Quick answer
Removalists borrow for furniture trucks and trailers, major repairs and registration, extra crews for peak periods, storage facilities and packing stock, and marketing to keep the booking calendar full. Lenders look at banked income, booking patterns, fleet age and finance owing, heavy vehicle compliance and any corporate or relocation contracts. Trucks usually suit vehicle finance; working capital fits unsecured lending; property security helps for depots and storage.
Key points
- Bookings bunch up at month end, end of financial year and summer holidays.
- Trucks are the core asset and the biggest cost.
- Storage adds steady, recurring income lenders like.
- Heavier trucks bring national heavy vehicle compliance.
- Common uses
- Trucks, crews, storage, repairs
- Lenders focus on
- Bookings, fleet, compliance, storage
- Unsecured options
- Typically $5k – $500k
- Property-secured
- $20k – $5m
Moving businesses run on trucks, people and timing. Bookings bunch up around the end of each month when leases turn over, at the end of the financial year, and through summer holidays. Quiet weeks follow. A removalist business loan usually funds a truck, keeps crews paid through uneven weeks, or helps the business add storage so income becomes steadier.
If your business mainly carries freight rather than household and office moves, the trucking guide is the better fit.
What do removalists usually borrow for?
- Furniture trucks and trailers. Pantechs with tail lifts, smaller trucks for apartment moves, and trailers for overflow.
- Major repairs and registration. Engine and gearbox work, tyres and annual rego for the fleet.
- Crews for peak periods. Casual labour around month end and the end of the financial year.
- Storage. Self-storage modules, a warehouse fit-out or racking for containerised storage.
- Packing materials. Cartons, wrap, blankets and porta-robes bought in bulk.
- Marketing and booking systems. Online quoting and lead generation to keep trucks full.
How do lenders look at a removalist business?
Booking patterns. A lender reading bank statements will see peaks and troughs. That’s normal. What helps is showing the pattern is consistent year on year and that the business can meet repayments in the quiet weeks.
The fleet. A list of trucks with age, kilometres, condition and finance owing shows what the business owns and owes. Old trucks with rising repair bills are a common concern.
Heavy vehicle compliance. Larger furniture trucks fall under the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, which covers safety, fatigue and compliance. Lenders expect registration and compliance to be up to date, because a truck off the road earns nothing.
Deposits and payment. Most household moves are paid on the day or with a deposit, which is good for cash flow. Corporate and relocation work may pay on terms.
Storage income. Recurring storage fees steady the business through quiet months and lift its value.
Truck due for a big repair before the end-of-month rush? Check whether your removals business qualifies — enquiring won’t affect your credit score.
Why storage changes the story
Moving income is lumpy. Storage income isn’t. A customer who stores furniture for six months between houses pays every month, whether it’s a busy week or not. For a removalist, adding storage can turn a seasonal business into one with a steady base.
That shift also makes the business easier to lend to. A lender can see predictable income covering repayments, and storage clients often become moving clients when they’re ready to go. If you’re thinking of adding storage, explain how many modules or how much space you’ll have, what it will earn, and how quickly you expect to fill it. A warehouse lease or purchase with fit-out may suit property-secured lending if the amount is significant.
Which structure fits which removals need?
| Need | Structure that often fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture truck or pantech | Truck finance or chattel mortgage | Truck secures its own loan |
| Trailer or small truck | Vehicle finance | Lower-cost asset |
| Engine or gearbox rebuild | Cash-flow loan | No new asset to secure |
| Peak-season crews | Line of credit | Drawn for busy weeks, repaid after |
| Storage facility or depot | Property-secured loan | Larger amount, longer term |
Trolleys, racking and similar kit may be claimed outright through the instant asset write-off, up to $20,000 an item in 2025–26.
Documents that help
- Twelve months of trading-account statements
- Fleet list with rego, age and finance owing
- Booking system reports showing jobs and deposits
- Storage income and occupancy figures
- Corporate or relocation contracts
- Quotes for trucks, repairs or storage fit-out
- BAS and the latest tax return
What makes lenders wary of a moving company?
- An ageing fleet with repairs rising every year.
- Several truck loans with repayments crowding out wages.
- Damage claims eating into margins.
- Cash jobs not banked, which understate turnover.
- PAYG owing on casual crews, which needs a plan.
Questions a lender will ask a removalist
- How many trucks do you run, and how old are they?
- How many moves do you do in a typical month, and in a peak month?
- What share of work is local, interstate and corporate?
- How much storage do you have, and how full is it?
- What finance is already owing across the fleet?
Common misconceptions about removals finance
“Busy month ends prove the business is strong.” Lenders look at the whole year, including the quiet weeks in between.
“A cheap old truck saves money.” Not if it spends weeks in the workshop. Lenders weigh repair history alongside purchase price.
“Storage is a sideline.” For many moving companies it is the most dependable income they have, and lenders treat it that way.
Illustrative example
Illustrative example: a removals business with three trucks is turning away work every month end. The owner wants a fourth truck with a tail lift, costing about $130k, and $35k to fit out a small warehouse for storage. Truck finance covers the truck, secured against the vehicle. The storage fit-out is funded through an unsecured loan sized on two years of banked income. Within a few months, storage fees help cover the new truck’s repayments through the quieter weeks.
When should a removals business apply?
Ideally a month or two before the busiest stretch, such as late May ahead of the end of the financial year, or early spring before the summer moving season. That gives time to buy or repair a truck, register it, sign on casual crews and stock up on cartons before the calendar fills. Applying after a truck breaks down in the middle of a peak is common, and still workable, but owners who plan ahead tend to have more choice about structure and less stress about cancelled jobs. A booking report showing last year’s peaks helps make the case.
Secured or unsecured for a removalist?
Trucks usually sit on vehicle or truck finance, while crews and repairs are covered by unsecured money ($5k to $500k) based on banked takings. A depot or storage purchase, or a business with credit issues, may suit property-secured lending from $20k to $5m. Our truck finance page explains how trucks are typically funded.
Ready to move your business forward?
Good removalists plan the load before lifting a box. Start your finance the same way, with an enquiry that takes about 60 seconds and comes with no credit check just for asking. We won’t send your details to a crowd of lenders, so your phone won’t be swamped. A real person who understands moving businesses will look at your situation and call you. Fill it in accurately, with real turnover and purpose, and we’ll be better placed to suggest the right fit straight away.
Frequently asked questions
Can a removalist finance a second-hand furniture truck?
Yes. Used trucks are commonly financed. Lenders look at age, kilometres, condition and the body fit-out. Older trucks may need a deposit or extra security.
Do lenders like storage income?
Yes. Storage is recurring and less seasonal than moving work, so it steadies cash flow. Show storage income separately in your figures if you can.
Can I borrow for an engine rebuild instead of a new truck?
Yes. A cash-flow loan can fund a major repair. It helps to show the quote, the truck's condition otherwise, and the bookings waiting for it.
What about corporate relocation contracts?
They help. Contracts with relocation companies, government departments or businesses give a lender more predictable income. They may pay on terms, so show how long they take to pay.
Is interstate work assessed differently?
Interstate moves are bigger jobs with more fuel, tolls and time, and often a deposit up front. Lenders look at how deposits are handled and whether backloading keeps trucks full on the return trip.