See our FAQs below:
Vehicle Contracts was established in 1999 to offer business contract hire and personal contract hire. By offering these two leasing products we provide our customers with some of the most competitive rates available on the market.
Our experience and knowledge have helped us to form strong relationships with dealers, manufacturers and the leading finance and leasing companies. Our commitment to volume allows us to negotiate maximum discount, enabling us to offer the lowest rates and some of the most competitive special offers on the market.
Having been established for over 20 years, we can offer you specialist and honest advice on all aspects of leasing and contract hire. We take pride in our customer service scoring on average 4.8 out of 5 stars for our all-around service from start to finish.
Vehicle Contracts has agencies with the following industry-leading banks and finance companies:
These facilities allow us to search the whole leasing industry to find the right vehicle and finance package for you.
Find out more about Vehicle Contracts on our about us page.
Leasing can be a cost-effective and hassle-free way to get behind the wheel of a new car or van. Vehicle Contracts have produced three videos that you can view that gives you a formal guide to business contract hire and personal contract hire together with a short video on what to expect on delivery and handover:
There are many why leasing a vehicle is so cost-effective:
Yes, a full UK driving licence is required. You will also need to be at least 18 years old to sign the financial agreement and be creditworthy.
Car leasing has a wide range of benefits that you may not have even considered:
Contract hire has always been a popular way of running a car for personal or business usage, however, due to heavy depreciation and the unexpected repair costs associated with car ownership, more and more private individuals are looking at the option of car leasing.
The cost of the initial rental is usually lower than the deposit for a brand-new vehicle and certainly can be cheaper than saving up to buy the car outright. The ongoing lease cost tends to be lower too and it's fixed each month, so you know what you're paying and budgeting.Vehicle leasing means you can drive a new car or van every two to five years. You generally avoid MOTs and road tax is covered for the full duration of your contract.
Your lease car is delivered to your door. Even better, you don't have to worry about selling it when you're finished with it - you can just hand it back at the end of your lease and pick another new car lease, subject to status. You also have the added inclusion of the manufacturer's warranty and a guarantee is provided with all new cars delivered.
For guidance, we have a short video explaining car leasing.
All of our business contract hire rates are displayed exclusive of VAT while our personal contract hire rates will be VAT inclusive. In most cases, there is no difference in pricing once VAT is added.
There are a few exceptions where the most competitive rate on a certain vehicle will be with a finance company that only underwrite business contracts. In this instance, the best personal rate will be offered with another finance company.
As a car gets older, it depreciates in value and the more miles it has on the clock, the greater the depreciation. Therefore, when you take out a car lease, you agree to a set annual mileage allowance for the duration of the lease. The cost of depreciation is built into the fixed monthly cost within your lease agreement.
The annual mileage allowance is there so that the finance company funding your car lease can estimate a resale value on the car once the lease period is over.
If this rate is exceeded, a fee will be charged to compensate for the depreciation of the vehicle
When you are discussing your car lease agreement, one of the most important things on the agenda is the annual mileage. It is vital to choose a mileage allowance that reflects your driving habits because if you exceed your chosen mileage, you will be required to pay an extra amount on a pence per mile basis. This is calculated based on how many additional miles you have done at the end of the agreement.
Your choice of mileage allowance is completely down to you. If you exceed the mileage allowance on your lease vehicle, any mileage over the agreed amount is charged at the agreed excess mileage rate per mile.
For example, if the excess stated in your agreement shows its 5p per mile, and you exceeded your mileage allowance by 1,000 miles, you would be charged £50 at the end of your lease 5p x 1000 miles = £50.
When getting a car lease quote with Vehicle Contracts, you will be able to see the excess mileage charge on your contract before committing to anything.
There may be changes in your circumstances during the lease period such as moving home or changing jobs, which may affect the amount of daily or weekly mileage that you may do and if this is the case, it is a good idea to contact the finance company to see if a mileage extension is available to you.
Yes, normally the vehicles we supply are brand new. However, if you request an "ex-lease" product with us, then these vehicles are normally 18-24 months old.
Sometimes there are particularly strong offers on "pre-registered vehicles" which have already been manufactured but not sold, and are therefore still classed as brand new.
Vehicles are usually driven to their destinations by professional drivers or delivery agents. In some cases, the vehicle may be transported on low loaders but this is not usually the case.
The vehicle is usually delivered with a quarter of a tank of petrol - please note, this is not a contractual obligation.
Your new car will be delivered by the manufacturer rather than by us. This is because they will be producing the car brand new so it is their responsibility to deliver it to you.
An independent logistics company will deliver all re-leased cars.
Depending on the type of vehicle you require, we can usually deliver dealer stock vehicles within ten to 14 working days. If you have specific requirements and we are unable to source our vehicle from dealer stock, then it may be necessary to place a factory order. As a rough guide, a factory order can take between six to 14 weeks to arrive depending on the manufacturer chosen.
Please be aware, the lead time can be greater than this for in-demand vehicles or those with a limited allocation.
Yes, we supply cars for business fleets. Whether a business is looking for an individual vehicle, a fleet of vehicles or a collection of different cars, our staff are on hand to help. Whilst the cars may be part of a fleet, they are treated as individual cars throughout the process.
This means you can choose a deposit, how long you wish to lease them for and what the annual mileage allowance will be for each car, we can also offer pool mileage cover for a medium to a larger fleet of vehicles to spread out the cost.
We are a car leasing broker and advise that when you know what allowance you can expect to receive, then please familiarise yourself with the makes and models that interest you. When you have narrowed down your search to just a few vehicles, that's the time to call the office. We will always offer very knowledgeable and specialist advice on the best way forward to suit your requirements.
On a contract hire agreement, the finance company will be the registered owner and keeper of the vehicle.
All lease agreements arranged by Vehicle Contracts include road tax either for the duration of the contract or for 12 months. The length of time tax is covered will depend on the type of contract taken.
For all contract hire and personal contract hire agreements, the funder will provide vehicle tax for the duration of the agreement, as they will remain the registered owner of the vehicle. If the cost of the vehicle tax goes up during the term of the agreement, or any extended term, the customer may be liable to pay the amount of the increase.
To tax a vehicle, the registered owner or keeper must have the VED reminder letter (V11) or registration certificate/logbook (V5C). For contract hire or personal contract hire agreements, as the finance provider is the registered owner and keeper of the vehicle, they are responsible for providing the vehicle tax for the duration of the agreement.
If you are on a contract hire or personal contract hire agreement and want to check that your vehicle has been taxed, you can check your lease vehicle has up-to-date vehicle tax by visiting the DVLA website.
Once your vehicle has arrived at the dealership and all necessary checks have been completed, we will contact you to arrange delivery and to confirm your vehicle registration with you. It is at this point that you can arrange your vehicle insurance in anticipation of delivery.
Your new lease vehicle needs to be insured from the day of the delivery and must remain insured until your vehicle is collected by the finance provider. This must be a fully comprehensive insurance policy and the certificate must show your name, registration number and must be dated on or before your delivery date.
For personal lease agreements, the hirer obtaining finance must be the main policy holder on the insurance certificate.
For business lease agreements, the insurance certificate should be in the company name or a director's name. If an employee is required to drive the vehicle, a letter on company headed paper may be requested confirming that the employee is authorised to drive the vehicle and confirming their position in the company.
For business contract hire and personal contract hire agreements, the finance company is the registered owner and keeper of the vehicle. You will need to make your insurance provider aware of this when setting up your policy.
We have put together a short video explaining what to expect upon delivery of your new leased vehicle.
You will have been advised about six months before the end of your contract that your lease is due to finish shortly with our renewals team taking the time to discuss your replacement options.
Whether you decide to hand the vehicle back for a newer car, extend the contract, or purchase the vehicle from the finance company is up to you, subject to terms, but also dependent on the contract that was taken out at the start of the leasing term.
Vehicle Contracts may be able to arrange collection of your existing vehicle on your behalf, provided your lease agreement was originally arranged with us.
If you are renewing your next car lease with Vehicle Contracts, where possible, we will also try and arrange collection of your existing vehicle on the same day as delivery of your new vehicle to make the transition as smooth as possible for you. For those not renewing their lease contract, please arrange collection of your existing vehicle with Vehicle Contracts at your earliest convenience or direct with the supplying funder.
Please ensure you give at least 7-14 working days' notice to book your collection. Your collection can be arranged up to 30 days ahead of your required date. If your preferred collection date is more than 30 days ahead, please contact us closer to your renewal date. Please note that a settlement fee may apply if the collection date requested falls before your final monthly direct debit.
To book collection of your vehicle, please provide the following information:
Upon receipt of your collection request, confirmation of the collection booking will be sent by return email usually within 24 hours of your request. If you have not had confirmation within 48 hours of sending the request, please call the Vehicle Contract or the finance provider if you have arranged the booking with them directly.
One working day before the date of collection, the collection agent will attempt to call you to confirm the booking. Failure to confirm collection with the agent may result in a failed collection, for which a charge will be applied.
If a collection cannot be completed due to no contact or a general unroadworthy condition of the vehicle, a charge will be applied. The average charge is around £69+ VAT but this varies depending on the finance company.
Please note, the finance company requires two working days' notice to cancel a collection otherwise an aborted collection charge will be applicable.
All of our vehicles are HPI checked. This ensures you will have no surprises when it comes to outstanding finance or a vehicle that has been involved in a nasty accident.
Car leasing and finance options are financial agreements and will legally require you to be 18 years old when you sign up for an agreement.
Subject to obtaining the funder's permission, there should be no problem with adding a cherished plate to a leased vehicle.
Please be advised that Vehicle Contracts is unable to arrange for the cherished plate to be added to your vehicle before delivery as this can delay the delivery process. Therefore, we advise that you arrange this with the finance company directly after you have taken delivery of your vehicle.
It is also worth noting that the finance provider may charge an administration fee for this service and that the cherished plate must be removed from the vehicle before it is returned at the end of the contract.
Vehicle Contracts offer 12-month contract hire and personal contract hire agreements on used lease vehicles supplied by ARVAL.
Ex-leased vehicles have a huge range of benefits including:
Ex-leased vehicles come with:
We can offer highly competitive quotations on all makes and models and endeavour to always keep our website as up to date as possible. If you can't find your exact requirements, then please give us a call on 01675 466433 or email: info@vehiclecontracts.co.uk.
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Our panel of finance companies will not lease out cars for "hire or reward purposes".
Depending on the finance provider, you may be allowed to take the vehicle abroad for a specified period. Before arranging your trip, you will need to contact the finance provider to discuss your options.
Along with the standard documentation, leased vehicle drivers will require a form VE103B. This is essentially authorisation from the finance provider which allows the driver to take the lease car abroad.
The VE103B will contain the details of the vehicle, name and address of the driver and gives permission from the finance provider for the driver to be using the car abroad. This is a legal document and acts as an alternative to the V5C. This form must be ordered in advance of your trip.
The amount you're permitted to borrow will ultimately depend upon your credit score, the size of the deposit and your ability to make regular repayments on time along with any other debts you may have.
You do not need to be in full-time employment to lease a car, however, you must have a regular form of income or benefits such as a disability allowance or a pension. This will provide financial proof you can afford the monthly payments.
This all depends on the agreement type. If you are a business looking for vehicles, then you can look at multiple lease agreements for the business subject to the business credit criteria and finance approval/s. If you are an individual looking at a personal contract hire, then you can arrange a lease for two to five years.
This is dependent on the manufacturer's availability. You can quickly have a vehicle delivered to you within seven to 14 days. These would be classed as 'stock' vehicles that have been built and are readily available for quick delivery.
If we cannot source your vehicle from a manufacturer or dealer, we would look at placing a factory order. Factory orders have different lead times, depending on the manufacturer, however, it usually takes somewhere between six and 16 weeks.
Occasionally, it may be longer with certain manufacturers but our sales team will advise you of current lead times.
You can choose new car lease agreements on either 2, 3, 4 or 5-year terms. We also offer short term 12-month contracts on ex-leased cars as well.
Returning your lease car is dependent on your finance provider. Vehicle Contracts may be able to assist in arranging the collection of your existing vehicle, provided your lease agreement was originally arranged by us.
If you're already a Vehicle Contracts customer, we could arrange collection of your existing vehicle on the same day as delivery of your new vehicle - please contact us to discuss further. It is also dependent on the current finance provider, but we will try to make the process as smooth as possible for you.
Most finance providers require at least seven to ten working days' notice to book your collection. Alternatively, your collection can be arranged up to 30 days ahead of your required date should you wish to arrange things a bit sooner.
If you prefer to arrange collection that is more than 30 days ahead of your contract end date, then please contact us.
Please note that an early termination fee may apply if the collection date requested falls before your final monthly direct debit.
To book collection of your vehicle, please provide the following information:
Collection days are usually Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Collections are not available on bank holidays or weekends. The collecting agency driver can collect from any mainland UK address and the vehicle must be handed back with full-service history and valid MOT.
If a collection cannot be completed due to no contact/availability being available on the day or general unroadworthy condition of the vehicle, a charge will be applied. The average charge is around £75+ VAT but this varies depending on the finance company.
Please note, the finance company requires at least two working days' notice to cancel an arranged collection, otherwise, an Aborted Collection Charge will be applicable.
In the unfortunate case that your lease vehicle has been declared a total loss such as a write-off or stolen, then you must inform the finance provider and your insurance company immediately. As in most incidents, your finance provider will require written confirmation from your insurance company that the vehicle is a total loss before providing an amount for settlement of the vehicle contract.
Please note that your finance provider will not enter negotiations with your insurance company - you are responsible and it must be done by yourself.
If you're involved in an accident that's a leased car, you'll need to tell your insurance company immediately. Even though you may not be making a claim, not making them aware of any accident can mean that your cover is invalidated.
Although you can make a claim and receive an excess if the damage to the car is expensive, the cost of your premium may go up. Be mindful to cancel your insurance policy for a leased car if it is written off, unless you get a courtesy car temporarily, in which case your insurer may let you transfer the policy over to it.
If you pay monthly and don't have a replacement vehicle, cancelling your cover will save you losing money.
For a fixed monthly cost and complete peace of mind, you can take out a maintenance package as an optional product. This will cover the cost of all scheduled servicing, replacement or repair of tyres, batteries, wipers, bulbs and other perishable items during your agreement.
Maintenance packs do not cover any repairs or replacements which are a result of accidental damage. A non-maintained package also doesn't cover the MOT.
Yes, maintenance packages are available on our ex-lease cars.
Leasing with Vehicle Contracts, you can take comfort that you will enjoy the many benefits of driving a brand new car, particularly those linked to reliability.
Our lease deals include the full UK manufacturer's warranty, usually, three years but some manufacturers offer longer, so you can rest assured that if something goes wrong with your vehicle within this period, you shouldn't have to pay to fix any faults. Some limitations may apply to certain vehicles.
It is also handy to know that most car manufacturers include breakdown cover as part of their standard warranty so if you ever do come unstuck, you can call on their help.
If you don't have a maintenance package included in your lease agreement, you may still be covered for breakdown as part of the manufacturer's warranty. Breakdown cover typically varies from one year to five years and usually starts from the date of vehicle registration.
If your new car is still covered under warranty, you may also be covered for breakdown recovery. Search for the manufacturer below to find out the length of the breakdown cover included and the contact number you need to call in the event of a breakdown in the UK.
Rest assured, there is no catch or hidden fees. Vehicle Contracts work very closely with all manufacturers, large motor groups and a panel of finance companies. We have over 20 years of experience and have a commitment to volume that enables us to negotiate the strongest vehicle discount terms that we pass on to our customers.
In addition to this, we can select the leading and most competitive finance option from one of our panel of finance partners. Put these two together and we obtain the most competitive leasing rates available from our panel of funders direct to you.
Costs are dependent on the length of your contract agreement and your annual mileage allowance. A combination of both factors will calculate a cost.
We have costs available to view on our website covering mileages from 5,000 - 30,000 over a two, three or four-year period. Anything you can't find please contact us for a bespoke package to suit.
Yes, all vehicles come with a manufacturer's warranty. The length of time this warranty covers will be dependent on the manufacturer. These range from two years to seven years.
Please check with your sales advisor or the manufacturer's website for guidance
You will be responsible to pay for any repairs to your leased vehicle if it's involved in an accident or any damage to the vehicle. Any work carried out must be done at a garage that is approved by the leasing provider.
Leaving any damage until the day when the vehicle is due to be collected could result in an expensive charge to get it fixed.
This method refers to the payment profile. The first example would be for a 36-month contract where the initial rental is equivalent to 9 monthly rentals. This is then followed by 35 further monthly rentals.
The second example is a 24-month contract where the initial rental is equivalent to 6 monthly rentals, followed by 23 further monthly rentals. These payment profiles can be adjusted to suit your personal circumstances but are usually multiples of 3 i.e. 3+, 6+, 9+ or 12+.
The higher the initial rental, the lower the monthly payments and vice versa. Either way, the total amount payable over the term will be virtually the same.
Leasing is designed for changing your car after two, three or four years, however, some finance companies do give you the option to purchase the car towards the end of the agreement.
The way the finance companies calculate their prices is heavily based on the vehicle's predicted future value. The more miles you cover will mean that at the end of the contract your car will be worth a lower price or vice versa, and so the vehicle's projected depreciation will be greater or lesser.
Options available are generally calculated on a one, three, six, nine or 12-month advance payment. We do have a low initial rental option which can mean you don't have to pay a large amount upfront for a new vehicle.
Whilst a deposit helps to lower your monthly payments, it is not a requirement on a lease agreement. If you don't want to pay a deposit, all our cars have a no deposit option. You will have to pay higher monthly payments as a result, but if you can afford to do that, then it shouldn't be a problem.
You will receive a welcome pack from your finance provider around ten working days after your car has been delivered. This will list the dates that the payments will be taken by direct debit. Please note that the payments will not be taken before delivery.
Yes, all leasing and finance agreements require credit checks. When we submit your finance application to a provider, they will carry out a mandatory credit search.
If you are worried you will not be accepted due to poor or bad credit, please contact us to discuss.
Most finance companies will respond to a credit application placed with them within 24 to 48 hours. Applications can take longer if additional information is requested.
You should receive a decision on your application within 24 to 48 hours of your enquiry. However, in the main, you will receive a decision sooner rather than later with most decisions being made within the first hour.
Unfortunately, if your application is declined, there is nothing that we can do. Please refer to an online credit agency for your personal updated credit report. Alternatively, you can appeal to the finance company directly.
Most funders require a good to excellent credit score to be accepted for car finance. It is worth noting that no lender uses your personal credit score alone to decide if you're approver or decline.
Often, many other criteria come into play such as your ability to make regular payments on time and any other debts including loans that you may have.
If the car is not up to your satisfaction upon arrival due to incorrect specification or damage, you can reject it there and then. For personal contracts, you have a 14 day cooling-off period from the date of the signed agreement to change your mind. Please note, cancellation charges may apply.
We have a panel of finance funders we use, including direct agencies with Lex Autolease, Hitachi, ALD Automotive, Santander, Arval as well as funding options available through the vehicle manufacturers
Our panel of finance companies will require applicants to have a good to excellent credit score. If you have a bad to poor credit rating, then the likelihood is your application would be declined.
Some of our funders will allow a guarantor or a joint application but this is dependent upon the decision of the finance company.
Business users who are VAT-registered can currently reclaim a minimum of 50% of the VAT payable on each contract hire payment. This is assuming that the vehicle will be used for both business and social use.
You may be able to reclaim the whole amount of the monthly VAT if the vehicle is used solely for business use. Please contact your accountant to see if you meet the criteria.
If you decide that you wish to have the contract maintained, then VAT registered business users can claim back 100% of the VAT. Commercial vehicle users can also claim 100% of the VAT back. Private individuals can't reclaim any of the VAT on the monthly price.
Recoverable VAT only applies to VAT-qualifying agreements such as business contract hire and finance lease.
The amount you can borrow depends on how good your credit score is, how much a deposit you wish to put down and how affordable the car is. Enquire with us and our staff will walk you through the process to see how much you can afford to borrow through our panel of funders.
If you have a problem paying your next finance payment, then you should go straight to your finance company for support. The finance company relevant to you is whom you normally make payments to.
The short answer is yes, you can end your finance early, however, terminating your leasing agreement early is not available on all contracts and is fully dependent on the finance provider. If you're thinking of early termination of your contract, please get in contact with one of our sales advisors on 01675 466433 for more information.
We charge a one-off admin fee that enables us to produce the relevant vehicle documentation and reserve the vehicle in your name.
