The vision of a leasing society is characterised by a new relationship between producers and customers. This new relationship is based on innovative and more service-oriented business models to meet customer needs
with novel approaches to ownership and responsibility. This study explores  the leasing society in four chapters. It (1) examines the basic ideas behind the concept,  (2) presents a collection of case studies, (3) summarises trengths and risks, and (4) concludes with policy options that could support the transition to a leasing society

The Germany-based Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy was commissioned by the Parliament’s ENVI Committee to carry out a study on the feasibility and implications (on the environment,
economy and society) of a Lease Society. The results were also released in late December



More info: The  lease society: the end of ownership


 


 


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As credit managers our responsibility is to identify and minimize risk. That equates to making sound credit decisions based on basic credit principles, Character, Capacity and Capital. Commonly referred to as the 3 C's of credit these should be the foundation to every credit decision.

CHARACTER

Considered to be the most important of the 3 C's this equates to willingness. A willingness to provide information, a willingness to answer our questions, a willingness to return telephone calls and most importantly a willingness to pay. I was recently told by a client that a customer informed them that although they could pay on time they were not willing to because they wanted to pay when they were ready to do so not under the agreed to terms. This is a reflection of character and in this case this customer lacks it.

CAPACITY

Capacity is the ability to pay. It is not enough to be willing to pay, although that is a good sign; one has to have the ability to pay. That means that current assets exceed current liabilities, which provides net working capital. If current assets are insufficient to pay existing current obligations then how is our new debt to be repaid? It is not necessary to have a financial statement to determine this. What amount of balances is maintained in bank accounts? How much debt is listed on a credit report and what is the payment history?

The answers to these questions give us an indication of the applicant's ability to honor the terms of the agreement he has entered into with us.

CAPITAL

Capital is the ability to raise debt. In the event capacity is lacking does the applicant have the ability to raise additional debt through borrowing against or liquidating assets. To determine the answer to this question we have to ask questions concerning assets, current and fixed, and the ability of the applicant to raise additional debt if needed whether it be secured or unsecured. In addition to our asking these questions the applicant has to be willing to answer, character.

The analysis of the applicant utilizing the 3 C's will determine the criteria that we should use in making our credit decisions. Credit decisions have nothing to do with competition, industry standards and the current market environment. Those factors are utilized in making business decisions that often take precedence over credit decisions. We should understand the difference between a credit decision and a business decision. Which are we making? The type of decision our organization ultimately makes determines whether the news reported is good or bad and once recognized less confusing.

Eldridge Cleaver said it best when he wrote: You are either part of the solution or you are part of the problem .

Pese a que es habitual la confusión
entre ambos productos,
el leasing y el renting son dos
recursos totalmente diferentes.
El leasing, o arrendamiento
financiero, es una fórmula
de financiación mientras que
el renting es un servicio por el
que un determinando bien se
presta por un tiempo a cambio
de unas cuotas.
El destino final del bien
Por regla general, el leasing
incluye una opción de compra
en el contrato que, en la gran
mayoría de los casos, se hace
efectiva una vez que éste finaliza.
Juan Antonio Labat explica
que “el motivo, es que en
los arrendamientos financieros
el valor residual del bien es,
por definición, inferior al de
mercado en el momento en
que se ejecuta la acción de
compra”. Por el contrario, en
las operaciones de renting no
existe esa opción en el contrato
y, aunque puede llegarse a
un acuerdo al finalizar el periodo
establecido, lo normal
es que el bien se devuelva.
Las diferencias también afectan
a la propia naturaleza de
los bienes a los que se pueden
aplicar estas opciones y al
plazo . Mientras que el renting
sólo puede utilizarse en bienes
muebles (vehículos, bienes
de equipo industrial, equipos
informáticos...) y no tiene una
duración mínima establecida
para el arrendamiento, el leasing
puede ser de carácter
inmobiliario y está sujeto a
unos plazos legales mínimos.
Por otro lado, el leasing no
incluye servicios complementarios
al propio bien (mantenimiento,
asesoramiento, etc.)
lo que sí ocurre en el caso del
renting. Y, desde el punto de
vista contable, el leasing debe
reflejarse en el activo y el pasivo
del balance de la empresa
mientras que las cuotas del
renting se contabilizan directamente
como un gasto en la
cuenta de resultados.