Rent or buy? Start with how long you will use it.

01

Choose the period before the model.

Write down the period you actually need: a few months before an exam, the remainder of a lease, a school term or an ongoing practice routine. A fixed end date makes collection part of the decision. An open-ended need makes the purchase quotation worth comparing alongside the rental quotation.

Music Companion offers both home piano rental and pre-owned pianos for sale. That lets you ask about the two routes for a similar instrument. It does not mean the same piano will be available for both routes on your dates.

Do not decide only from the player's age. A child with a regular teacher and daily practice may have a clearer long-term need than an adult trying lessons for the first time. Your teacher can help assess the instrument; the business needs your dates and access details to assess the job.

02

Put the complete costs side by side.

For rental, ask for the charge over your intended period, delivery, collection, tuning and any deposit. Separate a refundable deposit from the cost of hire, but include it when deciding how much cash you need at the start.

For a purchase, ask for the particular instrument's price, delivery, the first tuning and the scope of any after-sales cover. Later maintenance still belongs in your budget. A monthly rental figure and a purchase price alone do not describe the same things.

• Rental cost: hire over the agreed period, plus any separately quoted delivery, collection, tuning or other charges.
• Purchase cost: instrument price, plus anything not included in delivery, the first tuning and agreed cover.
• Cash held: a deposit, with its refund conditions and timing written separately.

Ask whether taxes are included, how extensions are charged and what happens if you end a rental early. These are questions for the written agreement, not a fixed Music Companion price list. There is no universal month at which buying becomes cheaper, because instruments, routes and hire terms differ.

Worksheet

Cash outlay comparison.

Enter the figures from each quotation to compare spending over the same chosen period. This does not calculate the payment schedule or all cash needed on the first day. This shows entered amounts only: no resale value, no break-even point, no recommendation. A blank field means the figure is not yet known, not that it is zero.

03

Try the piano you will actually practise on.

Book a viewing and bring the learner or teacher where possible. Compare the touch and sound of the actual instruments rather than deciding only from a Yamaha or Kawai model name. Used pianos carrying the same model name can differ in age and condition.

For exam preparation, give the grade and exam date before the appointment. Confirm time for delivery and the agreed tuning before the practice period begins. Music Companion's exam rental service supplies an instrument; it is not a promise that you can rent a room by the hour or receive an exam result.

Use the used piano viewing checklist for the serial number, keyboard, pedals and questions to take to the viewing. Current instruments and prices should be confirmed before travelling.

04

Check the journey into your home.

Send the floor, lift or stairs, doorway widths and any tight turns, with photographs if helpful. A piano that suits the room still needs a workable delivery route. Share building delivery windows and access restrictions before agreeing a date.

Rental has a return journey too. Ask whether collection follows the same route, who confirms the date and what happens if you move home during the rental. For a purchase, keep the access and placement details with the quotation. The delivery information explains Music Companion's published approach.

05

If you may buy later, write that down.

Ask whether the rented instrument could later be purchased, how its purchase price would be set and whether any rental payment would be credited. None of those terms follows automatically from the word rental. A verbal possibility is different from an agreed option.

Send one clear enquiry: who plays, intended duration, upright or grand if known, budget, address and access. Then ask for a rental quotation and, if appropriate, a purchase quotation. Compare the actual scope before paying. Request the rental quotation or arrange a viewing at IMM.