Damage on a lease car is charged when it goes back, and putting it right first can cost less. Send us photos and we'll tell you which marks are worth doing.
How the inspection works
Ordinary wear is accepted. Damage from a knock, a scrape or neglect isn't. Members of the BVRLA, the UK leasing trade body, judge the car against its fair wear and tear guide, but read your lease company's own guide first: it's the one they'll inspect against.
Check a mark against the figures
Pick the mark, measure it and say where it is, and it tells you if it's likely to be charged.
The figures
- Stone chips
- Under 3mm across
- No more than four on a panel, six on a door edge, or eight on a forward-facing panel
- A chip inside a dent
- Dents
- 15mm or less
- No more than two on a panel
- The paint not broken
- A dent on the roof
- A dent on the swage line of any panel
- Scratches
- Surface scratches of 25mm or less
- No primer or bare metal showing
- No more than four on a panel
- Wheels
- Scuffs up to 50mm in total round the rim
- Dents in a wheel rim or wheel trim
- Damaged wheel spokes
- Rust
- Rust, corrosion or discolouration on any painted part, painted bumpers, mouldings and mirrors included
Figures from the AA's summary of the BVRLA fair wear and tear guide. Your lease company's copy of the guide is the one the car is inspected against, so check it there too.
What we put right
- Scratches through the paint
- Dents and creases
- Scuffed bumpers
- Stone chips on the bonnet and front end
Leave enough time
The BVRLA suggests going over the car 10 to 12 weeks before it's due back. Our end of lease guide has the full checklist and what lease companies charge.
Repairs the inspector will accept
The BVRLA says a repair is fine if a reputable repairer does it to a professional standard with a fully transferable warranty. One that shows isn't.
What to send us
Photos of every mark, the make, model and colour, the paint code if you have it, the collection date and any list of charges from the lease company. See body repair and prices.
Questions people ask
Is it cheaper to repair lease damage before handing the car back?
Often, but not always. It depends on what your lease company charges for each mark and what the repair costs. Send us photos and their list of charges and we'll tell you which repairs are worth doing.
What counts as fair wear and tear on a lease car?
Wear from normal use is accepted. Damage from a knock, a scrape, careless use or neglect isn't, and that is what gets charged. Lease companies in the BVRLA, the UK leasing trade body, judge returns against its fair wear and tear guide.
What size of dent is acceptable when a lease car goes back?
A dent of 15mm or less, with no more than two on one panel and the paint not broken, under the BVRLA fair wear and tear guide as the AA summarises it. A dent on the roof or on a panel's swage line is counted as damage whatever its size.
How long can a scratch be on a returned lease car?
25mm or less, as long as no primer or bare metal is showing and there are no more than four on one panel. That's the BVRLA guide as the AA summarises it; check your lease company's copy, which is the one they inspect against.
Can I get lease damage repaired before the car goes back?
Yes. The BVRLA says you can have damage outside the return standard repaired first, as long as the work is done to a professional standard by a reputable repairer who gives a fully transferable warranty.