Capital Allowances Act 2001

[F1 70I “Short lease” U.K.

(1) Construe “short lease” in accordance with this section.

(2) A lease whose term is 5 years or less is a short lease.

(3) Where the term of a lease is—

(a) longer than 5 years, but

(b) not longer than 7 years,

the lease is a short lease if Conditions A, B and C are met.

(4) Condition A is that the lease is one which, under generally accepted accounting practice, falls (or would fall) to be treated as a finance lease.

(5) Condition B is that—

(a) the residual value of the plant or machinery which is implied in the terms of the lease,

is not more than

(b) 5% of the market value of the plant or machinery at the commencement of the term of the lease, as estimated at the inception of the lease.

(6) Condition C is that under the terms of the lease—

(a) the total rentals falling due in the first reference year, if less than the total rentals falling due in the second reference year, are no more than 10% less than those rentals, and

(b) the total rentals falling due in the final year or in any reference year after the second reference year, if greater than the total rentals falling due in the second reference year, are no more than 10% greater than those rentals.

(7) For the purposes of Condition C—

(a) the first reference year is the period of 12 months beginning with the day next after the commencement of the term of the lease;

(b) the other reference years are successive periods of 12 months each beginning on an anniversary of that day and ending before the last day of the term of the lease;

(c) the final year is the period of 12 months ending with the last day of the term of the lease;

(d) any part of the final year, other than the last day, may accordingly also be part of a reference year.

(8) In determining whether Condition C is met, exclude any variation in the rentals that results from changes in a standard published base rate for interest.

(9) Where—

(a) a person leases an asset to another (“S”) under a lease that would, apart from this subsection, be a short lease,

(b) the inception of that lease is on or after 7th April 2006,

(c) at or about the time of the inception of that lease, arrangements are entered into for the asset to be leased to one or more other persons under one or more other leases, and

(d) in the aggregate, the term of the lease to S and the terms of the leases to such of those other persons as are connected with S exceed 5 years,

the lease to S is not a short lease.

[F2 (9A) Where plant or machinery is the subject of a lease and finance leaseback (as defined in section 228A)—

(a) the finance lease mentioned in section 228A(2)(c), and

(b) any other finance lease forming part of the arrangements for the lease and finance leaseback (except the lease referred to in section 228A(2)(a)),

is not a short lease (if it otherwise would be).]

[F3 (10) Where plant or machinery is the subject of a sale and finance leaseback (as defined in section 221), any finance lease of a kind mentioned in section 221(1)(c) is not a short lease (if it otherwise would be).

(11) But, if the conditions set out in section 227(2) are met, B and S (within the meaning of section 221) may make an election the effect of which is that—

(a) subsection (10) above does not apply,

(b) section 228(2) and (3) apply in relation to B (but this does not prevent section 225 from applying), and

(c) section 228(5) applies in relation to S.

(12) Subsections (4) to (6) of section 227 apply in relation to elections under this section as they apply in relation to elections under that section.]]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. 2 Ch. 6A inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 8 para. 15 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2006 (c. 25), Sch. 8 para. 7

F2 S. 70I(9A) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 20 para. 7(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2008 (c. 9), Sch. 20 para. 7(1)

F3 Ss. 70I(10)-(12) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 20 para. 6(19) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2008 (c. 9), Sch. 20 para. 6(6) (with Sch. 20 para. 6(20))