Wear And Tear Calculator

Fair wear and tear is the gradual, reasonable deterioration you'd expect from normal use over the contract, such as light scuffing on tyres, minor stone chips, or faded interior trim. It does not cover damage from accidents, neglect, or excessive use, such as large dents, torn upholstery, or tyres worn below the legal limit.

It's a guide published by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) that sets out example condition thresholds for scuffs, dents, scratches, tyres, and missing equipment that most UK leasing companies reference when inspecting a returned vehicle. It is a voluntary industry standard, not a law, so your own leasing agreement is the final word.

You pay your contract's agreed pence-per-mile rate for every mile over your total contracted allowance. Rates commonly range from around 3p to 30p per mile depending on the vehicle and contract, so check your agreement rather than assuming a standard rate.

Some leasing companies let you buy extra top-up miles part-way through the contract, usually at a lower rate than the end-of-contract excess charge. If you know you'll exceed your allowance, contact your leasing company before handback rather than after.

The legal minimum is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread, around the whole tyre. Many leasing companies apply a stricter in-house threshold, commonly around 2 to 3mm, and may also check that tyres match the make, model, and speed rating originally fitted.

Light cosmetic scuffing from kerbing is often tolerated up to a point, but scratches deeper than roughly 25mm, or damage that goes through to bare metal, is commonly treated as chargeable and may need a SMART repair or full refurbishment.

Small dents under about 25mm in diameter with no paint damage are often accepted as fair wear and tear, particularly if there are only one or two per panel. Larger dents, dents that have cracked the paint, or several dents on one panel are typically chargeable.

A very small chip outside the driver's direct line of sight may be tolerated, but any chip inside the swept area in front of the driver, or one larger than around 15mm, is usually treated as a chargeable item since a repair or replacement is normally required.

Light wear consistent with mileage and age is usually fine. Stains, tears, cigarette burns, pet damage, or lingering odours are treated as damage rather than wear and tear and are commonly charged for cleaning or trim replacement.

Missing accessories are almost always chargeable at replacement cost, since the leasing company must supply a full set to the next customer. A missing key or fob is usually the most expensive single item, often costing considerably more than cosmetic repairs.

Often yes, if you can get comparable repairs done independently for less than the leasing company's charge. Get your own quotes for anything flagged as likely chargeable by this calculator and compare them to the estimated range shown before deciding.

Yes. Wear-and-tear and excess-mileage invoices are typically issued after an independent inspection following handback, sometimes several weeks later. Photograph the car thoroughly, including tyres, alloys, and mileage, on the day you return it in case you need to dispute a charge.

Yes. Raise it in writing with your leasing company first, referencing the BVRLA guide and your own return-day photos. If you can't resolve it directly and the agreement is regulated, the Financial Ombudsman Service can consider complaints about consumer car finance agreements.

The same fair wear and tear principles generally apply if you hand the car back at the end of a PCP agreement instead of paying the optional final payment to keep it. Check your specific finance agreement, since PCP paperwork can set its own condition and mileage terms.

No. This calculator gives an estimate only, based on typical industry thresholds and cost ranges. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Your own leasing agreement and its inspection provider set the actual charges, so contact them, or the Financial Ombudsman Service for disputes on regulated agreements, for guidance on your specific situation.