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LEASE RETURNS
How lease companies charge you
When your lease ends, an inspector checks the car panel by panel in good light. Most UK leasing companies follow the BVRLA fair wear and tear guide. Anything outside it goes on a bill, and the leasing company sets the price for each item.
1InspectionEvery panel is checked and any damage is photographed and measured.
2ListedAnything beyond fair wear and tear is added to a damage report.
3ChargedYou get a bill after hand-back, priced by the leasing company, not by you.
35%
of vehicles returned to the UK’s 50 biggest leasing companies had damage charges, averaging £274 a car.
Source: Fleet News
Usually counted as fair wear and tear
✓Surface scratches under 25mm with no primer or bare metal showing
✓Minor scuffs on the bumper
✓Stone chips
✓Small dents with the paint unbroken, no more than two on a panel
Usually charged for
✕Scratches over 25mm, or any showing primer or bare metal
✕Cracked bumpers or bigger scuffs
✕Dents with broken paint, or any on the roof or a swage line
✕Rust or corrosion on the bodywork
Based on the BVRLA fair wear and tear guidelines, as summarised by Leasing Options. Your leasing company’s own guide is the final word, so check it before hand-back.
THE NUMBERS
What it costs at hand-back vs. with us
The leasing company sets its own price for each mark. Getting a proper repair done first usually costs less.
Lease charge examples: CarFix Garage lease charge comparison, 2026. Our prices are guide prices; your exact price is confirmed from your photos.
SELLING OR TRADING IN
How buyers grade your car
Dealers, car-buying sites and trade buyers walk round your car and note every mark. They then take off what it would cost them to make the car ready to sell, at retail prices, with a margin on top.
£150 → £300
A repair that costs about £150 can knock around £300 off a trade-in offer, because dealers price in the full retail cost.
Source: Tidyalloys
Trade-in deductions: Tidyalloys, “How much do scratches devalue a car?”, 2025. Figures are estimates and vary by car and buyer.
WHY LEAVING IT COSTS MORE
Damage doesn’t stay the same size
Bare metal starts to rustA scratch or chip through to the metal lets water in. Rust forms under the paint, bubbles up and spreads, so the repair gets bigger.
Cracks keep growingA small crack in a plastic bumper spreads with vibration, cold weather and car washes, until the bumper needs more work or replacing.
Small repairs turn into respraysCaught early, it’s a small area repair. Left for months, it can mean a full panel respray, which costs more.
Charges stack up per panelLease companies and buyers price each panel separately, so a few small marks can add up to a big bill.
THE SAME SCUFF, THREE WAYS
Pay for it once, on your terms
NOW
Fix it with us
A proper repair, matched to your paint code and blended in. Half bumpers in 4–5 hours, most vehicles back the same day.
£150–£250
AT HAND-BACK
Let the lease company charge you
Priced by them, billed after you’ve handed the car back, with no say over the price.
Up to £400
WHEN YOU SELL
Let the buyer knock it off
Deducted at retail cost with a margin, so you lose more than the repair would cost.
£200–£400 off
When should I get my lease car repaired?
Ideally a month or two before hand-back. That leaves time to get it booked in and fixed without any rush.
Will the inspector spot the repair?
A good repair is matched to your paint code and blended in, so it should look like the rest of the car. Keep your invoice in case you’re asked.
Is it worth fixing before I sell?
Usually, yes. Buyers take off more than the repair costs, and a tidy car is easier to sell privately.
Can you fix several marks at once?
Yes. We focus on 1–2 panels per visit, 3 at most, to keep turnaround quick. We’ll price each one so you can choose.
FREE, NO-OBLIGATION PRICE
Fix it now, pay less later
Send us a few photos of the marks and tell us when the car is due back or going up for sale. We’ll reply by email or WhatsApp within 4–5 hours with a price and a date.
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