BIM61155 - Leasing: Finance lessees: SSAP 21 not applied



There may be some cases (for example unincorporated lessees) where the treatment in the commercial accounts of a finance lease entered into on or after 12 April 1991 is not in accordance with SSAP 21. Instead the rentals may simply be charged against profits.

In such cases adjustments should be made in the lessee’s tax computation to ensure that the rentals are spread evenly, or on some other basis justified by the rate at which the value of the asset is used up, over the shorter of:

  • the useful economic life of the asset, or
  • the period of the lease, including secondary periods into which the lease is reasonably certain to be extended.