You’ve chosen which car you want, what type of lease contract you are going to have and for how long, you’ve been approved for finance and you’ve just sent off your documents. What now?
Well, we have to process these lease documents. At OSV, we value transparency and think it’s important that our customers know exactly what happens at each part of their leasing process with us. So in this article, we’ll be talking about what sort of documents you will be expected to sign, how long they will take to process, and what things can hold up the documentation process.
It should be noted before we go on that this is the OSV process. And we can’t say that this will be the same with other vehicle suppliers.
What lease documents will I have to sign?
After you have signed your order form electronically, then our finance team will take over. That doesn’t mean you say goodbye to your sales advisor, they will still be on hand to answer any questions you may have. Anyway, once you have signed the order form you will be sent a documents pack. You will also receive an email outlining how to fill out the documents.
The documents you will receive are;
- The direct debit mandate
- The agreement
- The DVLA Keeper Input or Registration Form
- Depending on the dealership, a service car quotation pack
- Some dealerships, such as Mercedes, will always offer a service package with the car
Some finance documents are more detailed than others, it depends on the finance house and the dealership you are going through. But the documents are becoming simpler than they once were. However, if you are in doubt about anything in these documents then please do not hesitate to contact us. Our finance team go through this every day and they know exactly what you need to do and will be more than happy to help you.
After you have filled out the lease paperwork
Once you have finished filling out the paperwork mentioned above, we will ask you to scan the documents back to us. This is so we can check that everything is correct before you post them back (in case we need the originals).
When you scan them back, we will also get the initial verification. This is where the documents will be checked against the finance house’s system. If all is well, we will ask you to post the original documents back. We will also tell you where you need to post them to, as it might not be us. It’s around this time that we will also ask you for your original driving licence. This is for anti-fraud purposes and we will ask you to scan your licence so we can make sure the signatures match. The dealership will also ask you to post your original driving licence for the same reason.
We understand that this isn’t ideal, sending off your original driving licence can be an inconvenience. However it does have to be done. If you send it recorded delivery and the dealership send it back to you recorded delivery then you shouldn’t be without your licence for too long. You can read about leasing without a driving licence here. We also understand that our signatures change over time but they do need to be as close as possible.
So, once the original documents have been received we will look at the delivery of your vehicle. Sometimes your vehicle will be in stock and we can give you a delivery date. However, this isn’t always the case. And we can’t guarantee that this will be the case for you.
Overall, the documents process doesn’t take very long. Ideally it should take about a week. However, it can take longer.
How to avoid delaying the documents process
There are a few things that could delay the documents process. Many of these can be avoided. Some of the things that might delay the process are;
- Documents not being signed in the right place
- Documents being signed by someone other than the registered director
- The documents are left too long
- Documents may need to be reissued which can have a knock-on effect on the delivery
- We know that pestering you is annoying, but if we are bugging you to sign the documents then it’s for your benefit.
- The witnesses are wrong
- Most of the documents you will have to sign will need to be witnessed. This can’t be someone who is a family member or anyone living at the same address.
- Your signatures don’t match
- If they don’t match, then the finance house could reject them. As we said, we know signatures change, but they do need to be as close as possible.
So those are some of the things that can delay the documents process. If you avoid doing any of these then this will speed up the process greatly. Again, if you are in doubt about anything please do not hesitate to contact us. We are more than happy to bring up the documents and go through them with you.
What should I look for in my lease documents?
There are some things that you should be looking for in your documents to ensure that everything is in order. These include;
- Your mileage
- Bank details
- Car specification
- The payment profile
- The terms and conditions
Essentially, it should be the same as what you agreed to in your order form. Although the finance house raise the documents, you can still contact us if you need clarification or if something doesn’t look quite right. You can read about what’s included in the terms and conditions of your lease contract here.
Hopefully this has cleared a few things up about how long the documents process should take. Ideally, it shouldn’t take much longer than a week. But there is a chance it could take longer. However, you can help ensure the process goes smoothly by making sure that all the documents are correct and the documents are all signed in the right place. Again, if you’re in doubt, you can ring us on 01903 538835
