For removals & man-and-van
Van leasing for removals firms
Yes — removals limited companies and LLPs lease Lutons, box vans and large panel vans from FleetMe on business contract hire. A 3.5-tonne Luton with a tail lift leaves little payload once the body is counted. Sole traders hire short-term.
Get my van quote →Updated September 2026 · your agreement is with FleetMe
Removals is a volume business that keeps running into a weight limit. You are paid for what fits in the box, but you are policed on what the vehicle weighs — and a Luton body plus a tail lift is heavy before a single box goes in. Understanding that trade-off is the difference between a profitable vehicle and one that cannot legally do the job you bought it for.
How much can a 3.5-tonne Luton really carry?
A Luton gives you the biggest usable volume on a 3.5-tonne chassis, and that is exactly why it catches people out: the box body, the floor, the ramp or tail lift and the securing rails all come out of your payload before you load anything. Add two crew and a full tank and the remaining allowance can be modest against a house move's worth of furniture. Furniture is bulky rather than dense, which usually saves you — but a move with books, tools, appliances or a piano will not. Weigh the vehicle loaded on a real job so you know your true working limit rather than a brochure figure.
Tail lift, ramp, or neither?
A tail lift is a genuine safety and speed investment for white goods and heavy furniture, and it costs you payload and some load length. A ramp weighs far less and costs nothing to run, but it puts the effort back on the crew. Many removals operators run a tail lift on the main vehicle and a ramp on the second. Whatever you choose, it forms part of the specification we quote and confirm in writing — and if you want it fitted to a vehicle we already supply, that needs agreeing with us before any work is done.
3.5 tonnes or 7.5 tonnes?
A car licence obtained from 1 January 1997 covers vehicles up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass; anything heavier needs a further licence category, which drivers who passed after that date do not hold automatically. Drivers who passed before that date usually kept wider entitlement, so check each licence rather than assuming (GOV.UK, driving licence categories, 2026). So the step from a 3.5-tonne Luton to a 7.5-tonne box is a staffing decision as much as a vehicle one. Removals is also a high-mileage trade on long-distance work, so set your annual mileage against the routes you actually run — see how lease mileage works.
Not a limited company?
Business contract hire is for limited companies and LLPs. If you trade as a sole trader, or you want the vehicle in your own name, what we can supply is short-term vehicle rental of up to 89 days instead. Incorporating is the step that opens up business contract hire over 24 to 60 months, which is why plenty of tradespeople do it before taking on a van.
Get a written quote
Tell us the vehicle, the mileage and how long you need it for. We come back with a written quote — usually the same working day — and we confirm which agreement applies before anything is signed.
- ✓ Your agreement is with FleetMe
- ✓ We confirm your quote in writing
- ✓ Business rentals quoted ex VAT, with VAT shown
Thanks — your enquiry is in.
We’ll go through what you need and come back with a written quote, usually the same working day. Your agreement would be with FleetMe — we supply the vehicle, and we confirm it in writing before anything is agreed.
What happens next
- 1 We read what you sent us. We check the vehicle, the length and the mileage you asked for, and work out what we can do at that specification.
- 2 We come back with a written quote. Usually the same working day. It sets out the vehicle, how long you have it, the mileage, the initial rental and the monthly figure — ex VAT with the VAT-inclusive figure alongside.
- 3 You decide. Nothing is committed until you have that in writing and you are happy to go ahead. If we can’t help, we’ll tell you honestly and say why.
Nothing is committed at this stage, and if we can’t help we’ll tell you honestly rather than leave you waiting.
Browse vans →Facts & figures
The bigger picture
Source: SMMT, 2025
Source: SMMT, 2025
Source: BVRLA Leasing Outlook, 2026
UK market figures from the sources named on each card — not FleetMe's own results.
Common questions
How much can a 3.5-tonne Luton actually carry?
Less than the volume implies. The box body, floor, tail lift and securing rails all reduce payload, and crew and fuel come out of it too. Weigh a loaded vehicle on a typical job to find your real working figure.
Is a tail lift worth the lost payload?
For white goods and heavy furniture it usually is, on safety grounds alone. If your work is mostly boxes and flat-pack, a ramp keeps more payload and costs less. It is a genuine trade-off, not an upgrade.
Do I need a different licence for a 7.5-tonne box van?
Drivers who passed a car test from 1 January 1997 do not automatically hold entitlement above 3,500kg. Check each driver's licence categories before you plan a heavier vehicle into the business.
Can a removals firm lease more than one vehicle?
Yes. Multi-vehicle agreements are normal, and staggering the start dates keeps renewals from all landing in the same month. Our fleet leasing page covers how that works.
I run a man-and-van on my own — what is available?
If you are a sole trader it is short-term rental of up to 89 days rather than contract hire, which is for limited companies and LLPs. Many one-van operators incorporate at the point they want a Luton held long term.
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