19087. Confirm them against your agreement before you send. Contacting DLL through its LeaseDirect customer portal early is the easiest way to confirm your options.
How long is the window? It varies by agreement, so read your own. As one public example, a DLL copier lease filed by Kittitas County, Washington, asked for written notice at least 60 days but not more than 120 days before the end of the initial term or any renewal term. Under that form, if no option was chosen, the lease continued in 60 day renewal periods at the same payment. Your form may use different numbers, so treat this only as an illustration.
Returning the equipment
In the same public example, a return meant sending all the equipment back in good working condition, at the lessee’s cost, to a location DLL designates. Once your notice is accepted, ask DLL’s Asset Management team for return instructions in writing.
Buying the equipment
For an FMV lease, ask DLL for a purchase quote. For a fixed purchase option lease, DLL’s FAQ says the price is the fixed percentage of original cost shown in the contract.
If you would like to own the equipment before the term ends, the LeaseDirect FAQ says you can request an early buyout quote in the portal by going to Account Summary and choosing Quote Request.
Protect your data before any return
Most copiers and multifunction printers keep scanned, copied and printed images on internal storage. Before any machine leaves your office, plan drive wiping or removal with your dealer or IT team. Ask for written confirmation that the work was done, and keep it with your lease records. The Federal Trade Commission’s guide, “Digital Copier Data Security: A Guide for Businesses,” is a useful checklist to follow.
Invoice questions
Depending on your agreement, invoices can include items like property tax or insurance. DLL’s LeaseDirect portal or customer service can explain each line. For questions about service, supplies or usage billing, your vendor is the right contact.
Your 120-90-60 day checklist
- About 120 days out: find your agreement. Log in to LeaseDirect and download your contract from Account Summary, or call DLL customer service. Note the end date, the purchase option type and the exact notice window in the “Redelivery and Renewal” or “End of Lease” section.
- About 120 days out: inventory the equipment. Match every serial number on the contract to a machine in your office. Returns and buyouts usually cover all listed equipment.
- Between 120 and 90 days: decide. Return, buy or upgrade. If buying, request a quote through the portal so you have a number to compare.
- By 90 days: talk to your dealer. If you plan to replace the machines, line up the new agreement now so delivery and removal can be coordinated with the current lease’s end.
- Inside the notice window: send your letter of intent. Send it in writing to the address or email DLL lists, include your contract number, and keep proof of delivery.
- About 60 days out: get written confirmation. Ask DLL to confirm receipt and, for returns, to send return instructions and the designated location.
- Before pickup: protect your data. Have your dealer or IT team wipe or remove the drive, and get written confirmation.
- At return: document condition. Photograph each machine and its serial plate, keep the shipping paperwork, and confirm with DLL that the account is closed.
Upgrading instead of returning
When you move to newer equipment, the notice still goes to DLL inside the window, and the current machines are returned or bought under that agreement’s terms. Because DLL finances office equipment through dealers and manufacturers, a new DLL lease is one option, and a lease with another lessor is another. Either way, the new equipment can be timed to arrive close to the current term’s end. If a dealer offers to handle the payoff or the return as part of a new deal, get that in writing, and make sure it names who handles each step and who sends the notice to DLL.
A partner dealer can review your options, including whether a return, a buyout or a new agreement makes more sense for your volume. We cannot promise any particular outcome.
FAQs
Where do I send my DLL end of lease notice?
DLL’s LeaseDirect FAQ lists OPAM@leasedirect.com and a mailing address for DLL Asset Management in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Check your agreement’s notice section too, and keep proof that you sent it.
What happens if no option is chosen during the notice window?
DLL’s FAQ says FMV and fixed purchase option contracts renew and continue until you choose an option. The length of each renewal period is set in your contract. In one public DLL form it was 60 days at the same payment.
I have a $1 buyout lease with DLL. Do I need to do anything?
According to DLL’s FAQ, no. Once all payments and terms are satisfied you own the equipment, no $1 payment is required, and the contract closes after the final payment.
Who do I contact about service or supplies on a DLL lease?
DLL’s FAQ says service, maintenance, supplies and usage billing questions go to your vendor. DLL handles the lease itself, including end of lease notices and buyout quotes.
Can I get my DLL contract or a buyout quote online?
Yes. DLL’s FAQ says you can download your contract from Account Summary in LeaseDirect and request an early buyout quote there using Quote Request.
Check your lease before you act
Not sure where your lease stands or which step comes first? Use our free Lease End Check to see what to do first. If you are weighing new equipment, you can also request a commercial copier lease quote and we will connect you with a partner dealer who can review your options.
1-800 Office Solutions is not affiliated with DLL (De Lage Landen). This guide is general information, not legal advice. Your lease agreement controls.