More and more foreign productions shooting in Italy discover that renting equipment locally is simpler — and often cheaper — than flying it in on an ATA carnet. But how does it actually work, from quote to return? This is the procedure we follow, and most of it applies to any serious rental house in Italy. Read it as a mental checklist.

1. The quote: what to send

Four pieces of information get you a useful quote: the equipment list (or the type of job, if you would rather we propose one), pickup and return dates, where the gear will be used, and how you want to receive it — delivery on set or shipping. We reply within 24 hours on business days. Prices are always quoted excluding VAT, as is standard in Italian B2B. Only part of the wide range we keep in stock is published online: if an item is not in the catalogue, ask anyway.

2. EU VAT numbers and the reverse charge

If your company is VAT-registered in another EU country, with a VAT number valid in the VIES system, the invoice is issued without Italian VAT under the reverse-charge mechanism: you account for the tax in your own country under your own rules. All we need at the quoting stage is your exact company name and VAT number, which we verify on VIES before invoicing. For non-EU companies the treatment depends on the specific case and is set out in writing in the quote — no surprises on the invoice.

3. Written confirmation and advance payment

The rental is locked in with a written confirmation (an email is fine) summarising equipment, dates, amounts and terms. For shipped rentals, payment is in advance: the gear leaves only once the bank transfer has arrived. This is the norm when a rental house and a production have no history together, and it protects both sides — you hold a written document with firm dates and amounts, we know the kit we are prepping will actually go out.

4. The certificate of insurance

Before the equipment leaves, we need a copy of the production’s certificate of insurance covering the rented gear for the value stated in the quote, for the full rental period, transport included. If you work with a broker who specialises in production insurance, the certificate is a matter of hours; either way, we give you the values to insure, in writing. Without the certificate the kit does not ship — a fixed rule, not open to negotiation however friendly the emails.

5. Insured shipping or delivery on set

Within Abruzzo we deliver and collect on set free of charge. Outside the region, equipment travels by insured courier in professional packaging, with costs and transit times stated in the quote. When planning, build in a one-day margin between delivery and your first shooting day: couriers are usually punctual, but the margin costs little and protects the schedule.

6. Serial numbers and photos at departure

Every kit leaves with a packing list showing serial numbers, and is photographed as it is packed. On arrival, do the same: open the cases, check the list, and report any discrepancy immediately in writing. Ten minutes of discipline that removes every ambiguity at return time — in both parties’ interest.

7. If something breaks

Call the number on your order confirmation straight away, before attempting any repair. A fault reported immediately can almost always be managed: we will tell you whether there is a fix on site, whether we ship a replacement, or how to rework the kit around it. A fault discovered at return, on the other hand, is always an argument. The full rules are in our rental terms.

The short version

Verified VAT number, written confirmation, advance payment, certificate of insurance before departure, photos and serial numbers at every handover, and one number to call if something goes wrong. If that sounds reasonable, the rest is easy: write to us via the contact page and we reply within 24 hours on business days, in English or Italian.