End of lease

Handing back a lease car? What to check before the inspection

By Leon Anderson · 6 November 2026 · 5 min read

The most stressful part of a lease often isn't signing up. It's handing the car back and waiting to hear what you'll be charged for.

Most lease companies inspect returned cars against the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Guide, which sets out what counts as normal wear for the car's age and mileage, and what counts as damage you pay for. The good news is that most charges can be predicted, and many can be avoided, if you look at the car properly two to four weeks before it goes back.

Here is the checklist I'd use, from years of collecting and delivering vehicles.

1. Read the rules first

Download the current BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Guide and check your lease agreement. Some lease companies use their own standards on top of the guide, and the exact size limits for scratches, dents and chips are set out there. Check them rather than guessing.

2. Walk round the car in daylight

Clean the car first; dirt hides marks. Then go panel by panel: doors, wings, bonnet, roof, boot lid and both bumpers. Look for scratches through the paint, dents, scuffs on bumper corners, cracked lights and damaged mirrors. Crouch down and look along the sides, where small dents catch the light.

3. Check the wheels and tyres

Kerbed alloy wheels are one of the most common charges. Look at each wheel rim, and check the tyres: tread must be at least the legal minimum of 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, and cuts or bulges in the sidewall are treated as damage. If the car came with a spare wheel or an inflation kit, make sure it's still there.

4. Look at the glass

Check the windscreen for chips and cracks, especially in the driver's line of sight. Small chips can often be repaired cheaply, and your insurance may cover it.

5. Check the interior

Look for stains, burns, tears and wear on the seats, carpets and headlining, and check the boot floor. Strong smells, such as smoke or pets, can lead to valeting charges.

6. Gather everything that came with the car

This is where easy money is lost. Make sure you have:

• both keys
• the locking wheel nut
• the parcel shelf and floor mats
• the handbook and any navigation SD card
• for electric cars, the charging cables

7. Get the paperwork ready

Make sure the service history is up to date, in the book or as a digital record. A missed service can cost more than the service itself. Check the mileage against your agreement too, as excess miles are charged per mile.

8. Decide: repair it, or pay the charge?

For anything that's likely to be charged, get a quote. A mobile repairer can often fix scuffs, chips and kerbed wheels for less than the lease company would charge, but not always, so compare before you book.

9. Record the car's condition yourself

Whatever you decide, take dated photographs of every panel, every wheel, the interior, the mileage and the fuel level on the day you hand the car back, and keep them. If a charge arrives weeks later, it shouldn't be your word against theirs.

Leon Anderson is the founder of Xentra Inspect and a former vehicle delivery driver for BCA, DriiveMe and Big Motoring World.