How to Get Out of a Copier Lease if the Copier Has Not Been Delivered
Buyer’s remorse. There are times when you purchase something, and then you regret the decision. This can happen for a lot of reasons. Maybe you don’t like how the company you are working with is treating you. Maybe you found a better deal. Maybe you don’t really need it in the first place.
This article focuses on the question of how stuck you are after you sign a copier lease.
We have been selling copiers for over a decade and have seen about every scenario unfold with our customers as well as people who felt trapped after they signed a copier lease. Can you get out of a lease, even if you have signed it?
Why would you want to get out of the lease?
There are different reasons for why you may choose to try and not be in a copier lease. Let’s go over some of these and see what your options are.
Delivery Issues
The most common reason right now is delivery issues. As there is a global supply constraint because of a chip shortage that affects copier companies, this could be happening in your situation. You may have been promised a lead time of a few weeks, and now it has been well over a month.
Pricing Changes
You may have gotten a lease and had one price there, but when you got deeper into your contract, you realized some of the items were not covered like you thought (like shipping costs, install costs, or supplies and service.) It may have felt like a bait and switch. So, now you are thinking you would rather not be under the contract at all.
New vs Used
Maybe you thought the copier was new when you signed the lease, but later learned it was not a new copier at all. If this is the case, it is understandable you would not want to pay the same rate for a used copier lease as you would have paid for a new copier.
What Can You Do?
There are a few ways you can approach the situation you find yourself in. First, realize no copier dealer will want to lose the deal, so it is possible or likely they won’t like the idea of not getting the copier. Your company may have signed the agreement, but when there are legitimate reasons, it is worth communicating with the company you signed the lease with.
Now, we are not giving legal advise here, so do your own due diligence or chat with your own attorney about your legal options.
An Out of the Box Idea
One thing you could try is to simply ask the copier company to release the deal and tear up the contract. Most will have the ability to be able to do this.
Another option is to not accept delivery. This may be forbidden in your contract, but we have not generally seen this provision in copier leases we have looked at.
A final option would be to not let them install the copier. There is a document called the Delivery and Acceptance document (D&A) most dealers must get filled out in order to fund the deal. If this is your scenario, then it is possible if you don’t sign the D&A, the deal will not be formally enacted. Again, this is a spot to check with your own attorney.
Not Needing to Take this Action is Best
Obviously, in a perfect world, none of this would be necessary. We would always suggest working out these issues in a way that serves your company and doesn’t violate ethics or put other people in just as difficult of a position.
We work with businesses all over the USA to help ensure they get the best copier lease for their office. If you need a quote, we would love to help.
Given the current climate for deliveries, it is possible you may need this information and then start deciding who you would prefer to work with instead.
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