Radio Rentals
Radio Rentals is a consumer-electronics and household-goods rental brand founded in Britain and still operating online in Australia.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Radio Rentals began in Brighton, Sussex, in 1930 when Percy Perring-Thoms established a business renting radio receiving sets and providing servicing and maintenance. Its proposition addressed a practical barrier in early consumer electronics: households could use current technology without paying the full purchase price upfront, while the rental company retained responsibility for servicing. The first year produced turnover of £780, and the concept expanded rapidly. Radio Rentals Limited was incorporated in 1933, and by the middle of that decade the business had become one of Britain’s largest radio-rental organisations, with branches and showrooms across the Home Counties, the Midlands and southern England. The company’s growth accelerated after the Second World War as television became increasingly important to British households. The expansion of BBC Television and the launch of ITV increased demand, but television sets remained expensive relative to household incomes. Monthly rental therefore became an accessible route into television ownership and gave Radio Rentals a recurring-revenue model supported by installation, maintenance and replacement services. The company developed manufacturing and supply relationships as well as retail operations. Its sets were initially made by E. K. Cole, while Mains Radio Gramophone in Bradford supplied equipment by the late 1950s. Radio Rentals acquired the Baird Company in 1960, and Mains Radio Gramophone was renamed Baird Television later that year. During the 1960s Radio Rentals expanded through acquisitions and related equipment categories. It bought Recordacall, a telephone-answering-equipment rental business, and Dawes Radio Group, and acquired Vista Home Rentals in Scotland. In 1964 it merged with Rentaset, a business associated with Joseph Robinson and Goodmans. The combination created a much larger network, with approximately 750 outlets and substantial assets. Perring-Thoms died in 1964, after which Robinson became chairman of the combined group. By 1968 Radio Rentals had approximately 1.6 million subscribers and was described as Britain’s largest television-rental group. Thorn Electrical Industries acquired Radio Rentals in 1968 after the value of the transaction rose during the approval process. The business was combined with Thorn’s Domestic Electrical Rentals chain within Thorn Television Rentals, although the Radio Rentals and DER brands retained separate operations, staff and vehicles. The arrival of colour television, including wider availability of colour broadcasts from 1969, produced a major rental boom. Radio Rentals also added Baird-branded JVC VHS video recorders from 1977, and later offered satellite-reception equipment as satellite services developed in the 1980s. Refrigerators and other white goods formed a smaller but continuing part of the range. The United Kingdom business later became part of Thorn EMI in 1980. Over time, cheaper and more reliable consumer electronics reduced the appeal of long-term rental. The British rental sector underwent repeated restructurings, with Radio Rentals eventually ceasing to trade as a separate operation when it merged with Granada’s rental arm in 2000 to create Boxclever. The brand also developed independently in Australia. A Sydney branch opened in 1937, and the Australian operation expanded into a nationwide rental network covering consumer electronics, appliances, furniture and related household products. The United Kingdom company acquired a controlling interest in Radio Rentals Pty Limited in 1960. In South Australia, the Rentlo name was used and was later rebranded RR Rentlo Reinvented in 2015. Australian operations became associated with Thorn Group. In April 2020, Radio Rentals announced the permanent closure of its physical stores and selected warehouses because of the retail downturn associated with COVID-19, while continuing as an online business. The Australian brand’s history therefore differs from that of the discontinued British retail chain: it remains a trading rental brand, but with a more digitally focused format.
History
Radio Rentals was established in Boyces Street, Brighton, in 1930 by Percy Perring-Thoms. Its original service rented radio receivers and included servicing and maintenance, making it an early British example of a consumer-electronics rental business rather than a simple equipment lender. The company incorporated as Radio Rentals Limited in 1933. Rapid subscriber growth during the 1930s led to branches and showrooms in several English cities and a service depot in Kennington. Television transformed the company’s scale after the Second World War. Rising interest in BBC and ITV programming met the high purchase price of television sets, allowing Radio Rentals to sell access through monthly payments. By the 1950s it had become a major national rental organisation. Manufacturing and branding were increasingly brought within its corporate orbit: Mains Radio Gramophone supplied sets and became Baird Television after the acquisition of the Baird Company in 1960. The group also entered adjacent categories, acquiring Recordacall for telephone-answering equipment, Dawes Radio Group and Vista Home Rentals, and merging with Rentaset in 1964. The 1964 combination increased the group’s outlet network and asset base. Perring-Thoms died in July of that year, and Joseph Robinson subsequently chaired the combined organisation. Radio Rentals reached approximately 1.6 million subscribers by 1968. Thorn Electrical Industries then acquired the company in a transaction initially valued at £155 million and later reported as £180 million during the approval process. Radio Rentals became part of Thorn Television Rentals alongside Thorn’s DER chain. The brands continued to operate separately, but the combination created a leading British rental group with roughly one-third of the television-rental market and about 1,300 outlets. Colour television created a further demand wave when colour broadcasts became broadly available in 1969. Radio Rentals expanded beyond television into video recording, supplying Baird-branded JVC VHS machines from 1977, and satellite-reception equipment during the 1980s. Refrigerators and other white goods were also rented. In 1980 Thorn Television Rentals became part of Thorn EMI. The economics of rental weakened as integrated circuits, improved product reliability and mass production reduced the purchase price of domestic electronics. Radio Rentals and comparable British rental chains underwent restructuring and rationalisation. The British business ultimately merged with Granada’s rental operation in 2000 to form Boxclever, ending Radio Rentals’ separate British trading identity. The Australian branch opened in Sydney in 1937 and developed along a separate path. It expanded across the country and offered televisions, appliances, technology and furniture. The British company took a controlling interest in Radio Rentals Pty Limited in 1960. The Australian portfolio also used the Rentlo name in South Australia, later changed to RR Rentlo Reinvented. Thorn Group became the operating group behind the Australian brand. In 2020, the Australian business closed its physical stores and selected warehouses during the pandemic-related retail downturn, continuing online. The brand’s modern Australian proposition is consequently a digitally delivered rental service rather than the large British high-street chain remembered from the twentieth century.
- 2020
Australian physical stores closed
[1]The Australian operation moved to an online-only model after closing its stores and selected warehouses.
- 2000
British business merged into Boxclever
[1]Radio Rentals merged with Granada’s rental arm, ending its separate British operation.
- 1980
Became part of Thorn EMI
[1]Thorn Television Rentals, including Radio Rentals, entered the merged Thorn EMI group.
- 1977
Baird-branded VHS rentals introduced
[1]The company began offering Baird-branded JVC VHS machines as video recorders entered more homes.
- 1968
Acquired by Thorn Electrical Industries
[1]Radio Rentals joined Thorn’s television-rental activities and became part of Thorn Television Rentals.
- 1964
Merger with Rentaset
[1]The merger with Rentaset expanded the group’s retail network and combined it with the Goodmans-associated business.
- 1960
Baird acquired and Australian control increased
[1]Radio Rentals acquired the Baird Company, while the British company took a controlling interest in its Australian operation.
- 1937
Australian branch opened
[1]Radio Rentals opened its first Australian store in Sydney.
- 1933
Radio Rentals Limited incorporated
[1]The company was incorporated on 19 August as its expansion accelerated.
- 1930
Radio Rentals founded in Brighton
[1]Percy Perring-Thoms established the business to rent radio receivers and provide maintenance.
Products and positioning
A service-led rental retailer that lowers the upfront cost of consumer electronics, appliances and selected household goods through recurring payments, installation, maintenance and replacement support.
Consumer electronics rental · 1930
Radio receiving sets
The original offering consisted of rented radio receivers supported by servicing and maintenance. This service model differentiated Radio Rentals from ordinary retail and established the recurring-payment, repair-supported proposition that later carried into television.
Home entertainment rental
Televisions
Television rental became Radio Rentals’ defining British business. The company supplied sets through monthly rental arrangements, with installation, servicing and replacement support. It offered Baird-branded equipment and benefited from the growth of BBC, ITV and later colour television.
Video equipment rental · 1977
Baird VHS video recorders
From 1977, Radio Rentals offered Baird-branded JVC VHS machines. Rental made expensive early video-recording equipment more accessible at a time when only a small minority of UK households owned a videorecorder.
Broadcast-reception equipment
Satellite television equipment
During the 1980s the brand rented equipment for satellite broadcasting, allowing customers to receive services associated with Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting before those services combined into the later BSkyB structure.
Household rental services
Appliances, technology and furniture
The Australian operation broadened the brand beyond televisions into household appliances, white goods, consumer technology and furniture. The current Australian format is delivered online following the closure of its physical stores.
Brand decisions
2020
Moved Australian operations onlineStrategyBackground
The COVID-19-induced retail downturn affected the Australian store network.
Action taken
Radio Rentals closed its 62 physical stores and selected warehouses while continuing to trade online.
Aftermath
The Australian brand continued as a digital rental service rather than a store-led chain.
2000
Merged with Granada’s rental armM&ABackground
Falling equipment prices and improving reliability weakened the traditional UK rental model.
Action taken
The British Radio Rentals operation was combined with Granada Limited’s rental business to form Boxclever.
Aftermath
Radio Rentals ceased trading as a separate British rental brand.
1968
Accepted Thorn Electrical Industries acquisitionM&ABackground
Radio Rentals and Thorn each operated large television-rental networks, and the combination followed rapid growth in demand for rented colour television.
Action taken
Radio Rentals was acquired by Thorn Electrical Industries and placed within Thorn Television Rentals alongside DER.
Aftermath
The combined group became one of Britain’s largest television-rental businesses, while the Radio Rentals and DER brands continued to operate separately.
Acquisition value. £155 million → £180 million (1968 approval process)
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