Our guide to vehicle leasing

This depends on the lender that is used to provide your finance agreement. The two main methods used now are via an eSign, or we email the document set out to you. If we use the eSign method, you can click to sign without having to print anything off and subject to you passing the security questions, no further proof of identification is required. If we send you a set via email and you have to wet sign them, you may be asked to send in your original Driving Licence to prove your identity. We will of course return this via recorded post.

Yes, on certain personal agreements there is a 14-day cooling off period from the date you sign the agreement. This is not something we have any control over and are unable to speed the process up. In the past, you used to be able to bypass the cooling off period by signing on trade premises, this now only applies to a limited number of lenders.

No, if you make any changes to the finance agreement it will be rejected, so if you notice something that is not right, please let the administration team know ASAP and we will make the necessary charges and re-issue the finance agreement.

This depends on the lender, where possible we like to issue the finance agreements as soon as the vehicle has been ordered. In some cases, the finance agreement can't be raised until the vehicle has been built and given a registration and chassis number. For example, if you take a vehicle from stock, then in most cases the finance agreement can be raised immediately, however if the vehicle has to be ordered, then it can take a few months to receive them.

We take your data protection seriously and we have a duty to ensure that we are not setting up fraudulent finance agreements without your consent. One way that the lenders ask to us to prove the identity of our customer is by asking to see the original passport, driving licence and a utility bill. These are generally hard to get hold of and a good way to ensure that we know the customer.

In most cases, the initial payment is taken by Direct Debit approximately 7-10 days after delivery of your new vehicle. Once the initial payment has been taken, then your next payment (your regular monthly amount) will be taken one calendar month from the date of delivery. So, let us say you take delivery on the 28th of a month, the initial payment is taken in the following month on the 8th and later in that month your regular payment is taken on the 28th.

The bank account must be held by the same person or company that has applied for the credit, so for example if you have two business accounts and want to change the Direct Debit then yes, you simply contact the lender and ask to change it over. The bank account must be directly related to the applicant.

If you have applied for finance as a Limited Company and the lease company feel that the company itself is not financially strong enough to support the level of risk, they will often ask for a Guarantee rather than decline the whole application. In this case you will be offering a guarantee to the lease company that if the Limited Company was unable to make the payment, you would cover the shortfall.

We offer a driven delivery service free of charge to most areas of the UK mainland, certain areas of the Scottish Highlands have a surcharge. In some cases, the supplying dealer will deliver the vehicle on a transporter if they have several going to one location, there is no extra charge for this. If you do want the vehicle delivered on a transporter, then we can arrange this at your cost, please ask about the availability of this service when ordering.

For personal customers, the vehicle can be delivered to your home or work address as per the credit proposal form. If the vehicle is for a business, we can deliver to the head office or an address provided by a registered Company Director or other senior person. We take these precautions to make sure that the vehicle is not being delivered to an un-related third party.

For a personal customer, you must sign for your own vehicle, or provide us with a written notice naming the person who will be signing on your behalf, they will be responsible for checking the vehicle over. If it is a business customer, the vehicle can be signed for by a member of staff, they too will be responsible for checking the vehicle over.

Only if the vehicle has mats as part of the standard specification, if they are an optional extra then you will have to order them. We recommend that you always check the standard specification on any order, so you know what you are getting.

Yes, over the years we have arranged many new vehicle deliveries to Northern Ireland and there are several options available to you. Some customers like to fly over and collect the vehicle from our office near Manchester Airport and then drive it back via Stranraer. We have also delivered vehicles to the port at Liverpool and the customers have picked them up at the other side in Belfast. The cost of arranging the flights and ferry is down to you, however we will help with the arrangements.

We book our deliveries as an AM or PM delivery. We also ask our drivers to call one hour before they arrive so you have an ETA, this allows you to go out or carry on with your work. If the drivers don't call ahead to give you notice, then we allow up to one hour for you to get back to your home or place of work to sign for the vehicle. The only thing we can't allow for is adverse weather or bad traffic on the day, this may cause unforeseen delays or disruption.

We expect all our new vehicles to be delivered to a high standard and they should be without any damage or defects. You will have the opportunity to inspect the vehicle on delivery and this is your chance to note down anything you are not happy with. If the vehicle is inspected in the dark, or the wet, then note this down. If this is the case, the we ask you to inspect the vehicle in the light as soon as possible and notify us of any issues.

In most cases the delivery driver will show you around the vehicle and make you aware of the handbook, locking wheel key and tools location. They will also give you a basic run down on the vehicle, however, to get the most out of your vehicle, we recommend reading the manuals, or viewing the many online video tutorials. If you do want a full hand over experience, then it may be possible for you to collect the vehicle from the dealer, please ask about this service when placing your order.

Most petrol or diesel vehicles will be delivered with appx 15 Litres of fuel in the tank and for electric vehicles they will have appx 20-30 miles range as a minimum.

With the exception of the manufacturer owned finance companies, such as Volkswagen or Mercedes Finance, all our in-house lenders allow up to 300 miles on delivery and the delivered mileage will be your start mileage.

You don't own the vehicle, so you need to ensure that you insure the vehicle fully comprehensively, this is a condition of the lease agreement.

Yes, most insurance companies these days even have a question to ask who owns the vehicle, but we always recommend telling them it is leased and not owned. Your finance agreement will confirm that you have an insurable interest in the vehicle and must insure it fully comprehensively.

The vehicle is owned by the leasing company, in most case they are also the registered keeper as well.

No, a lease agreement is a form of rental, at the end of the agreement you will not own the vehicle. If you did obtain direct ownership of the vehicle at the end it would be a purchase agreement and the financial structure of the agreement would be different. In some cases, the owner of the vehicle will sell it at the end of the agreement to either a none related third party, or via a Sales Agent.

Yes, the MOT is a legal requirement, if the MOT is due, it is your responsibility to make sure it has been carried out. If you have taken advantage of a service and maintenance pack with your lease agreement, then the cost of the MOT will be covered.

No, it is your responsibility to ensure that the vehicle is covered by a fully comprehensive insurance policy for the time that you have possession of the vehicle. You are responsible from the point of delivery to the collection at the end of contract, this is a condition of the finance agreement.

All new vehicles will be provided with the standard manufacturer warranty, the terms of these range from one make to another and full details will be listed on the relevant websites. If the vehicle that you order has been pre-registered, then the warranty will start from the date of registration, not the date you took delivery of the vehicle. If you have taken advantage of a service and maintenance pack with your lease agreement, then the cost of any out of warranty repairs will be covered (subject to conditions).

All new vehicles will be provided with the standard manufacturer breakdown cover, the terms of these range from one make to another and full details will be listed on the relevant websites. If the vehicle that you order has been pre-registered, then the breakdown cover will start from the date of registration, not the date you took delivery of the vehicle. If you have taken advantage of a service and maintenance pack with your lease agreement, then additional cover is often provided, we recommend that your check agreement for further info.

It is your responsibility, and a condition of the finance agreement to make sure that you have the vehicle serviced in accordance to the manufacturer schedule. Failure to do this will invalidate the warranty and you will then be responsible to cover the cost of any repairs that may occur. Most modern vehicles will remind you when the vehicle needs a service, however, we always recommend noting what the schedule is.

Windscreen cracks or chips are not covered by any lease agreement, you are responsible for making good any damage on a windscreen. It is worth checking your insurance policy to see if you have taken windscreen cover, this is often included on most personal polices, but excluded on most fleet cover. If you do get a chip, you may not have to replace the whole screen, there are repair methods that can fix some small cracks.

It is your responsibility, and a condition of the finance agreement to make sure that you have the vehicle serviced in accordance to the manufacturer schedule. Failure to do this will invalidate the warranty and you will then be responsible to cover the cost of any repairs that may occur. Most modern vehicles will remind you when the vehicle needs a service, but, we always recommend noting what the schedule is.

Maintenance packs can vary between provider, but typically the pack will include; all routine servicing, maintenance due to wear and tear (e.g brake pads), tyres for wear and tear and breakdown cover. The tyre policy can vary from full cover that includes punctures to part cover for wear only, in this case if a tyre is damaged or punctured and can't be repaired, a re-charge for unused tyre wear can apply. In all cases, a fair usage policy applies and tyres due to accident damage (e.g. kerbed side walls) and vandalism are excluded.

The tyres must be replaced with a like for like premium brand, we recommend fitting the vehicle with the same brand and rating that it was supplied with, you may find that the handling and economy may be affected if you fit a different tyre. Also, if you fit a cheap budget brand then you may be re-charged when you hand the vehicle back. If you are unsure what tyre to fit and want to fit a different brand to the one that was supplied on the vehicle, we recommend that you contact the lease company for their written approval.

The first thing that you need to do is contact your insurance company, they will take over the necessary arrangements to get the vehicle repaired. It is only when the vehicle is declared a total loss that the lease company need to be involved. They will then make steps to terminate the agreement.

On all business and personal Contract Hire agreements the Vehicle Excise Duty (also known as road tax or road fund licence) is included in the monthly rental payment. This is not the case on all types of finance agreement, for example if you take a Hire Purchase, Finance Lease, Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or Lease Purchase, the vehicle will be supplied with the first year only.

The first thing that you need to do is contact your insurance company, they will take over the necessary arrangements to start the claim process. It is only when the vehicle is declared a total loss that the lease company need to be involved. They will then make steps to terminate the agreement.

The answer to this will depend on the provider of the lease agreement. Most of the manufacturer owned leasing companies put a clause in the agreement that states that the vehicle must be serviced by one of their franchised dealers, for example, to our knowledge, Mercedes Benz Finance and Volkswagen Group Finance have this requirement. If you have an independent lease company, not owned by a manufacturer then you can have the vehicle serviced by an independent garage. They must carry out the service in accordance to the schedule, use genuine parts and provide you with a VAT invoice. For further information on this subject we recommend you research 'Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulations (BER)'.

It is your responsibility, and a condition of the finance agreement to make sure that you have the vehicle serviced in accordance to the manufacturer schedule. If the vehicle needs a service before the return date, even it is the day before, then yes, you must have it serviced. One option you do have in this case is to hand the vehicle back before the end of contract date.

In the first instance, you need to check that the vehicle is covered by the warranty, if this is the case, then you need to contact your local dealer and let them establish who is responsible for rectifying the fault

Yes, but first you will need to contact the lease company and let them know, they will arrange the necessary paperwork in line with current legislation. There is usually a nominal charge for arranging this on your behalf, the reason for this is that you are not the registered keeper.

When the vehicle is returned at the end of the contract, it is inspected, and the mileage recorded. The excess mileage charge is a cost per mile over the agreed limit, so, if the vehicle has gone over by 2,500 miles and the charge is 5 pence per mile, then the charge will be £125.00. The charge is usually taken by Direct Debit approximately 14 days after the return date.

Certain agreements allow you to adjust the contract mileage amount midterm, if you feel you will go over, then ask us about your options, or contact your lease company direct.

Yes, you can terminate the agreement early. There is always a charge for doing this and it is usually calculated by taking a percentage of the outstanding rentals. For example, if your regular payment is £300 a month and you have 6 months to go, using a typical charge of 50% you would have to pay (6 x £300) / 2 = £900.00.

No, AdBlue is a general motoring expense in the same way as fuel and screen wash, so you are responsible for covering this cost of this. Your vehicle should remind you in good time when the AdBlue is getting low.

We will keep you updated as you get towards the end of your contract and will advise you what needs to happen. In some cases, we organise the return on your behalf, on others, you do it direct with the lease company (for data protection certain lease companies will not talk to us).

It is your responsibility to contact the lease company and arrange to take the plate off the vehicle, we recommend starting this process at least a month prior to your return date. If the vehicle is collected and the plate has not been removed, the vehicle could end up being sold at auction with your plate on. It is worth noting that certain leasing companies will not collect the vehicle until the plate has been removed by the DVLA which would incur further rental costs to you. We are happy to help and offer advice when the time comes.

Yes, the MOT is a legal requirement, if the MOT is due, it is your responsibility to make sure it has been carried out. If you have taken advantage of a service and maintenance pack with your lease agreement, then the cost of the MOT will be covered. The lease company will not collect a vehicle without a valid MOT, in some cases, the MOT must have at least 7 days or valid MOT from the collection date.

It is your responsibility, and a condition of the finance agreement to make sure that you have the vehicle serviced in accordance to the manufacturer schedule and with road legal tyres (above 1.6MM). If the vehicle is handed back needing a service or tyres, then you will be charged for this.

There are a set of industry 'fair wear and tear' guidelines that most lease companies follow, these are set by the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association (BVRLA). These set out what is acceptable on a vehicle that has been used for a number of years. More information can be found here - https://www.bvrla.co.uk/resource/returning-your-leased-vehicle.html

You are allowed a certain amount of damage on a vehicle, there are a set of industry 'fair wear and tear' guidelines that most lease companies follow, these are set by the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association (BVRLA). They also have a guide for what is a fair charge to repair a vehicle. Some customers like to know what the costs are before sending a vehicle back, so they choose to get all the repair work done then hand it back. Others would rather see what is picked up on the report and then re-charged afterwards. The latter method can often work in your favour because not all the damage on the vehicle will be re-charged. So, to answer the question, there is no right or wrong way to do this. More information on the return condition can be found here - https://www.bvrla.co.uk/resource/returning-your-leased-vehicle.html

If you hand your vehicle back and find yourself with a charge for damage, the first thing to do is to compare the damage to the industry 'fair wear and tear' guidelines that most lease companies follow, these are set by the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association (BVRLA). If you have damage that is classed as chargeable, for example a cracked windscreen, then the charge will be considered fair. If you have a small scratch on the vehicle that you feel complies to the guidelines, then the first thing to do is contact the lease company. They will review the charge and if it is borderline/incorrect, more often they will take a view on it and drop the charge. More information on the return condition can be found here - https://www.bvrla.co.uk/resource/returning-your-leased-vehicle.html

Yes, you must return the vehicle with all the keys it was supplied with, if not you will be charged to replace the key, often, the charge is about the same as a replacement. If you want to get a more accurate estimate, then you can ask the lease company what they will charge for a key, then you can decide if you want to sort the replacement before your return.

In some cases, you can enter an informal extension allowing you to keep the vehicle on a short-term basis. This is lease company specific, so you can either ask us, or the lease company direct.