Leasing companies began to confiscate special equipment from companies due to the inability to fulfill the contract.

Among the main reasons are the high interest rate of the Central Bank and the consequences of transferring equipment without an advance payment, the publication writes.

According to the general director of the Stroytekh company, Alexander Lipsky, most often small and medium-sized businesses face problems that cannot provide leasing services due to the increase in the key rate. He suggested the market would overheat and sales would stagnate.

“This will lead to less replenishment of the budget due to duties and scrapping fees for new cars, because less equipment is planned to be imported in the next two to four months. Furthermore, as of January 1, another increase in waste collection is expected,” said the expert.

Vadim Danilov, head of the data analysis and decision-making department at Alfa Leasing, notes that the increase in the number of withdrawals is associated with a decrease in the solvency of clients against the background of the general macroeconomic situation in various industries. Here Danilov included the high rate of the Central Bank, the reduction of infrastructure projects and the “ripening” consequences of sanctions in a number of industries.

In addition to macroeconomic and geopolitical factors, the situation was influenced by the risk that the leasing market assumed at the end of 2022-2023, Alfa Leasing reported. At the time, the market was heading toward a reduction in the down payment for leasing and an increase in the proportion of zero down payment transactions. “It is clear that it is easy to part with assets acquired in this way,” Danilov explained.

On the topic: What is the difference between leasing and loan and what is more profitable for the business?

An upward trend in withdrawals has been observed since the end of 2023, reported Alfa Leasing and Sberbank Leasing. Deputy General Director of Sberbank Leasing Andrei Maksimov stated that 2024 was a record year in terms of new business volume. The market’s explosive growth last year led to a surge in withdrawals earlier this year, he said.

Taking into account the further increase in the interest rate of the Central Bank, the general director of the SME, Alexander Isaevich, considers that compromise options to change the conditions of contracts are the most realistic option to normalize the situation on the credit market. leasing. According to him, this could be a longer lease term to reduce monthly payments, different deferred payment options or a grace period with reduced payments.

By the end of 2023, the number of leasing transactions has almost doubled. The conditions for this were the growth of new business at the end of last year to 3.59 trillion rubles, the effect of a low base compared to 2022, as well as the advantages of leasing for small and medium-sized businesses over lending .