Leasing

Leasing is a special mercantile lease for productive assets (movable or immovable) or durable consumer goods.

Characteristics

Parties: A leasing company (or bank) and the user/professional.
Duration: Minimum 2 years for movable assets (equipment) and 10 years for immovable property (buildings).
End of Term: At the end, the user can cancel, renew, or exercise a purchase option (residual value).

Finances 100% of the equipment price (standard loans often limit to 80%).
Payments are flexible and can be linked to the resource generation of the asset.
Tax-deductible rental installments.

Renting is a lease linked to assets that require maintenance or suffer rapid depreciation (e.g., vehicles, IT equipment).

Includes maintenance, insurance, and technical reviews in a single fixed monthly fee.
Assets can be substituted or expanded during the contract period.
No purchase option typically exists; it is purely a service.

Aspect	Leasing	Renting
Balance sheet	Recorded in the user's assets	Not recorded in assets
Maintenance	User's responsibility	Company's responsibility
Purchase option	Yes, explicitly in contract	No residual value/option
Duration	Minimum terms required (2/10 yrs)	No fixed minimum term
Deductibility	Installments are a business expense	100% tax-deductible installments