Käyttövuokraus

Käyttövuokraus, often translated as operating lease or usage lease, is a financial arrangement where one party (the lessor) grants another party (the lessee) the right to use an asset for a specified period in exchange for regular payments. Unlike a finance lease, where the lessee effectively assumes ownership risks and rewards, in a usage lease, the lessor retains ownership of the asset and bears the residual value risk.

The lessee makes periodic payments, typically monthly or annually, for the use of the asset. These payments are treated as operating expenses for the lessee and are usually fully tax-deductible. At the end of the lease term, the lessee typically has several options, such as returning the asset to the lessor, renewing the lease, or purchasing the asset at its fair market value.

Usage leases are common for assets that depreciate quickly or become technologically obsolete, such as vehicles, office equipment, and IT hardware. This allows businesses to access and use necessary assets without the significant upfront capital investment and the burden of selling the asset at the end of its useful life. The lessor is responsible for the maintenance and insurance of the asset in many usage lease agreements. This type of lease is attractive to companies that prefer flexibility and predictable operating costs.