My Superb is due to go back to the lease company in a couple of weeks. The car is in excellent condition having had one of the wheels repaired to get rid of some cosmetic damage, and have arranged a collection date.

 

I wanted an estimation of the time the car would be collected but the lease company said they could only specify the day. I then went on to say (in jest) it would need to be in daylight, but they told me it may not be the case as the car would not be assessed when collected - it would be driven to a central assessment centre before that was done. Needless to say, I'm more than a little concerned about this. I wanted signoff of the vehicle whilst I am present, just in case there is any subsequent damage whilst in transit (stone chips, cracked windscreen etc).

 

Has any one had experience of this sort of collection service? I have had several leases in the past and always had the car signed off in my presence.

 

Thanks for your help

 

 

 

When my Skoda went back, they sent an inspector day before and did everything and put a sticker on windscreen.  They were happy that it would stay on my drive overnight, wouldn’t be used, mileage wouldn’t change, and someone else would collect following day.

 

The collecting person insisted on doing his own checks and marking it as part dirty (it was marked clean day before) to cover his backside.

 

A friend had similar thing to you someone would collect, collecting person took some photos on an iPad, then drove it 100 miles to Birmingham area.  They actually claimed for chipped windscreen, and sent a photo of a crack, which he said it didn’t have, but luckily the iPad photos didn’t show one so they agreed to cancel it.  We are both convinced they tried it on (probably using photo from another car).   Personally I would ensure it is checked and photographed before it leaves your house, even if you need to plug in an extension lead with a desk spotlight  so it can be photographed.

 

 

I wouldn’t let that car off my drive without some kind of signed/official declaration of its condition and knowledge of what, if any, charges would be levied. 

 

I’ve returned a car in the past and even with it being described as ‘excellent condition’ and being freshly detailed by me, the collection agency still tried to bill the finance company £400 for a valet and some ‘correction work’. Luckily enough I had lots of photographs and the collection form to successfully contest the charges. 

 

Do you think a collection driver would fess up if they pranged it on the way? 

BCA messed me about with collection by failing to turn up on the agreed day.  Having cleaned the car inside and out and polished out a scratch I hadn’t seen, I very carefully photographed the car from all angles, every panel, all seats, screens, displays, instruments, trim, wheels, roof and rails.  Even low down front and rear.

 

The person collecting it carried out very arbitrary checks, produced no paperwork and asked me to squiggle on his phone before emailing me a copy.  It also said ‘dirty’ but the only dirt was pollen!

 

I still have the images but I never heard a thing from VAG/Škoda and after the requisite two week wait, cancelled the DD.

We handed our yeti back last April.. it had 13k on it.. BCA called and brought up a few items.. the inspector told us off the record to reject the report showing the items - door edge, scrape to sill.. so signed the form saying we didn't agree and never heard any more.. I also did the same with a 520d I had from work.. again they noted marked alloys, scrap to bumper.. I again disagreed and never heard any more about it.. 

Edited 28 January, 20197 yr by technics100

When the Octavia went back 2 years ago the Alphabet inspector turned up and checked the car over, no issues and even told me the wheel scrape that I was expecting to be charged for was within limits.

 

An hour later the BCA driver turned up and started doing another inspection, I showed him the sheet the first guy had left so he stopped inspecting and took the car away.

 

The Superb is VW Finance and just extended it by a year (to 3) so won't find out how their system works until April 2020.

 

There is a leasing industry wear and tear guide so you can make your own judgement before the end of the lease.   I checked the Octavia about 2 months before the lease ended and mailed Alphabet a photo of the wheel damage, their quote to fx was less than chips away so left it expecting them to charge.

 

Company cars have always been fixed at company's cost.

 

 

The 520d I had for while had scraps on a wheel totalling more than 50mm combined so was charged.. they were looking £24 which was cheaper than I could of got it done for.  I also rejected their report and never had to pay or heard any more about it..

I've just had my car inspected and collected by BCA.  The guy didn't pay as much attention as i was expecting and didn't highlight any of the stone chips etc.  I signed for it with no damage and he's driven it to the BCA hub in Newport.  The video he took wasn't close enough to pickup the stone chips either.

 

Is that the end of it or will it go to the centre in Newport for a further inspection?  I don't like the idea of it being inspected when i'm not there and was hoping that was the end of it.

Collection Drivers problem now if driven on the road and not wrapped in bubble wrap after loaded into a covered trailer, and a seal around it.

Stone chips are fine, unless there's an area which is particularly peppered.  The car has been driven, stone chips are inevitable. 

 

As Skoffski has said, it's not your problem now.  At the point your responsibility for the car ended, it was deemed to be acceptable by BVRLA standards.    

 

For extra reassurance,  I would just check with your lease company/underwriters that all is well and then cancel your Direct Debits.  

I had a car collected previously and signed for as being in excellent condition, only for the collection agency to try it on with an 'overnight storage fee' and valeting costs.  They tried to bill the underwriters close to £500 which would have been passed on to me.  Underwriters reviewed it and just closed my account as they knew this was a complete pi55 take.