How do I Rent Furniture?

Many people cannot afford to purchase large pieces of new furniture such as dining tables, living room couches, office desks and dressers, but they still have an immediate need to furnish their homes or office spaces. One popular and affordable option is to rent furniture for an established monthly rate and simply return it to the rental store when it is no longer needed. In order to rent furniture, an applicant may be required to provide proof of credit worthiness or a deposit, personal contact information and an address for pick-up and delivery.

For some people, it makes better financial sense to rent furniture rather than buy it outright or apply for a loan to purchase it. A worker on a temporary assignment, for example, may only want to rent furniture for an apartment he or she will only occupy for the duration of the assignment. A business owner may only want to rent furniture for a satellite office or temporary sales room. Once the rented furniture becomes unnecessary, the rental agency can reclaim it and rent it out again to a new customer.

The first step towards renting furniture is to determine the best rental agency for the needs of the customer. Some local rental shops do not stock office furniture, for example. Others may have very restrictive rental agreements, or higher rental rates than similar rental outlets. A potential renter should visit several different rental outlets to examine the quality of the furniture and the terms of the rental agreements before entering into any contracts. Delivery and pick-up should always be included as a service, since ownership is not transferred to the renter.

After selecting the furniture, the next step is to arrange for delivery. Rental companies will deliver furniture to a specified address and move it into the home or office space, but they will not always assist the renter with details such as arrangement or floor protection. Once all of the furniture has been delivered, the renter should inspect it for obvious damage before signing the delivery receipt or rental agreement.

Agreements to rent furniture often specify payment terms, such as weekly or monthly due dates, and penalties for late payments or non-payments. Rented furniture can be repossessed by the rental agent for any violation of the rental agreement, so a home or business owner needs to treat furniture rental payments as they would any other financial obligation.

Some rental outlets offer an option called "rent to own" to qualified customers. A rent-to-own arrangement allows renters to make regular payments like a traditional rental, but the payments are applied towards the purchase price of the furniture. This final purchase price can be significantly higher than the purchase price of furniture financed through a traditional lender, however. Once the total amount of payments have been made, the renter acquires full ownership rights to the furniture.

Some homeowners will rent all of their furniture initially, then return each piece as they purchase replacements. A business owner may rent expensive furniture in order to present a professional appearance to clients, then eventually finance his or her own furniture needs as business improves. Some customers may find it easier to rent furniture indefinitely rather than seek traditional finance options with higher monthly payments or stiffer penalties for late or missed payments.

A representative of the rental outlet should guide customers through the entire rental process, and customers should feel free to ask questions concerning their financial obligations and other terms of the rental agreement.