Vehicles, equipment, and asset finance done right.
Danny arranges chattel mortgage, novated lease, and hire-purchase finance for Bulimba businesses and individuals — across an aggregator panel covering banks and specialist asset-finance lenders.
- $340Msettled
- 13+ yearsbroking
- 80+lender panel
Asset finance has its own lender pool and its own logic. Rates and structure depend on the asset type, age, and use — and on whether the borrower is a business or individual. Danny matches the asset and the borrower to the lender whose appetite fits.
Chattel mortgage
The most common business asset-finance product. The borrower owns the asset from day one; the lender registers a security interest on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR). For GST-registered businesses, the GST on the asset can typically be claimed back through the next BAS — interest and depreciation are deductible, subject to the business-use proportion.
Suits motor vehicles, plant and equipment, technology, and most other business assets. Loan terms typically 1–7 years; balloon payments at the end of term are common, especially on motor vehicles, to reduce monthly repayments.
Novated lease
A salary-packaging arrangement where the lease, running costs, and insurance are bundled into a single pre-tax payment from the employee's salary. The employee uses the vehicle, the employer is the lessee on paper, and the financier owns the vehicle. Suits PAYG employees with a cooperative employer; the FBT calculation matters more than the lease rate.
Electric vehicles attract additional FBT exemptions under the current rules, making EV novated leases meaningfully more cost-effective for eligible employees. Confirm current FBT settings with a tax adviser before proceeding.
Hire purchase and operating lease
Hire purchase: the lender owns the asset; the borrower hires it with an option to purchase at the end of the term. Tax and accounting treatment sits between a chattel mortgage and a lease, and varies depending on the business's reporting framework.
Operating lease: a true rental, no ownership at end of term, asset returned to the lessor. Suits assets with a short useful life and a business that doesn't want the residual-value risk.
Lender pool and asset categories
The asset-finance lender pool is broader than the residential mortgage pool — alongside the major banks, there's a strong group of specialist asset-finance lenders with appetite for older vehicles, niche equipment, and short-trading-history ABN borrowers. Specialty assets — yellow goods, marine, aviation, agricultural — sit with their own subset of the panel.
Thank you Danny! Danny helped us with our home loan, business finance and vehicle loans, which made everything so much easier with one person to talk to. What we really like is that we can call him when things change and get honest, helpful advice. He explains things clearly and takes a lot of the stress out of it. Highly recommend Danny to anyone looking for a broker.
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers to questions Danny hears most often about vehicle, equipment, and asset finance. General information only — nothing here is personal credit or tax advice.
What's the difference between a chattel mortgage, hire purchase, and a lease?
A chattel mortgage transfers ownership to the borrower at settlement, with the lender holding a security interest. Hire purchase keeps ownership with the lender until the final payment, after which the borrower can purchase the asset. An operating lease is a true rental — the asset returns to the lessor at the end of the term. Each has different tax, GST, and accounting treatment.
Which asset finance product suits a business buying a work vehicle?
Chattel mortgage is the most common choice for a business buying a vehicle: the borrower owns it from day one, GST on the purchase is typically claimable on the next BAS, and interest and depreciation are deductible based on business-use proportion. Operating lease and hire purchase are alternatives in specific tax or fleet-management scenarios — confirm with an accountant.
Can asset finance be arranged for a vehicle bought privately?
Yes. Most asset-finance lenders fund private (non-dealer) purchases as well as dealer purchases — sometimes called "consumer asset finance" or "private sale finance". Documentation requirements are usually a roadworthy certificate, a contract of sale, and confirmation that there are no existing encumbrances on the vehicle (PPSR check). Rates may be slightly higher than dealer-funded purchases.
What is a balloon payment, and is it worth using?
A balloon (or residual) is a deferred lump sum at the end of the loan term that reduces the regular repayment amount. Common on motor vehicles. The trade-off is total interest paid is higher because principal is paid down more slowly, and the balloon must be settled, refinanced, or rolled into a new facility at term-end. Suits borrowers prioritising cash-flow over total interest cost.
How is novated leasing different from a normal car loan?
A novated lease is a salary-packaging arrangement: lease payments and running costs are deducted from the employee's pre-tax salary, with the employer as the lessee on paper. Tax effectiveness depends on FBT treatment — the operating cost method or statutory formula method — and the employee's marginal tax rate. EVs attract additional FBT exemptions under current rules. Confirm with a tax adviser.
What's the typical loan term for asset finance?
Standard terms run 1–7 years for vehicles and most equipment, sometimes longer for high-value plant or commercial yellow goods. Term length is usually capped to the expected useful life of the asset minus a small buffer — lenders rarely write a 7-year term against a 5-year-life asset. Danny matches term to use case so monthly cashflow stays manageable without extending well beyond the asset's working life.
Can asset finance be approved on a low-doc or ABN-only basis?
Yes — a number of specialist asset-finance lenders fund ABN-only and low-doc applications, typically requiring 12+ months of trading history, registered ABN and GST, and a clean credit profile. Rates are generally higher than full-doc bank rates; turnaround is usually faster (24–72 hours for straightforward files). Lender selection makes the practical difference for low-doc files.
Prefer to talk it through?
Or book a coffee with Danny instead.
Thirty minutes on Oxford Street, Bulimba — or by video. No pressure, no spreadsheet homework before you arrive.