In the UK, the majority of private and business vehicles are no longer purchased outright and are instead funded through a lease or contract purchase. This has many advantages but as ownership of the vehicle is retained by the lease / contract provider, there can be a sting in the tail when the vehicle is due to be handed back.
Just prior to the vehicle being handed back it will be inspected to see if it meets the return conditions as laid out in the initial agreement with the finance company. The lender will have based your repayments over the term on its future value and will seek compensation for rectifying any damage that falls outside of what is considered fair wear and tear.
Unfortunately, many owners do not appreciate what is deemed as fair wear and will receive a bill for repairs that could have been avoided.
If you have a vehicle that is due to be returned it is advisable to have it checked over and have any repairs carried out prior to the official inspection and we offer both a visual inspection, where we will walk around your vehicle and highlight any potential return charges and we also offer a more comprehensive full inspection and report for full peace of mind.
To book an end of lease inspection click here