A Reminder of Our Policy

When your Volvo is returned at the end of the agreement, it should be in good condition.  The vehicle should be roadworthy, all features should be in working order and there should be no dashboard lights illuminated.

The vehicle must have been serviced according to Volvo’s servicing and maintenance schedule with the work conducted by a Volvo Authorised Repairer.  A service history by any other repairer devalues the vehicle and therefore you might be charged an additional fee when returning the vehicle.  Tyres should not have any damage to the sidewalls or treads and meet the minimum legal requirements.  Any bodywork repairs completed before the vehicle is returned should be conducted by a Volvo Authorised Bodyshop. Any repair work carried out by a non approved repairer, that is not deemed acceptable, will be charged.

To remove any uncertainty about what we mean by ‘good condition’, we use the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association’s (BVRLA) ‘Guide to Fair Wear and Tear’.  These independent guidelines allow us to apply fair and consistent standards to the condition of the vehicle at the end of the contract and determine whether any charges should apply.

To see a full copy of the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Guidelines, click here.

Your Appointment, what to expect:
Your allocated Inspector will call you to give an estimated time of arrival, either the previous working day or the morning of the Inspection.  They will call or send a text again when they are on their way to you. All Inspectors have identification.  They will record full details about the condition of your vehicle, including taking pictures if they need to.  You must be present to sign the report. You will then be emailed a copy of the report and your vehicle will be driven away.  The appointment will take between 30 – 45 minutes. Any damage that has been identified will be forwarded through on an Inspection report to our B2C operations team, who will contact you via email with any charges within 2 working days of the collection.

Required Items
When we inspect your vehicle, you need to return everything that was originally supplied, or a fee may be charged.  This includes (but is not limited to):

• Completed Service Book or Digitally Stored Service History
  
• The master key and any spare keys
  
• Spare wheel/ tyre inflation kit
  
• Parcel shelf
  
• Wheel bolt key (locking wheel nut)
  
• Charging cables (electric / hybrid vehicles only)
  
• Any other item supplied with the vehicle
  
  

Vehicle Condition
If we cannot drive the vehicle away because of any of the below points, you will incur a cancellation charge:

• Tyres not meeting required legal standards (see guide below) This is the number one cause of a cancelled collection.
  
• Not having a valid MOT
  
• Chipped or cracked windscreens within the A-Zone
  
• Flat battery
  
• Any warning light illuminated on the dashboard
  
• No charging cables present (electric vehicles only)
  
  

Additionally:

• You must ensure there is at least a 1/4 tank of fuel,
  
• If your vehicle is electric, it must be fully charged to 100%
  
• The vehicle must be clean enough, inside and out, for a detailed inspection. This requires a recent valet so the vehicles paint work is reflective.
  The collection will be cancelled if the vehicle has not been valeted.
  
• All personal items must be removed from the vehicle prior to the Inspection. We are unable to return any personal items left inside the vehicle.
  

To collect your vehicle, it must have at least one day of valid MOT left. If not, the collection will be cancelled, a charge applied, and you will need to arrange the MOT before rebooking.

Tyre Guide
Faulty tyres are the number one reason why vehicle inspections are cancelled.  If the tyres on the vehicle do not meet BVRLA standards, we will not be able to complete the inspection, and a cancellation fee will be charged.
To successfully complete the inspection and collection, please ensure:

• The tyre tread is at least 1.6mm across the centre three quarters of the tread.
  
• There are no foreign bodies in the vehicle tyres, which could include glass or nails. 
  
• The front two tyres and rear two tyres must be of the same tyre size.
  
• The vehicle tyres are free of cuts, cracks and bulges, especially those that show the tyre cord. Any cut, crack or bulge more than 25mm, 10% of -the tyre width, or deep enough to reach the ply cord will result in an inspection cancellation.
  
• The vehicle tyres are in line with, and comply with, the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation of tyre type, class, size and speed rating for the vehicle.
  
• There is no uneven wear on the tyres.
  
• There is no damage to the sidewalls of the vehicle tyres.
  
• The vehicle tyres are not be under- or over-inflated.
  
• The wheels are free of any dents or holes on the wheel rims. If you have any uncertainty about the condition of the tyres, please visit your local Volvo retailer for a free tyre check.
  
  

Will you charge me for wear and tear at the end of my contract?
When your vehicle is returned at the end of the contract, it is inspected and should be in a good condition. If the damage is above fair wear and tear, we will charge a fee to cover the depreciation of the vehicle value caused by the damage, whether we chose to repair it or not.

How do you determine if the damage needs to be charged?
We use the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) standards, which is an independent set of guidelines used by the vehicle leasing industry. We use these to check your vehicle and if the damage is over and above what is fair we will charge a cost whether we chose for commercial reasons to repair it or not.

What are the typical costs associated to the repair of the vehicle?
Identifying the type of repair needed will depend on the severity of the damage to the vehicle and therefore will be reflected in the cost of the relevant repair.  

I could have had repair work done cheaper elsewhere. Why have I been charged more?
You have the opportunity to repair the vehicle prior to return. Any repairs made to the vehicle before it is returned must meet the BVRLA standards, any repairs carried out that are not deemed acceptable will be charged.  We would always recommend any repairs are carried out by a Volvo approved accident repair centre, details of which are available here. Once the vehicle has been returned our standard costing matrix will be applied. We periodically review our charges to ensure we remain competitive in the marketplace.

I returned the spare key / service book later. Why have I been charged?
As mentioned previously, missing items such as keys, service books and parcel shelves must be available at the point of collection. If not, these items will be deemed as missing and are therefore chargeable under the relevant BVRLA guidelines. This applies even if you subsequently locate these items, we will not accept these to be returned after the collection.

What happens if I dispute the costs and/or damage at the time of collection?
We inspect the vehicle at the point of collection and provide clear photographic evidence. You, or your representative, are physically shown the damage at the time of collection, and we’ll provide a full report detailing damage and costs. You will receive a copy of the final inspection invoice from ourselves no more than 2 working days after the inspection has taken place. If you wish to dispute the damage found please contact us directly from email communication.

Please contact us to discuss claim in more detail.
Volvo Car UK Ltd
Telephone Number 01628 422522 – option 4
Opening Hours Mon – Saturday 0900 – 1730

If you are not happy with our final decision, you may still escalate your complaint to the conciliation service run by the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association (BVRLA), if you so wish. Their complaint form can be accessed from the following URL:
https://www.bvrla.co.uk/consumer-advice/making-a-complaint-adr/complaint-eligibility.html
and e-mail it to complaint@bvrla.co.uk
Alternatively you can write to:
The Chief Executive, BVRLA
River Lodge, Badminton Court, Amersham, HP7 0DD
Either party involved in the complaint can ask for the matter to be escalated to the BVRLA’s formal conciliation service. Any decisions made by this body are binding on BVRLA members.