Terminal rental is where a cheap headline rate quietly becomes expensive. There are hard limits on how long that contract can hold you.
An initial minimum term for a POS terminal lease or rental cannot be longer than 18 months. After it ends, contracts that keep running must roll on terms no longer than 31 calendar days.
Find the start date of your terminal contract and count 18 months forward. Put that date in the calendar with a reminder two months before it.
None of this is a negotiating point. Every row is a rule your provider already follows, so each answer is a fact and not a favour.
| Rule | Limit | Who it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Initial minimum term | 18 months maximum | Merchants with card turnover up to £10m |
| Rollover after the initial term | 31 calendar days maximum | Merchants with card turnover up to £10m |
| Exit fee | Cost based, and disclosed before you sign | Merchants with card turnover up to £10m |
| Summary box with your pricing | Given to you, not on request | Merchants with card turnover up to £50m |
| Online quotation tool | Free to use before you commit | Anyone |
Write the end date of your initial term on the statement you file. The month it rolls over is the month your leverage is highest.