Category: Replace your tractor

Yorkshire Machinery Finance for Farms

From tractors, headers or balers, if it’s part of a working farm Richmond Asset Finance can finance it! At Richmond Asset Finance we have access to an experienced panel of lenders so we can bring you only the best finance options for your farm machinery and business.

Agriculture is very diverse and we also understand that that some farmers have seasonal income, so we can tailor seasonal loan structures for certain applicants if the situation calls for it.

We also understand that a 1998 tractor might still be in good working condition, so older farm machinery can be financed from both private sellers and dealers. Simply ask us for more details.

We can offer agriculture finance loans for the following vehicles and equipment:

  • Tractors
  • Harvesters
  • Spraying Equipment
  • Spreaders
  • Seeders
  • Offset Disc
  • Balers
  • Irrigation
  • Telehandlers

Have farm equipment or machinery that’s not on the list? Call us and we’ll be happy to help: 0113 288 3277

A broker with a farming background

Richmond Asset Finance are leading providers of finance to farmers and rural businesses in the North West, Leeds and Yorkshire. We understand and know the needs of the agricultural community and of specialists are here to help.

Unlike many commercial finance brokers and lenders offering finance to farming and rural communities Richmond Asset Finance has a genuine understanding and interest in agriculture, the countryside and rural communities.

Richmond Asset Finance help with Rural Finance including:

  • Livestock finance
    Our livestock experience covers dairy, beef, sheep and poultry. Our facility can be used repeatedly for auction purchases, B&B, heifer replacement or even new infrastructure.
  • Property renovation and repair
    We provide loans to help renovate and repair property assets, which result in capital appreciation or income generation.
  • Recovery and restructure
    We understand the need to take control and rationally plan when financial pressure is acute. Our facility can provide a window to achieve this.
  • Renewable energy
    We have considerable experience in financing AD, hydro, solar and wind power, for construction or operation.
  • Farm Diversification
    We understand the need to create new revenue streams and support all types of business diversification, from holiday lets through to farm shops or new crops.
  • Purchase of land
    We help farmers move quickly to secure land and expand their business, as acreage may come available at any time and often at short notice.

If you have an enquiry regarding rural and agricultural finance, contact us today.

UK banks set out details of Covid-19 mortgage holidays

Households hit by coronavirus will not lose credit ratings if they delay payments as the government gives a 3-month mortgage holiday.

The unpaid interest will still be recovered later, but individual credit ratings will not be affected.

The Guardian has suggested that ‘firms will help customers the best way for the individual, but an automatic payment holiday may to always be the most suitable approach and may not be required by all customers’.

Full payment of the arrears will still assume an eventual full repayment of arrears. While a person is taking a payment holiday, the interest that would have been paid will still rack up, and the capital sum of the loan remains.

These holidays are not a long term solution but they are designed to help the temporary income shortfall. If this is a smooth and seamless process that will enable homeowners to self-isolate without having to worry about their mortgage payments then clearly it is a significant move in the right direction.

How to protect your tractor from theft

Your tractor is one of your farm’s most valuable and useful pieces of machinery, so it’s important to protect it from thieves.

Last year, rural crime in Britain hit a seven-year high, with theft of farm vehicles and livestock costing the UK £50m according to the insurance company NFU Mutual.

The report found that the sharp rise in rural crime was mainly caused by a huge increase in theft of tractors, quad bikes and farm vehicles, which rose by 26% between 2018 and 2019.

Tractors and other farm vehicles are often targeted by thieves because they have been left unsecured in an isolated and remote location, making them easy targets.

A stolen tractor is not only very expensive to replace, it will also cost your farm business in downtime as well as causing you a headache.

Don’t leave your tractor or other valuable farm vehicles unsecured, use the following tips to protect them from criminals.

Always store your tractor indoors

Where possible, always store your tractor in a locked building. Not only will this make it harder for thieves to access it, it will also help to maintain its condition and extend its lifespan.

Secure your boundaries

Don’t leave your perimeter open to thieves, install a high fence to make access more difficult. If your property is too large to install a boundary around the whole thing, then ensure that the area or building that your tractor is stored in is secured by a fence.

Use a wheel clamp

Always fit a wheel lock on your tractor when it is not in use to prevent thieves from driving it away.

Fit an alarm and tracking device

Fitting your tractor with a motion-detector alarm is an effective way of deterring criminals and preventing theft.

Security mark your vehicles

Use a service like DataTag to get a unique security ID to mark your tractor with, making it easy to identify if it is ever stolen.

If you require help or advice with financing a new tractor, speak to our team here at Richmond Asset Finance. We provide a range of flexible agricultural finance services to help you to grow your business. To discuss your requirements in more detail, give our team a call on 0113 288 3277.

5 reasons to invest in a mini excavator

Are you using your excavator to its full potential, or could you do the same job using a mini excavator?

Mini excavators are practical, affordable and hassle-free pieces of machinery.

Whilst they’re not always suitable for largescale jobs, if you can get away with using a mini excavator over a bigger wheeled, tracked or truck-mounted excavator then there are plenty of benefits to be had.

Manoeuvrability

The mini excavator is the perfect piece of machinery for working in small or tight spaces. It offers the same level of performance as a larger excavator but in a more compact and practical design. The small size of the mini excavator makes it nimble and agile on-site and means transportation is simple and hassle-free.

Easy to operate

Mini excavators tend to be very simple and intuitive to operate, reducing the amount of time required to train an operative to use the machinery and minimising the risk of errors being made.

Cost-saving

Mini excavators are more affordable to purchase and operate than their larger counterparts. They also offer higher fuel efficiency and lower fuel costs. Their relative ease of operation means training operatives will cost your business less time and money. 

More environmentally-friendly

The small size and increased fuel efficiency make mini excavators more environmentally friendly to run than larger excavators. They also produce less noise pollution, making them ideal for use in noise and pollution sensitive areas.

If you require help or advice with financing a mini excavator for your business, speak to our team here at Richmond Asset Finance. We provide a range of flexible vehicle finance and asset finance services to help you to grow your business. To discuss your requirements in more detail, give our team a call on 0113 288 3277.

4 signs it’s time to replace your tractor

Is your tractor holding your farm business back? Here are four signs it’s time to replace your tractor.

Whilst a new tractor may be a big expense, using outdated machinery can seriously impact your farm business’ profitability, so it’s important to know the signs that may indicate that it’s the right time to bite the bullet and invest in a new tractor. 

Your business is growing or changing

As your business grows and evolves so will its requirements, and you may find that your existing tractor’s capabilities no longer cut it. If you now have more crops than you used to, you may require a tractor with a higher capacity to get the job done more efficiently and save time and money. Equally, if you have diversified into farming a new crop, you may find that you require a new tractor with different capabilities.

You’ve used it for 12,000 hours

Check how many hours you’ve racked up on your trusty tractor. It is generally agreed that standard-sized tractors have around 12,000 hours of use in them, whilst compact tractors have considerably less. If your tractor has done over 12,000 hours, it could be reaching the end of its lifespan.

It keeps needing repairs

If your tractor keeps breaking down or needing maintenance, this could also be a sign that it has reached the end of its lifespan. Rather than shelling out regularly to have it repaired, it may be more cost-effective to simply invest in a new machine.

It uses old technology

If your tractor uses outdated technology, it could be holding your business back from reaching its full potential. New agritech is being developed at a rapid pace and tractors are constantly being made smarter and more efficient. Investing in a tractor that uses modern technology could help to boost your business’ productivity and profitability. 

If you require help or advice with financing a new tractor, speak to our team here at Richmond Asset Finance. We provide a range of flexible agricultural finance services to help you to grow your business. To discuss your requirements in more detail, give our team a call on 0113 288 3277.