Before you sign

Before you sign a copier lease or service contract

Copier contracts can be long and the costs can hide in the detail. Here is every term to check, in plain words, and an offer: send us yours and we will tell you where you stand.

Every term explained
Unfair terms law
Getting out early
A second opinion

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The checklist

The term. How many months, and exactly when it starts and ends.
The total cost. Multiply the payment by the number of payments. That is the real price.
The cost per page. Black and white and colour, and what it includes: toner, parts, labour, callouts.
Price rises. Can the supplier raise the page rates during the term, and by how much?
Minimum charges. Is there a minimum number of pages or a minimum monthly bill, even in a quiet month?
Coverage. What page coverage the cost per page assumes, and what you pay if your pages carry more toner.
Toner delivery. Whether each toner order carries a delivery charge.
Response time. How quickly a technician comes when the machine stops, and whether that is in writing.
Your data. Who wipes the copier's hard drive when it leaves, and whether that costs anything.
Automatic renewal. Does the agreement roll over if you do not give notice? How much notice, and in what form?
The end of the term. What happens to the machine: return, upgrade, or a payment to keep it?
Getting out early. What is the payout figure, and how is it worked out?
Insurance and damage. Who insures the machine and who pays if it is damaged?
Upgrades. If you upgrade during the term, is the old agreement paid out or rolled into the new one?

Every term read and checked before anything is signed.

The law is on your side more than it used to be

Australia's unfair contract terms laws protect small businesses in standard form contracts. Since 9 November 2023, using an unfair term can bring penalties, not just make the term void.

In 2022, after action by the ACCC, the Federal Court found terms in a major copier supplier's small business contracts unfair and void, including automatic renewals, exit fees and price rises the supplier could set on its own. If something in your contract looks one sided, it is worth asking about.

This is general information, not legal advice.

Photocopier lease payouts

If you want to leave a lease or rental early, there will usually be a payout: what is left on the agreement, sometimes less a discount, plus any service agreement costs. Ask for the payout figure in writing and ask how it is calculated. If you are upgrading, a new supplier can sometimes include the payout in the new agreement.

Talk it throughSomeone who knows copiers, on the phone.Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm

(07) 3484 0534 Get a quote

A second opinion

Send us your agreement

Already on a lease, rental or managed print contract, or holding a quote you are not sure about? Send it to us. We will read it and tell you plainly where you stand: what you are paying per page, any minimum charges, when it ends, what notice it needs, and what it would cost to change.

No obligation. Photos of the pages are fine.

Upload your agreement

PDF or photos, up to 4 files.

Guide to download

Before You Sign: The Copier Agreement Checklist

The term, the cost per page, minimums, price rises, notice and the end of the agreement, explained clause by clause, with a checklist to take into any meeting.

Get the guide

Ask us

A question about your agreement?

Ask about any term in a copier agreement, ours or anyone else's. We reply in plain words, in writing. No obligation.

Prefer to talk? Call (07) 3484 0534, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

Ask a question about a contract

Or use the form above to send us the agreement itself.

Questions

Questions about copier lease agreements

Can I get out of a photocopier lease?

Usually, by paying it out. The amount depends on the agreement. Send it to us and we will tell you what it is likely to cost and what your options are.

What happens at the end of a copier lease?

It depends on the lease: return the machine, upgrade, extend, or pay a residual to keep it. Check the notice period, because some agreements roll over if you miss it.

Will you show me your own agreement before I sign?

Yes. Every term, explained, before you sign anything.

What should I check in a photocopier lease agreement?

The total cost over the term, the cost per page and what it includes, any minimum charge, price rises, automatic renewal and notice, the end of term terms and the payout figure. The checklist above covers each one.

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