When a copier lease ends, most offices either return the machine, buy it, or replace it with a new one. Returning a leased copier is simple when you plan ahead. This guide covers what happens when you return it and what to do in the last 90 days of the lease.
What happens when you return a leased copier
A copier lease is usually held by a leasing company, not the dealer who installed the machine. The return follows the terms in your lease, so start there.
- Written notice. Many leases ask you to tell the leasing company in writing that you plan to return the copier, during a set window before the end date. The window varies by contract. Many leases ask for notice 60 to 120 days before the end date, and your contract sets the exact number.
- Return instructions. After your notice is received, ask the leasing company for return instructions in writing: who picks up the copier, where it goes, and who pays for shipping.
- Condition. Most leases ask that the copier come back in good working order, apart from normal wear. Leave the trays, cables and any accessories listed on the lease with the machine.
- A final meter reading. Note the page counter on the day it leaves and take a photo. If your service plan bills by the page, that reading closes it out.
- Your data. Copiers store images of scanned, copied and printed pages. Before it leaves, have the drive wiped or removed by your dealer or IT team, and ask for written confirmation.
- Closing the account. After pickup, ask the leasing company to confirm in writing that the equipment was received and the lease is closed.
If you don’t give notice
Many leases keep billing month to month, or renew for a set period, when no notice is given. The renewal section of your lease explains which applies. If the end date is close and you have not sent notice yet, contact the leasing company to confirm your options.
Your last 90 days: a checklist
- About 90 days out: find your lease. Look for the end date, the notice window, where notice must be sent, and the purchase option.
- About 90 days out: decide. Return, buy or upgrade. If you are buying, request the buyout amount in writing.
- Inside the notice window: send your notice. Send it in writing to the address in the lease, include the lease number and serial numbers, and keep proof that it was delivered.
- About 60 days out: line up the next machine. If you are replacing the copier, plan delivery of the new one close to the pickup of the old one so you are never without a machine.
- About 30 days out: confirm the pickup. Get the date, the carrier and the shipping terms in writing.
- Before pickup: protect your data. Wipe or remove the drive and keep the written confirmation.
- On pickup day: document it. Photograph the machine, the serial plate and the meter, and keep the bill of lading.
- After pickup: confirm it’s closed. Ask for written confirmation that the lease is closed, and check that billing stops.
Upgrading instead of returning
If you are moving to a new copier, the notice still goes to your current leasing company inside the window. The old machine is returned or bought under that lease’s terms. A partner dealer can time the new machine to arrive close to the old one’s pickup. If a dealer offers to handle the return or the payoff as part of a new lease, get that in writing, including who sends the notice.
Check your lease before you act
Not sure where your lease stands? Our free lease end check shows what to look for first. If you are replacing your machine, you can also get a copier lease quote.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Your lease agreement controls. We’re not lawyers.