RETURNING YOUR VEHICLE
Now that you’re nearly at the end of your contract, you may be starting to think about preparing to return your vehicle. It’s important that the whole experience runs as smoothly as possible. To help make sure this happens, we’ve included some important information you’ll need to know beforehand along with some handy hints and tips. There’s also a guide with more detail if you’d like to take a look.
We won’t charge for fair wear and tear^ but may charge you for damage**. So, before you hand your vehicle back to us, checking for damage in plenty of time should help to manage both your expectations and any final costs.
You may decide to organise any necessary repairs before your contract ends. Or, if you’re comfortable, you can wait for us to carry out our formal inspection after you’ve returned your vehicle. If we do find any damage, we will send you an invoice for the amount it would cost to repair.
Damage is different from fair wear and tear. The most common types of damage found on returned vehicles include scratches on doors, wheels, bumpers and body panels.
If your vehicle is damaged when you return it, you may be charged* for the amount it would cost to repair. Damage examples include numerous scratches, scratches over 25mm, or those that cannot be polished out.
Here are some examples of what you could be charged:
If you do have to pay for any damage, here’s what you could be charged, depending on vehicle size.
These are indicative costs for a small car.
Doors | £145 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Wheels | £56 |
Fixed cost for scuffs and scratches over 50mm on total circumference of wheel, under 50mm there is no charge. Spoke damage, rust or corrosion is chargeable.
Bumpers and body panels | £148 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Missing keys | £155 |
Cost varies by vehicle manufacturer, figure based on an average across all manufacturers.
Missing service history | £256 |
Fixed cost across all vehicle manufacturers and age of vehicle on non-maintained contracts.
For more significant damage repair, we calculate the charge on a parts and labour basis and charge labour at £27 per hour.
These are indicative costs for a medium car.
Doors | £174 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Wheels | £56 |
Fixed cost for scuffs and scratches over 50mm on total circumference of wheel, under 50mm there is no charge. Spoke damage, rust or corrosion is chargeable.
Bumpers and body panels | £178 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Missing keys | £155 |
Cost varies by vehicle manufacturer, figure based on an average across all manufacturers.
Missing service history | £256 |
Fixed cost across all vehicle manufacturers and age of vehicle on non-maintained contracts.
For more significant damage repair, we calculate the charge on a parts and labour basis and charge labour at £27 per hour.
These are indicative costs for a large car.
Doors | £203 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Wheels | £56 |
Fixed cost for scuffs and scratches over 50mm on total circumference of wheel, under 50mm there is no charge. Spoke damage, rust or corrosion is chargeable.
Bumpers and body panels | £207 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Missing keys | £155 |
Cost varies by vehicle manufacturer, figure based on an average across all manufacturers.
Missing service history | £256 |
Fixed cost across all vehicle manufacturers and age of vehicle on non-maintained contracts.
For more significant damage repair, we calculate the charge on a parts and labour basis and charge labour at £27 per hour.
Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs), such as vans, have different damage costs. The examples below will help to give you an idea of what you could be charged.
These are indicative costs for a small van.
Doors | £195 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Wheels | £56 |
Fixed cost for scuffs and scratches over 50mm on total circumference of wheel, under 50mm there is no charge. Spoke damage, rust or corrosion is chargeable.
Bumpers and body panels | £167 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Missing keys | £155 |
Cost varies by vehicle manufacturer, figure based on an average across all manufacturers.
Missing service history | £256 |
Fixed cost across all vehicle manufacturers and age of vehicle on non-maintained contracts.
For more significant damage repair, we calculate the charge on a parts and labour basis and charge labour at £27 per hour.
These are indicative costs for a medium van.
Doors | £237 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Wheels | £56 |
Fixed cost for scuffs and scratches over 50mm on total circumference of wheel, under 50mm there is no charge. Spoke damage, rust or corrosion is chargeable.
Bumpers and body panels | £218 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Missing keys | £155 |
Cost varies by vehicle manufacturer, figure based on an average across all manufacturers.
Missing service history | £256 |
Fixed cost across all vehicle manufacturers and age of vehicle on non-maintained contracts.
For more significant damage repair, we calculate the charge on a parts and labour basis and charge labour at £27 per hour.
These are indicative costs for a large van.
Doors | £237 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Wheels | £56 |
Fixed cost for scuffs and scratches over 50mm on total circumference of wheel, under 50mm there is no charge. Spoke damage, rust or corrosion is chargeable.
Bumpers and body panels | £232 |
Charges provided are based on a Level 1 repair and paint†. The figure shown accounts for over 80% of damage charges applied for the relevant panel.
Missing keys | £155 |
Cost varies by vehicle manufacturer, figure based on an average across all manufacturers.
Missing service history | £256 |
Fixed cost across all vehicle manufacturers and age of vehicle on non-maintained contracts.
For more significant damage repair, we calculate the charge on a parts and labour basis and charge labour at £27 per hour.
Damage to your car?
If you want to assess what could be charged on returning your car please visit our damage calculator. Costs quoted are an estimate and exact costs may vary. Costs do not apply to vans.
We use the following checklist as a guide to assessing fair wear and tear on a vehicle:
• General road safety of the vehicle. For example, ensuring the vehicle is mechanically sound to drive with no warning lights illuminated
• Checking the vehicle has been serviced to the manufacturer’s specifications
• Appearance and condition of paintwork. The vehicle should be rust-free with no discoloration or corrosion to the bodywork
• Chips, scratches and dents that aren’t of an unacceptable size and number. Any repairs need to be completed to a professional standard
• All tyres, including spares - meet minimum legal requirements and comply with the manufacturer’s recommendations. The current legal requirement is a tread depth of at least 1.6mm throughout a continuous band in the centre 3/4 of the tread and around the entire circumference of the tyre
• Capable of passing an MOT, the returned vehicle is in a safe, legal and reliable mechanical condition. Vehicles over 3 years need to be returned with a valid MOT
• Vehicle interior must be clean and odourless with no burns, scratches, tears or staining
• All original equipment, accessories and controls must be present and operate correctly
We work to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) fair wear and tear industry standards – so that you can have confidence in the process. You can view the BVRLA guide here.
We recommend washing and cleaning your vehicle, inside and out, beforehand. This will make it much easier to spot any damage. Wait to check in good lighting and perhaps ask a friend or colleague to help give a balanced opinion. If professional repairs have been carried out on your vehicle, keep a record of them including any receipts and paperwork.
You’ll also need to return the following with your vehicle:
• Evidence of a full service history for non maintained vehicles - a printed or electronic version must be provided
• Vehicle handbook (if applicable)
• Full set of keys, including a spare, and the locking wheel nut (if supplied)
• Charging cable for electric vehicles
• Any accessories that came with the vehicle. Retro fit accessories can either be kept on, or if removed, the vehicle must be returned to its original state
Be sure to delete any data saved in your vehicle's systems such as the Sat Nav and phone book. This can be done easily by completing a factory reset. If you have a personal number plate, you’ll need to contact the Lex Autolease Cherished Plates Team on 0800 389 3690* 10-12 weeks before the end of the lease to make sure the transfer goes as smoothly as possible.
Please don’t return your vehicle to your dealer, please liaise directly with us for vehicle collection. You can do this and book a collection by logging on to your Manage My Vehicle account.
*Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Our short video gives more details on preparing to hand your car back.
Our video gives an overview of fair wear and tear and explores different types of damage. It also includes some tips for getting ready to return your vehicle at the end of your contract.
Frequently asked questions
When your vehicle is collected by our agent, they’ll complete a report detailing any obvious damage. Once we receive the vehicle a full assessment will be carried out using the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) fair wear and tear guidelines. We’ll then share the report with you, highlighting any repair charges.
If charges apply, your invoice will be sent to you (usually within 72 hours). Any charges will be taken from your account on your usual direct debit day. If you don’t pay by direct debit, payment is due by the date shown on your invoice. This is 10 working days from the date of the invoice.
Other Important Information and references
Smart Repairs are defined as: Damage <75mm where this is no paint damage, cost £43; Damage >75mm where this is no paint damage, cost £86; Smart Paint Repair may be applied for minor paint damage where there is not a requirement to replace or respray multiple panels, cost £77.
In the event that the damage is deemed unrepairable a replacement part may be charged for.
Costs will be calculated using the Thatcham-based estimating system. Costs will be greater than those quoted above.
As a rule this is where >30% of the panel is damaged.
The Thatcham-based estimating system provides advice for insurance engineers and damage assessors and gives vehicle repairers access to the latest methods and technical information around vehicle repairing to ensure fair parts pricing.
^Full details of what counts as fair wear and tear can be found in the Lex Autolease BVRLA handbook that can be found at https://driver.lexautolease.co.uk/login/wearandtearguide.
*The figures included in this communication are examples of potential damage charges you may incur at the end of your agreement and are not exact. As such, the figures included should not be relied upon other than for general information only. We accept no responsibility for any actions taken or not taken on the basis of this communication.
**Costs for Light Commercial Vehicles vary. You can download costs here.
†Level 1 repair and paint is defined as: Panel damage with paint damage between 15mm and 75mm in size/diameter.
Level 2 repair and paint is defined as: Panel damage with paint damage greater than 75mm in size/diameter.
© 2022 Lex Autolease Limited. Registered office: 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN Registered in England and Wales No: 1090741
