Lease return
Before the return report is written.
Preparation before a lease return: compare condition with the return guide, prioritise suitable work and agree costs before starting.
Lease return
The line between fair wear and damage.
At a lease return the vehicle is assessed against the agreement and return guide. Normal wear may be accepted; damage beyond it may be assessed as diminished value or repair work.
A condition review before the appointment shows which marks may be relevant and which measures are proportionate to their likely benefit. The lessor makes the final assessment.
What gets inspected
Four areas, in this order.
Inspections follow much the same pattern everywhere. Knowing what is looked at allows targeted preparation rather than a blanket job.
Scratches and dents.
Assessed by size and depth. What sits in the clear coat can often be polished out. What reaches the primer needs a different solution.
View scratch removalStains, odour, pet hair.
The interior is judged strictly because it strongly affects resale value. Smoke odour and pet hair are the most common findings.
View interior cleaningKerb damage.
Kerbing may be relevant under the return guide. Light marks can often be refinished, depending on the wheel surface.
View wheel workChips in the windscreen.
A chip in the field of vision or near an edge may require windscreen replacement. A qualified glass assessment determines whether repair is permitted.
View glass serviceTiming
Four to six weeks beforehand.
Too early is unhelpful, because new marks appear before the return. Too late is worse, because there is no time left to correct anything.
An honest assessment
We compare visible points with the supplied return guide and prioritise what deserves closer attention. Not every mark is worth treating.
Only what pays
We recommend selectively rather than across the board and make the effort clear. We cannot pre-empt the lessor's later assessment.
Hand it over clean
A clean vehicle is easier to assess accurately. Contamination is not confused with a defect, although existing damage remains visible.
Fleets too
When several vehicles go back at once.
With company fleets, deductions add up quickly, and returns often fall in the same quarter.
For businesses we schedule vehicles one after another so operations continue, and we assess each individually rather than applying the same scope to all. Often it turns out part of the fleet needs nothing and the work concentrates on a few vehicles. Details under fleet preparation.
Anyone returning vehicles regularly is considerably better off with a fixed care interval across the term than with a single preparation at the end. More under business care.
For individually cared-for business and premium vehicles during the lease term, our Concierge Service offers regular care, coordinated collection and return and additional services by agreement.
