Questions about buying and financing used coaches, buses and minibuses

Yes. Schools, academies, charities, churches and community transport groups finance minibuses with us. Lenders look at the accounts or the budget the payments will come from, and a governing body or trustees usually need to approve the agreement. Tell us who will sign and we will set out what the lender needs.

A minibus with 9 to 16 passenger seats needs category D1 on the driving licence. Many drivers who passed their car test before 1997 already have it, though usually only for driving that is not for hire or reward. Newer drivers take a separate D1 test. Check the back of the licence before you buy.

Carrying passengers for hire or reward in a vehicle with nine or more seats needs a PSV operator licence from the Traffic Commissioners. Schools and charities that do not run for profit can often use a Section 19 permit instead. Lenders may ask to see the licence or permit before paying out.

Often, yes. Lenders on our panel fund new operators, including sole traders, but they look closely at experience in the trade, the contracts or school runs already lined up and the operator licence. A first coach may need a deposit on top of the VAT. Tell us about the work and we will say where you stand before any credit check.

Check the seat belts on every seat, the condition of the seat fixings and the floor around them, and the annual test history. Look at the clutch and gearbox, because school and community buses do a lot of stop start driving. Ask for the service book and run a finance check so you know nothing is still owed.

Yes. Minibuses with a tail lift or ramp and tracked floor are funded the same way as standard minibuses, and the conversion is part of the price. Ask for the lift service history and its latest thorough examination, because passenger lifts need regular inspection.

Look at the annual test history and any prohibition notices, the condition of the floor and luggage bays, and the tachograph records. Check the engine meets the clean air standard for where you work, and ask whether it has been used on school contracts, private hire or scheduled routes, because each wears a coach differently.

Most UK clean air zones charge buses and coaches that do not meet the Euro VI engine standard, and London has its own rules. A Euro VI coach costs more to buy but avoids daily charges and holds its value better. Check the zones on your regular routes before you choose.

Often. A midi coach carrying around 20 to 35 passengers takes on bigger school runs and private hire work without the running costs of a full size coach. Drivers need a full category D licence once a vehicle has more than 16 passenger seats.

Yes. Used double and single deck buses are funded for school contracts, private hire, tours and events. Lenders like mainstream makes with good parts supply, and they will ask how the bus will earn its keep, so have the contract or bookings to hand.

Usually, yes, when the seller is VAT registered. The lender pays the full price and you pay the VAT at the start as the deposit, then reclaim it if you are VAT registered. Some passenger vehicles are sold with no VAT, so ask the seller how it is charged.

Anything from 12 to 120 months is possible across our lenders, but most used minibuses run over three to five years and coaches often longer. Lenders prefer the agreement to end before the vehicle gets very old, so the term usually follows its age.

Every listing shows an illustrative monthly payment on business hire purchase over 48 months, with the VAT paid as the deposit. Your actual rate depends on your business, the machine and the lender.

Every listing is checked against the dealer's own website every night. Machines come off as soon as the dealer marks them sold or takes them down.

No. Coach Monthly is a trading style of CW Asset Finance, a credit broker. We search a panel of more than 60 UK lenders and are paid commission by the lender when an agreement completes.