Should I sell my salon equipment with the business or on its own?

When you sell a salon, the chairs, pedicure stations, dryers, lash beds and stock are part of what the buyer is looking at. You have a few ways to handle them. Which one suits you depends on whether you have a buyer for the business, how long your lease runs, and what you still owe on the equipment.

Selling it with the business

A buyer who wants a working salon may want the equipment that makes it work. Selling it all together keeps the business whole, while selling item by item treats each piece on its own. Ask your accountant how each route affects you. Our guide to selling a salon covers the wider process. Tell the buyer early which items are included, so the offer reflects them.

Selling to an incoming tenant

If the business itself finds no buyer, another operator may still want the space and the fit-out. That could mean an assignment of your lease with the equipment sold to the new tenant. The landlord’s consent may matter here, so raise it with your lawyer before you promise anything to anyone.

Selling it separately

Piece-by-piece sales are the last option. They take time, and you will need to clear the space by the date your lease requires. Keep maintenance records and photos where you have them, and ask a valuer how to describe the condition and age of each item.

What to write down before any sale

• A full list of the items, with makes, models and condition
• Anything leased, financed or owned by a technician who rents a chair
• Stock and supplies, and whether they are counted separately
• Items you plan to keep, so the buyer is not surprised on closing day