Fair Wear and Tear
Everything you need to know about taking care of your lease vehicle
When you lease a car, you are responsible for taking care of it and make sure it goes back undamaged. However, we all know that driving a car for a few years is going to result in bit of damage – it’s not going to be pristine.
But knowing what you will and won’t be charged for is always a worry for first time leasers. That is why all leasing companies allow for fair wear and tear.
Fair wear and tear
- Am I going to be charged for that stone chip?
- I’ve scuffed the alloy. How much is that going to cost me?
- Will I be charged for the scratch on the door?
The truth is, the lease company expect a used car to come back at the end of the lease, most of which are going to be a few years old and covered a lot of miles. What they don’t expect is for the car to have hit a tree, been vandalised or neglected (i.e. not servicing the car correctly).
What is fair wear and tear?
Fair wear and tear is what the lease company expect to happen with day to day usage of your vehicle. A lot of it comes down to common sense, like scratches under 25mm where bare metal isn’t showing are OK. Luckily, the BVRLA have created a guide used throughout the leasing industry, which can help show you what is and what isn’t fair wear and tear. Get in touch if you want a copy.
Can’t tell if it’s classed as fair wear and tear?
Most manufacturer’s have a guide too (just ask us and we can send it over), so you can use it to get a second opinion. Or, if you want, you can send us picture of the damage and we can liaise with a dealership to see what they think too.
What shall I do if my car is damaged?
If your car is damaged, it’s best to get it repaired before you give it back. With most damage, you’ll find that having it repaired before it goes back is cheaper than leaving it and having the leasing company charge you. If you do decide to get the damage repaired, make sure whoever repairs it provides you with a warranty on their work. You don’t want to give it back thinking it’s repaired and then be charged again because it wasn’t repaired well enough!
