That's the view of Ian Pugh, Managing Director of Fix Auto. He says that many drivers of leased vehicles are not fully aware of the financial penalties that they or their companies face when handing back damaged vehicles, and believes the vast majority of damage could easily - and more importantly, cost effectively - be rectified.
The former technician who spent 15 years working in the insurance inspection and assessment sector, stresses that those drivers who are actually aware of the financial burden when handing back a lightly damaged vehicle all too often amplify their situation by using inexperienced repairers. Even worse, some drivers make their own shoddy touch-up attempts to try and hide or rectify typical damage such as scuffs to bumpers, stone chips on bonnets and scratched alloy wheels.
Ian said: "There comes a time when every leased car comes to the end of its contract and has to be handed back.All too often, the first the driver or fleet manager becomes aware of the penalty he or she faces for damage is when they receive a bill - sometimes for hundreds of pounds - once they've handed their keys back.
"Leasing companies are lenient to general wear and tear, but their monthly rental is dependent upon the vehicle preserving a strong residual value, so there is a fine line as to what is or isn't general wear. This can be clarified and rectified by simply having it inspected by a qualified and experienced bodyshop technician who'll be able to provide an instant quote on bringing the vehicle back to showroom condition, if indeed any work is required."
He adds: "Drivers who try to repair themselves or obtain a 'cheap' repair often make the things far worse - they have to remember a leased vehicle is put through a stringent inspection process in order to have a resale value placed on it. A shoddy or poor repair will often devalue a vehicle far greater because it becomes harder to sell at auction or on a forecourt than one which hasn't been touched."
In order to combat the problem and to help company car fleets, more and more Fix Auto centres across the UK are providing services such as free defleet inspections, one day repairs and SMART repairs, alongside facilities such as office space and free Wi-Fi to ensure fleet drivers can keep working while their vehicle is being repaired.
"All Fix Auto bodyshops are fully conversant with industry standard Fair Wear & Tear guidelines, and so are perfectly placed to advise on what does and doesn't need rectifying. We have processes in place to turn around a repair, which includes re-spraying, in a matter of hours and even though we keep a vehicle's downtime to a minimum, we recognise that it is crucial for the driver to maintain productivity - many of our centres are now equipped ensure this is achieved with little or no disruption,"Ian concluded.
