Heavier parcels, mixed destinations
Parcelforce van leasing
A courier company that is a limited company or LLP leases a van from FleetMe on business contract hire over terms up to 12 months. Work carrying heavier parcels runs out of weight sooner than it runs out of space, so it is specified on payload rather than load volume. Self-employed drivers take vehicle hire of up to 12 months. FleetMe is not connected to Parcelforce.
Get my quote →Updated 14 October 2026 · your agreement is with FleetMe
Is FleetMe part of Parcelforce?
Parcel work that includes heavier items behaves differently to a round of small packets. The van reaches its legal weight limit while the load area still looks half empty, which is where people discover that payload and volume are two separate problems.
Weight arrives before the space runs out
A van is rated to a plated gross weight, and the payload is whatever is left after the vehicle itself, the fuel, the driver and any racking. Heavier parcels use that allowance up quickly. A load filling a third of the space can put the vehicle at its limit, and overloading is the operator's problem: it is an offence, it puts insurance cover at risk, and a roadside check will not care that the network set the round. Choose the van on the heaviest normal day rather than the average one, and treat the brochure payload as a figure to check rather than a promise.
Houses in the morning, trading estates in the afternoon
A round covering both asks two different things of one vehicle. Residential streets reward a shorter van and good visibility. Commercial sites bring height barriers, booking-in windows and loading bays, and some will not accept a vehicle above a set weight at all. If both kinds of address are on the round, say so when you ask for a quote. The van that handles one comfortably is often the wrong answer for the other, and that is better known before the order than after.
What heavier work does to the end of the agreement
Carrying weight day after day tells on a vehicle in ways the odometer does not show. Suspension, tyres, the load floor and the rear door hinges all take more than they would on a light round. That does not make leasing the wrong choice, but it does make the maintenance decision a real one rather than an upsell. We itemise the maintenance element separately on every quote, so you can weigh the figure against what you would otherwise spend on tyres and unscheduled repairs.
What underwriting looks at
A lease of up to 12 months is a longer commitment than a short-term hire, and underwriting looks at the business, its directors and whether the monthly rental is comfortably affordable, not at the round you have been offered. A courier company with a clean payment record behind it gets the most straightforward answer. None of that is a promise of approval, and we will tell you quickly if we cannot help.
The vans we supply for this work
Small, medium and large. Which one fits depends on the round (drop density, parcel size and where you are loading) and that is a conversation, not a filter. Every figure is read from our rate sheet.
Prices are guide figures ex VAT, pictures are illustrations, and nothing here is stock standing on a forecourt. What that means →
How to read these listings
Prices: Monthly rentals shown are guide prices and exclude VAT unless labelled otherwise. They are indicative “from” figures quoted against a 12-month term at the mileage allowance shown for the vehicle, and they move with the exact variant, the mileage, the initial rental and the outcome of underwriting. Last reviewed 1 September 2026. We confirm your actual monthly rental, and what it includes, in writing before anything is agreed.
Images: Vehicle images are computer-generated illustrations of a representative example, not photographs of the vehicle supplied. Exact trim, colour, body length, roof height and equipment vary by specification.
Availability: Listings show the vehicles we can supply, not stock held on site. Specific variants, trim levels, body conversions and delivery dates depend on factory lead times and availability at the time you order, and some vehicles are build-to-order. Nothing is reserved for your business until we confirm it in writing. If we cannot get the exact vehicle you have asked for, we will tell you and set out the closest alternative we can. Delivery is to business addresses in England and Wales, and we confirm the arrangements, the timing and any delivery cost on your quote.
Delivering as a self-employed driver?
You are covered. We supply sole traders too, over terms up to 12 months. You do not need to incorporate first and you do not need filed accounts.
Worth checking before you enquire: the allowance is 2,000 miles a month. Multi-drop rounds often run well past that, and mileage over the allowance is charged, so tell us your weekly mileage and we will be straight with you about whether it works.
Get a written quote
Tell us the round, the real annual mileage and how long you need the van for. We come back with a written quote, and we aim to do that the same working day. We confirm which agreement applies before anything is signed.
- ✓ Your agreement is with FleetMe
- ✓ Terms from up to 12 months
- ✓ Mileage set to what the round actually does
Enquiry received, one step to go.
We can put a guide figure together from what you’ve told us. To confirm the vehicle, the monthly rental and a delivery date in writing, we need your business details and the underwriting information.
Next step · about 5 minutes
Complete your business application
It’s pre-filled from your answers. Nothing is committed until we confirm your quote and you sign.
Continue to my application →No obligation · About 5 minutes
Prefer to leave it there? We’ll still be in touch about your enquiry.
Common questions
Is FleetMe connected to Parcelforce?
No. We are not connected to, endorsed by or a supplier to Parcelforce. We lease vans to courier companies whoever they carry for, and their requirements are theirs to confirm with you directly.
How do I work out the payload I actually need?
Tell us the heaviest load you carry on a normal day and the longest single item. We will put two or three suitable vehicles in front of you with the plated payload of each, and if the van you asked for will not carry what you described we will say so rather than quote it.
Can a sole trader lease a van for this work?
Not from us. Business contract hire is for limited companies and LLPs. As an individual or sole trader the product is vehicle hire of up to 12 months.
Does carrying heavy loads affect what I pay at hand-back?
It can. Fair wear and tear allows for use, but the BVRLA condition standard is the reference point at collection and a hard-worked load area shows. A ply lining agreed in writing at the start usually costs less than making the load bay good at the end.
Courier van leasing →
How mileage, van choice and declared use work for courier companies, whoever you deliver for.
Getting the mileage right →
Why the declared figure matters more than the monthly rate, and what excess actually costs.