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Part of all car lease contracts are specific rules outlining how much monthly mileage is seen as acceptable and what responsibilities you have regarding car maintenance. This is all negotiated before you sign a contract so it’s important you have a good idea of how much you’re going to be using your lease car.
With regards maintenance of your car, you can be guided by the BVRLA, the trade body of the vehicle rental and leasing section who produce a Fair Wear and Tear guide which is used as an industry standard. This tells you what is expected when you return your car. If you think of your car as something that is going to be passed on to someone else it becomes easier to determine what you need to fix and repair.
It is important to make sure you get your car serviced according to the manufacturer’s service schedule and get the car book stamped to make a record of it. All cars are different so it is important to service your car according to your specific schedule. You may find a garage that offers cheaper servicing but your lease company may not recognize this servicing as done to manufacturer’s standards so check this out before leasing your car. Most lease companies offer a maintenance contract as an addition to your lease agreement which means that all servicing and repairs are included with your agreement.
You should ideally clean the exterior of your vehicle every few weeks. Dirt left unwashed can cause scratching or paint to fall off or rusting to form which will wear the protective coat off. It is paramount that you return the car clean. Having a cleaner car allows a thorough inspection of the vehicle, doing you a greater service by making it easier for the inspector to see how well you’ve maintained the vehicle.
This will give you a good insight into your car maintenance and inner workings. Keep your manual in the car or a safe place so that you can return it with the vehicle.
Check the levels of all fluids in your vehicle. It is dangerous to have minimal levels and can ruin the engine. If you suspect something is low or something is wrong take your car into a garage to prevent easily avoided damage.
When you start the ignition most of your dashboard indicator lights will illuminate. If one remains on longer than the others you will need to look into it. You should pay attention to any messages or lights on your dashboard because they usually signal a problem.
By this we mean, scrapes, scuffs, chips and cracks. These should be repaired as soon as possible especially if the paintwork is damaged as it can cause corrosion to the vehicle. Damage on the windscreen such as chips, cracks and holes should not obstruct the driver’s line of sight.
This is crucial! They must be of a safe and legal standard. Tyre pressure and tread depth are two checks you should frequently carry out. The recommended tyre pressure (PSI) can be found in your manual or online.
A general courtesy, the lease vehicle doesn’t belong to you and you must return it unless you want to buy it off the lease company. When you return the vehicle there shouldn’t be any stand-out stains or odours inside the car and all materials must be free of tears, burns or rips.
It is perfectly ok for more than one driver to drive your leased vehicle. This is ideal for families and couples who want to be able to use the vehicle for various means. If you do intend for more than one person to drive your lease vehicle then you must just make sure that you have the correct car insurance. When insuring your leased car you must list all named drivers on your policy so the insurance company is aware of all the possible drivers of your vehicle.
All drivers must be on the insurance policy and Sub-leasing is not allowed and is against the terms and conditions of your car lease contract.
It is important to remember to care for your leased vehicle otherwise it will come back to bite you!! For any more information on leasing your next vehicle or for any questions about your existing lease vehicle give us a call and talk to a friendly account manager who is ultimately there to answer any vehicle related queries you have.
