Book plant in 3 clicks. Here’s what happens after.

Hire Counter is a marketplace of vetted local hire firms. You search, request and pay online; the firm confirms, delivers and collects. One price, one invoice, no phone calls.

Find a machineHow pricing works

From search to site, in three steps

The whole hire happens online — and your card isn’t touched until a firm says yes.

  1. 1

    Search & compare

    Machine, postcode, dates. You see vetted local machines with the total for your dates up front — hire, delivery, damage waiver and VAT in one number.

  2. 2

    Request, confirmed in minutes

    Send the request in a tap. The firm checks the machine is free and confirms, then you’re charged — never before.

  3. 3

    On site, photo-checked

    Collect it or take delivery. Photos at check-out and return protect both sides, and your deposit hold is released on a clean return.

What happens, and when. Follow the money.

Every hire moves through the same five stages. Here’s what happens at each — and where your money is.

  1. Requested

    You send the request with your dates, site and delivery choice. Withdraw it any time before it’s confirmed.

    Card not charged

  2. Confirmed

    The firm accepts. We take the all-in total and place the deposit as a separate hold. A request nobody answers expires on its own.

    Total charged · deposit held

  3. Out on hire

    Delivered to site or collected from the depot, with timestamped check-out photos of the machine.

    Deposit held, not taken

  4. Returned

    Collected from site or dropped back, with return photos. Any damage is settled against the photo record.

    Deposit held, not taken

  5. Closed

    A clean return closes the hire. One invoice for the whole job lands in your inbox, VAT shown.

    Deposit hold released

One all-in price, every line shown.

The total on screen is the total you pay. It’s built from four lines, all shown before you send a request — and the deposit sits apart from it, as a hold rather than a charge.

  • Hire — the firm’s day or week rate for your dates
  • Delivery and collection, if you choose it — at the firm’s price
  • Damage waiver — itemised on every hire, never hidden
  • VAT — shown in full, easy to reclaim
  • No booking fee: the hire firm pays our commission

Kubota U17-3 1.7t Mini Digger

3 days · delivered to site · Anglia Plant Hire

Hire · £85 × 3 days£255
Delivery£45
Damage waiver£15
VAT (20%)£63
Total£378

One price, all in. No trade account, no phone calls.

Why not just ring round?

You still hire from a local firm. You just skip the bit that takes three hours.

  • Getting a price

    Ringing round
    Call for quotes, wait for callbacks, find out about delivery and waiver later.
    Hire Counter
    One all-in price on screen, for your dates, before you commit.

  • Setting up

    Ringing round
    Open a trade account, sometimes with a credit check.
    Hire Counter
    No account application. Book with your email and a card.

  • When you pay

    Ringing round
    On account, or card details over the phone.
    Hire Counter
    Charged only when the firm confirms. Deposit held, not taken.

  • Damage disputes

    Ringing round
    Your word against the yard’s.
    Hire Counter
    Timestamped photos at check-out and return, seen by both sides.

  • Paperwork

    Ringing round
    Delivery notes, hire contract and invoice from each firm.
    Hire Counter
    One booking and one invoice per hire, VAT shown.

Questions, answered

When is my card charged?
Only when the hire firm confirms your request — never when you send it.
How does the deposit work?
It’s a hold on your card, not a charge, and it’s kept separate from the hire payment. It’s released when the machine comes back clean and the return photos are in.
What is the damage waiver?
A charge on every hire that limits what you pay if the machine is accidentally damaged while you have it. It’s itemised in your total, and what it covers is shown before you book.
Is there a booking fee?
No. The total is what you pay. We’re paid a commission by the hire firm, out of their hire price.
What if the firm can’t do my dates?
They decline, you’re not charged, and you can request another machine straight away. A request nobody answers expires on its own — again, nothing is taken.
Do I need a ticket to operate it?
You don’t need a licence to hire. You are responsible for making sure whoever operates the machine is competent, and many sites ask for a CPCS or NPORS card.
More answers in the help centre

Need kit on site this week? Book it tonight.

Search vetted local machines and send a request in three clicks — you’re only charged when the firm confirms.

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