BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Guide

What is the BVRLA?

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (“BVRLA”) is a trade body established in 1967 for companies engaged in vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management. The Association's governing body sets the industry-wide definition of fair wear and tear, which BVRLA members must adhere to when inspecting vehicles for damage.

What are the BVRLA guidelines?

The guidelines are a standardised set of rules, covering what is considered to be fair wear and tear on a leased or financed vehicle when it's returned at the end of the agreement period. If a vehicle has been maintained to manufacturers' standards and any damage to the vehicle does not exceed those listed in the guidelines, you should not incur any additional charges.

What is normal wear and tear on a lease car?

No matter how carefully you drive on UK roads, it is inevitable that your car is going to show minor scrapes and scratches after a few years of use, thanks to debris being kicked up by other vehicles, which is impossible to escape from. The wear and tear policy covers you for any evidence of this as well as some other minor damages. Here is a full list of what fair wear and tear covers.

• Minor bumper scuff
• Small bumper scratches
• Stone chips
• Surface scratches less than 25mm where the primer or bare metal isn’t showing
• Light scratches on windows, as long as it doesn’t interfere with drivers’ line of sight and heating elements still work
• Repaired window chips (to a professional standard and warrantied)
• Light scratches on sills and side steps from normal use are acceptable

What's unacceptable wear and tear?

The wear and tear policy is there to cover the driver for any minor scratches and scrapes that are no fault of the driver’s, but simply a result of driving a car on UK roads. This type of wear and tear is usually down to rubble being kicked up from the road and onto the car, which is extremely difficult to prevent.

Here is a list of what isn’t covered by the BVRLA wear and tear policy:

• Cracked or major bumper scuff
• Scratch longer than 25mm
• Large chips on the bonnet/windscreen
• Door dents with broken paint, bigger than 10mm and more than two on a panel
• Excessively worn or damaged tyres
• Rips, tears and burns to the carpet and upholstery
• Curb damage to wheels
• Missing keys – Including locking wheel nut keys
• Dents on the roof or swage line of any panel
• Livery and signage must be removed.

The above list is not exhaustive – visit the latest edition of the BVRLA guidelines.

What happens if the vehicle is in unacceptable condition?

An obligatory prerequisite of members is to follow the BVRLA Code of Conduct as a nationwide accepted way to trade fairly and with the utmost responsibility when dealing with their customers. Typical lease contracts take into account the condition that the vehicle may be in by the end of a contract.

End-of-lease charges are calculated and applied only when a vehicle is returned in a poorer condition than what was originally agreed and reflect the further depreciation of the car or van.

Whether from neglect, misuse, damage occurred or failure to maintain the vehicle, the subsequent charges are placed on the customer

What happens when you return your car?

Depending on your agreement, the vehicle will be collected by a representative of the leasing company. They have to carry out the checks listed above and agree on the condition of the lease car or van before removal.

All or any apparent damage that falls outside of the fair wear and tear boundaries will be noted on the vehicle collection sheet or electronic handheld device. As the customer you need to ensure that you are happy with with the inspection carried out and if requiring clarity, ask wherever necessary.

Any disputes regarding the condition or any damage to the vehicle must be dealt with through the correct channels. In such an event, the customer has the right to pay for an independent investigation of the evidence by a qualified engineer, agreed on by both parties.

The decision by the engineer will be binding, on both the BVRLA member and the customer and if the decision favours the customer, it will be the BVRLA member's responsibility to refund the reasonable cost of the investigatory examination back to the customer.

Occasionally, disagreements between the customer and BVRLA members can arise that are non-resolvable directly. In these rare instances, unsettled disputes can be referred to the Association by either the BVRLA member involved, the customer or both.

Tips to keep your lease car in good condition

Wear and tear happens, but keeping on top of your lease vehicle and being mindful of where you park can really help keep some of the damage at bay and extra costs at the end of the lease to a minimum here a four areas of ownership tips and tricks to keep the costs down.

Washing and valeting

Keep the vehicle clean by having it valeted or wash it regularly with a good quality car shampoo and wash kit. Make sure to clean inside the doorjambs and around the wheel arch too. Vacuum the interior (including the boot) at the same time, then dust the interior trims and clean the windows.

It is a lot easier to keep on top of the car doing this monthly, compared to one big hit at the end of the contract. Not only does this make it easier to keep the car clean, but you’ll be also able to spot any chips or marks in the paintwork earlier and make an ongoing mental assessment of the vehicle, rather than trying to sort it all out at the end of the contract.

Drive carefully

Try not to catch your wheels and tyres on the curb or in potholes and be mindful of where you park in the shopping centre or work car parks to avoid door dings and dints. If you leave the vehicle on the roadside, either overnight or during the day, be considerate where you park and fold your wing mirrors in to avoid them being clipped by passing vehicles.

Service and maintenance

Make sure to regularly service the vehicle as per manufacturer guidelines and if any issues do arise with the car, make sure to get it fixed as soon as possible. After the vehicle has been serviced, always remember to check that the service book has been stamped if your vehicle is issued with one.

Spare keys, tools and user manual

At the end of the contract, be sure to hand back both sets of keys for the vehicle. If you’ve lost a set, it may be cheaper to get one replaced yourself instead of incurring a charge from the finance company.

Make sure that all the spare wheel/inflation kit and corresponding tools are present and the user manuals are inside the vehicle. Items such as headrests, luggage cover/parcel shelves and mats all need to be returned with the vehicle.