Use a BVRLA member

Seeing the BVRLA logo when you’re searching for a vehicle is a sign that you are dealing with a quality assured company that operates to a mandatory professional code of conduct.  It also allows you to use the BVRLA’s Conciliation Service in the unlikely event of a dispute.  Dynamic Vehicles Solutions have been members of the BVRLA for over 15 years

Do your homework

If you’re relying on a price comparison site when getting quotes, pay close attention to what isn’t included in the price.  Some may not include VAT, because they are available for business customers only.  All Dynamic Vehicle Solutions rates clearly include or exclude VAT as applicable.  If an advertised rate on our site asks you to contact us for Personal Contract rates its probably because the personal contract rate is not available on that particular deal but please do contact us to double check.  All Contract Hire agreements include the cost of the road fund licence for the period of the contract whereas most Purchase Agreements only include road fund licence for the first year but once again, contact us to double check.

Contract Length

Understand what the different contract lengths are.  When looking for a deal, you’ll see figures such as 3+35 or 6+23.  This relates to the payment plan – the first figure is how many multiples of the monthly rate you will need to pay as an initial rental while the second figure is how many subsequent payments are taken after the initial payment is made to complete the contract.  Some initial payments could be multiples of 9 or even 12.

Maintenance

When entering into a lease agreement for a vehicle, whether as a regulated consumer or a firm, you are responsible for maintaining the vehicle’s roadworthiness and ensuring that it is serviced in according with the manufacturers guidelines.  You may choose to arrange this yourself or for complete cover and peace of mind a maintenance package can be included in the contract we arrange for you for a fixed monthly fee.  This will not only include the cost of all routine services, but tyres, batteries, exhausts – so you’ll be able to get a tyre replaced when it wears low.

Mileage

Be honest about how far you drive each year.  In order to fix your monthly payments, a contract hire arrangement is an agreement to drive the vehicle for a specific period of time and for a specific distance.  Therefore it’s vital to correctly estimate your annual mileage.  The most common contracts are for 8,000, 10,000, 12,000 and 15,000 miles per year.  Spend time working out how far you drive each year, then pick a lease deal that suits you.

Excess mileage

Make sure you know what you will have to pay for exceeding your agreed mileage.  You will almost certainly have to pay a penalty for this extra mileage at the end of the agreement but this will be clearly set out in your contract, so if you’re mid-way through your time with the car and think you’re going to go over your limit, you can start putting aside a small amount each month to cover this cost at the end of the contract.  If you are going to go substantially over your agreed mileage talk to us because we can usually negotiate a revised contract mileage for you which is almost always cheaper than paying excess mileage charges

Terms and Conditions

Make sure you read all the paperwork provided including the Terms and Conditions of your contract with the leasing company.  If you are a regulated customer we will provide you with Pre-Contract Information which lays everything out for you before you need to sign your contract paperwork to ensure you have all the information to hand to make your decision.  Don’t file it – read it !

Ownership

Contract Hire, either business or personal, is effectively a long-term rental, and the vehicle belongs to the finance company.  That means you can’t modify the car without their permission – so you’ll need to speak to them before you fit things like a tow bar.  Furthermore, if you wish to take the vehicle abroad, you’ll need a VE103 certificate to prove you’re entitled to drive the car in Europe.  We will explain how you can get hold of one of these at the time.

Vehicle Condition

Leasing companies calculate your monthly cost on the proviso that the car will come back to them in a certain condition.  They base their financial calculations on being able to realise a certain value for your vehicle at auction – and if the condition of the vehicle is worse than they are expecting in terms of its age and mileage they will look to you to bring the vehicle back to that expected condition.  In conjunction with the BVRLA, we produce a very useful guide to help you understand the difference between fair wear and tear and unacceptable damage which you may request from us prior to returning your vehicle.

Vehicle Collection

Some leasing companies may arrange a full vehicle inspection and condition report when the car is collected, while others will collect the vehicle and complete a full inspection later at their nominated site.  Either way, you should be present when the vehicle is collected, as you and the representative from the leasing company must check and agree on the vehicle’s condition.  All readily apparent damage will be noted on the vehicle collection form which you should both sign.