Fair Wear and Tear

BVRLA Fair Wear & Tear Guidance

BVRLA Guidelines

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) are a trade body for companies engaged in vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management. The BVRLA set the industry standard definition for wear and tear which all members must adhere to. Therefore, when you return your vehicle at the end of the lease, it will be inspected using the guidelines set from the BVRLA.

This guide has been produced to inform, assist and minimise any potential costs associated with the returning of your vehicle. We all understand that vehicles will have wear and tear over time, however this guide will inform you what is considered beyond the standard wear and tear.

Initial Advice to Customer’s • You should maintain your vehicle in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines. This includes having the vehicle serviced at the correct intervals. These guidelines can be found in the vehicle handbook or online. • You should follow manufacturer’s recommendations with regards to fuels, additives such as Adblue and battery recharging. Not doing so, may void the warranty or cause damage to the vehicle. • Report any suspected warranty defects to the vehicle manufacturer at your earliest opportunity. • Do not make any alterations to the vehicle which may void the warranty. If you are unsure whether something may impact the warranty of your vehicle, speak with the manufacturer or broker for advice. • Any repairs to the vehicle must done to a professional standard and using genuine manufacturer parts. • It may be worth having your vehicle appraised by a local garage prior to collection; so you can rectify any issues.

Returning your vehicle

Some Leasing Companies may ask for their inspector to conduct a full inspection of your vehicle at your collection address; however, sometimes the inspector may only make you aware of any obvious damage and conduct a full review of the vehicle once it has been

returned to their premises. This could be as a result of poor weather conditions, lighting or due to time constrictions.

On the day your vehicle is due to be returned it is worth considering the below points:

• Do you have all vehicle documentation, such as the vehicle service book, manual and MOT receipts?

• Has the vehicle been cleaned and tidied, removing any personal belongings? If the vehicle is not in a clean and tidy condition, you may be charged for an aborted collection.

• All personal data on the in-car entertainment systems should be removed. • Was any additional equipment provided on delivery? Make sure this is inside of the vehicle. • Are there any warning lights on the dashboard? Only advisory alerts are acceptable, such as “Service due within…”

• All electronic features of the vehicle should be in working order, ranging from your indicators and parking sensors to your car entertainment/navigation system and heated seats.

• The vehicle should be in a safe, roadworthy condition which could pass an MOT. If not, the vehicle may not be collected and you could be charged for an aborted collection. • Vehicle keys and locking wheel-nut keys should be returned with the vehicle.

Acceptable Wear and Tear

The BVRLA provide a list of what is and is not considered “acceptable” when returning your vehicle. Within their guidance they provide the sizes of damage which are accepted. Their list includes:

• Stone chips of 3mm or less are acceptable as long as no rust is apparent. A maximum of four chips on any panel, six chips per door edge and eight chips on any forward-facing panel is acceptable.

• A scratch on the surface of the vehicle which is less than 25mm in length and does not penetrate the surface paint enough to show the bare metal. A maximum of four surface scratches on one panel is acceptable.

• Light scratches on the windows as long as the technology of the windows is not compromised, and it does not obscure the drivers’ line of sight. Damage in excess of 10mm in the driver’s line of vision or in excess of 40mm anywhere swept by the wiper blades is not acceptable.

• Door mirrors and glass must be in fully working condition and must not be missing, cracked or damaged.

• Minor scuffs or marks to the lamps and lenses of 25mm or less are acceptable. They must be in working condition with no water ingress.

• Light scratches on the sills and side steps from normal use are acceptable.

• A panoramic sunroof must be fully functioning and scratches of 40mm or less are acceptable, provided they can be polished out.

• Dents of 15mm or less in diameter are acceptable as long as there are no more than two per panel and the paint surface is not broken. Dents on the roof or on the swage line of any panel are not accepted.

• Scuffs and scratches of 25mm or less are acceptable provided the moulding or trim is not broken, cracked or deformed.

• Badges, emblems, labels, logos, wrapping or advertising livery applied to the vehicle must be removed prior to returning the vehicle unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Leasing Company.

• Tow bars must only be fitted with approval from the Leasing Company and must not damage the vehicle. The Tow Bar must be in a good, working and rust-free condition.

• Signs the vehicle has not been serviced or you have failed to action warning lights may include grooved brake discs or drums, seized or damaged engine, clutch slipping, noisy clutch, noisy gearbox or abrupt gear changes on an automatic engine.

• Any damage to the vehicle’s underside in not acceptable.

• The interior trim, such as seats, headrests and carpets, must be clean and odourless with no burns, scratches, tears, dents or stains.

• There must be no rust or corrosion on the vehicle.

Tyres and Alloy Damage

Tyre and alloys damage can be daunting as it is something we have all had an issue with in the past. The BVRLA cover these specifically in their guide; so if your wheels or alloy fall foul to any of the below, we recommend having them rectified prior to collection.

• Tyres and spare tyres must meet the minimum UK legal requirement and comply with your vehicle manufacturers recommendations of tyre type, class, size and speed rating. Make sure any replacement tyres are the same specification as those originally supplied on the vehicle.

• The sidewalls or tread must have no damage or cracking. • Uneven wear due to incorrect inflation or incorrect steering geometry is not acceptable.

• Dents are not acceptable on the wheel trims or alloys.

• Scuffs of up to 50mm on the total circumference of the wheel rim, alloy wheel, wheel hubs are acceptable.

• There must be no rust on the alloy wheel/trims/wheel hubs.

• Any equipment supplied for the spare wheel must be stowed aware correctly and in good working condition, such as a wheel jack kit or tyre inflation foam.

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV’s)

Due to their usage, the BVRLA have taken a practical approach to their assessments of LCV’s and these are subsequently reviewed slightly differently.

Whilst the majority of the previously mentioned guidance still applies, the BVRLA breakdown the inspection of an LCV into coloured zones. It is important to note that each zone will differ depending on the type of LCV you have. If you are ever unsure of which zone applies to which part of your specific vehicle, you must contact your Leasing Company or Broker at your earliest opportunity.

Blue zone -Exterior paintwork, cab, air management and in-fill panels, body, bumper and trim – areas not subject to heavy wear nor in contact with the payload. Rear steps will be in the Blue Zone unless it forms part of the loading area. (Yellow Zone)

Yellow Zone – steps, areas close to the road surface (wheel arches) or in contact with the payload (e.g. body floors, tipper load areas), rear- and side- guards, tail boards, kick panels, drop sides, driver and passenger access steps – areas subject to heavy wear.

Magenta Zone – Interior cab, crew, and passenger areas.

Blue zone

• There must be no rust, corrosion, or discolouration on any painted areas. All panels should be in their original shape with no cracks.

• All repairs must be done to a professional standard by repairers who can provide a full warranty on their work.

• Chips of 8mm and less in diameter are acceptable if it does not show the base metal and there is no rust. Four chips on any panel, six chips per door edge and eight chips on any forward-facing panel are accepted.

• Dents of 15mm or less in diameter are acceptable if it does not show the base metal and there is no rust.

• Scratches and abrasions of 50mm or less are acceptable if it does not show the base metal and there is no rust.

• Scuffs of 50mm or less are accepted on the wheel mouldings or wheel trims if there are no deformities or cracks.

• Any logos, badges or livery applied to the bodywork should be removed prior to returning the vehicle and this should be done to a professional standard, causing no damage to the vehicle. Light shadowing due to paint fade is acceptable.

• Load retaining brackets and straps which were supplied with the vehicle, should be in working order. • All temperature controlled and box bodies must be in a clean, satisfactory condition and have all statutory certificates in place. There must be no damage caused by water contamination and all temperature monitoring/control devices must be in working order.

Yellow Zone

• Surface rust is acceptable on Yellow Zone areas of heavy wear, but the rust must not compromise the integrity of any panel or component.

• Chips and scratches as per the Blue Zone are acceptable.

• Damage caused to interior door linings, bulkheads and interior wheel arches through neglecting to secure a load is not acceptable.

• Distortion to any panel or deformation to the original shape of a component is not acceptable.

• Drop-sides, tippers and platform bodies must be free from any significant distortion due to collision or load impact. There must be no holes or gaps where the load could escape.

• Any contamination to the Yellow Zone of the vehicle caused by corrosive or potentially harmful material is not accepted. You must increase maintenance procedures if these types of materials will be transported.

• Cranes, tail-lifts and other fitted equipment must be in working condition and have all relevant statutory certificates. There must be no distortion or deformation to the equipment; however, surface rust is acceptable if it does not compromise the integrity of any component.

• Additional fittings to the vehicle, such as roof racks, ladders, tow bars and high security locks must only be fitted with approval from the Leasing Company. These must be fitted in line with any manufacturer’s guidance and must not cause any damage to the vehicle.

Magenta Zone • The interior cabin of LCVs carries the same conditions as all cars.

Disputing the report/charges

In the event you do not agree with the findings of the Leasing Company, you have the right to dispute the report. There are a couple of steps we recommend in this scenario:

• Inform the Leasing Company that you do not agree with the charges who may be able to stop any charges being taken until the dispute is resolved.

• If you have any evidence to support your dispute, provide this to the Leasing Company, who will initially review your documents.

• Find an independent qualified engineer who can review the findings/photos. If the engineer finds in your favour, the Leasing Company should refund any reasonable costs occurred in obtaining an independent qualified engineer.

• If your dispute remains unresolved and you believe the final response from the BVRLA member is unsatisfactory, you may contact the BVRLA Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service. (BVRLA - Alternative Dispute Resolution)