Maintenance & Servicing

Your responsibilities during the lease

Even though the funder owns the vehicle, day-to-day care is your responsibility. Every lease requires you to:

• Service the vehicle on time, following the manufacturer's servicing schedule (shown in the handbook or the car's on-board computer). Missed services can invalidate the warranty and lead to end-of-contract charges.
• Use approved parts and competent garages. Franchise dealers are the simple option, but any garage using manufacturer-approved parts and following the schedule is generally acceptable - keep your invoices as proof.
• MOT the vehicle if your contract runs beyond the vehicle's third birthday.
• Keep it roadworthy - tyres above legal tread depth, lights working, fluids topped up, and warning lights investigated promptly.
• Repair damage as it happens using approved repairers, rather than leaving it for the end of the contract, where it may cost more.

What is a maintenance package?

A maintenance package (sometimes called a maintained contract) adds a fixed monthly amount to your rental and, in return, the funder takes care of the vehicle's routine running costs. A typical package covers:

• All routine servicing, in line with the manufacturer's schedule
• Mechanical and electrical repairs not covered by the warranty
• Replacement tyres, including fitting (fair wear; some packages also cover punctures)
• Brakes, exhausts, batteries, wiper blades and other wear items
• MOT tests where the contract requires them
• Often a replacement vehicle or onward travel if yours is off the road for extended repairs (varies by funder)

What it doesn't cover: insurance, fuel or charging, accident damage (that's your insurer), glass, and driver-induced damage such as kerbed wheels or the wrong fuel.

Is a maintenance package worth it?

It depends on how far and how you drive:

• Higher mileage drivers (roughly 15,000+ miles a year) usually come out ahead - more services and at least one set of tyres are near-certain, so fixing the cost makes sense.
• Lower mileage drivers on shorter contracts may pay less by simply covering one or two services themselves.
• Businesses often take maintenance across the fleet for budgeting certainty and less admin - and the VAT on the maintenance element is usually fully recoverable, even on cars.
• Anyone who values certainty - if you'd rather never see a surprise garage bill, the package is peace of mind at a known price.

We're happy to quote any vehicle both ways - with and without maintenance - so you can compare the real numbers side by side.

Tyres, windscreens and the details people forget

Without a maintenance package, replacement tyres are your cost - and on larger alloys they're not trivial, so budget for them. Windscreen chips and glass are typically excluded from maintenance packages either way; check your motor insurance includes glass cover. And if you're leasing an EV, servicing is generally cheaper and simpler, but tyres can wear faster on heavier electric vehicles - another factor we'll talk through when you choose your car.