Fork lift managers are being warned that signing up for cheap weekly hire contracts could end up costing them a small fortune.

In a difficult economic climate, some fork lift suppliers are offering cut-price deals but businesses need to read the small print to spot the hidden costs.

That's the view of Allan Parsons, short-term rental manager for fork lift truck firm Briggs Equipment, who says that companies offering deals ‘too good to be true' often make their money back through inflated delivery charges.

"We recently conducted a spot-check survey which revealed staggering differences between initial hire prices and delivery charges. In addition, the equipment supplied could also be as old as 10 years which increases the risk of high maintenance and repair costs," he said. "We urge companies to take time out to ensure they get the best value for money when hiring trucks as it will significantly benefit their bottom-line in the long run no matter how large or small the company is," added Parsons.