Leasing and finance
rental rate
A rental rate is the price charged for keeping a container for a billing period, often a month. Complete Container Services says a monthly rental rate generally refers to the cost of keeping the container for the agreed rental period. Delivery and pickup may be billed separately.
Why it matters
Rates vary by size, location, condition and season. The advertised rate may not show every cost. Complete Container Services warns that it may not represent every expense of delivering, placing, maintaining or picking up a container. A common mistake is to compare headline rates only. Customers should ask for the all-in monthly total, the delivery and pickup fees, the minimum term and any waiver or tax. Operators set rates from fleet cost, local demand and utilization. A rate that looks low can lose money once handling is counted. Rates are set by each company, and no single national price exists, so quotes from different providers need a careful side-by-side check.
Read: How much does portable storage cost? Monthly rent, fees and totals
Definition source: completecontainer.com
Related terms
delivery fee
A delivery fee is a charge for bringing a container to the customer's site. Complete Container Services notes that delivery and pickup may be handled separately from the monthly rental. The fee often depends on distance, placement needs and site access.
pick-up charge
A pick-up charge is a fee for collecting a container. In container leasing, One Way Lease describes it as a one-time fee at the origin depot for releasing a container into the lessee's possession. In portable storage rentals, companies often charge a separate fee to pick up a unit from the customer.
minimum rental term
A minimum rental term is the shortest period a customer must pay for. RentalModo's sample agreement language says the minimum period is three months and that early termination requires payment of the remaining minimum balance. Other companies use one month or another length.
rental agreement
A rental agreement is the contract that sets the terms for renting a container or similar unit. RentalModo says it is usually two or three pages. It covers the rate, minimum term, damage rules, delivery and pickup, and fees. The fine print is often in clauses that renters skim.
utilization rate
A utilization rate is the share of time that rental assets earn money. InTempo Software defines time utilization as how often assets are rented out. It is calculated as days on rent divided by days available. For example, 25,000 rented days out of 36,500 gives 68.5 percent.
damage waiver
A damage waiver is an optional fee in a rental agreement that limits what the renter owes if the rented unit is damaged. RentalModo's guide gives sample contract language saying a Loss and Damage Waiver, if elected, limits liability for physical damage only. Terms and exclusions differ by company.
For the industry
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