Leasing Guide

Leasing has become increasingly popular here in the UK. Though it’s not the traditional way of getting your next car, it’s definitely something you should consider. Or, maybe you have considered it and you’ve decided that this is what you want to do. How do you go about doing it? We at OSV know everything there is to know about car leasing. So, we’re going to talk you through how you can get a lease car and answering any questions you may have about that process. Firstly, how does car leasing actually work? It’s fairly simple. You have a car for a set period of time; they range from 1-5 years people typically opt for a contract lasting 2-3 years. You pay a series of monthly payments for the duration of your contract. Once that time is up and you’ve made all your payments, you hand the car back…

If you are considering leasing for the first time, you might be worried that you’re going to be ripped off.

It’s understandable. Leasing can seem like a daunting process. And pricing can be really complex if you aren’t sure what to look out for. But, once you know, it’s actually pretty simple.
At OSV, we have helped thousands of customers to know what is realistic when it comes to price, and what is not. This has enabled them to make educated decisions and prevented stress caused by ‘too good to be true’ deals that go wrong.
With this in mind, we wanted to write an article to provide you with top tips to ensure you will not be ripped off with your next lease car. Accreditations are extremely important when it comes to choosing a vehicle supplier. And making sure they are regulated by the FCA is vital.

This is because it is illegal for a vehicle broker to…

When you’re thinking about leasing a car, it’s important to think about the additional responsibilities that come with it.

For example, getting your car serviced. One of the things that is vital during your lease contract is that you get it serviced. But, are servicing costs included in your lease contract?
In this article we’ll be looking at how much the servicing will cost you, and whether that cost is included in your lease contract. Unfortunately, the servicing costs are not included in your lease contract. However, you can get something called a maintenance agreement, which adds the servicing costs to the monthly payments…

Buying a new car? It’s completely understandable that you want to know everything you can about the car you’re ordering and that you’re completely happy with the choice you’ve made. You may also be concerned that you’re not going to be happy with your order when it arrives. So, what do you do?

We get that circumstances can change and there’s nothing worse than being tied to something (like a car) that no longer meets your needs/preferences.
In this article we go through the steps you can take before you make your order, and afterwards, so you know what to do to prevent any issues.

The thing with leasing is that you don’t actually own the car. So, are you covered by the manufacturer’s warranty? This is something we get asked a lot, and it’s understandable. After all, if there’s a fault with the car and it’s down to the manufacturer, you want to be sure that you are covered. The short answer is; yes, you do get a warranty on a lease car. At OSV, we advise people on this every day, so we’re going to tell you what your warranty covers, what it doesn’t, and whether you can extend it. When you lease a car, it will come with a warranty. This is the manufacturer’s warranty, and usually lasts for three years. However, this varies depending on manufacturer and mileage terms. What does the warranty cover? Essentially, the warranty covers anything that is considered to be…

While a lease contract may not seem like a long time, it’s enough time for your circumstances to change. Sometimes drastically. So, can you get out of your lease contract?

You can. However, the point of a lease contract is that you see it out to the end; they aren’t designed to be finished half way through. But, we understand that things change, and some of these changes are out of your control. So, we’ve written an article explaining your options should you want to get out of your lease contract.

Before we start, it should be noted that this is for contract hire, private contract hire, operating lease or private operating lease. Any other agreement will be dealt with differently.
Your first option is that you can pay an early termination fee…

Sometimes our customers ask us why we won’t promise a delivery date for their vehicle. It’s understandable. They’ve paid for something, they want to know when it’s going to arrive at their door. However, we don’t promise delivery dates. Because we don’t make promises we can’t keep. And it’s the same for other trustworthy brokers or new car dealers. Anyone who values customer service will not promise a delivery date. And in this article we will explain why…

When you go through car finance, you will have to put down a deposit. This tends to be between 10-30% of the car’s value at the time. But, what if you don’t want to put down a deposit? Is there any way to get finance without one?
Not everyone wants to put down a deposit. But as we said, there’s no car finance scheme that doesn’t require a deposit. However, that does not mean it’s not possible. There are three ways you can get car finance if you do not have a deposit, and those are…

Sometimes, people are put off by the fact that they have to put down a deposit. They may want to keep the cash for something else, or they just don’t want to part with that much money. It’s understandable. So, can you get car finance without putting down a deposit? Unfortunately, there is no car finance option that does not require you to put down a deposit. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. There are some ways in which you can get car finance without putting down a deposit and those are; speak to your dealer or supplier and tell them you don’t have a deposit or get a personal loan. However, there are some things that you should consider before you decide which route to take…

Getting approved for car finance may sound scary, but it’s really not. Promise. It does become a whole lot less scary when you understand what exactly finance companies are looking for. If you arm yourself by knowing what they are looking for now, you will save yourself a lot of hassle in the long run. At OSV, we talk people through this process every day so we know how daunting it can be. Which is why we’re going to explain exactly what finance companies are looking for and what you can do to boost your chances of getting approved for car finance.

When you lease a car, you have to get it serviced. Not only do you have to get it serviced, but you also have to get it serviced on time and at the recommended intervals. This is because when you return your lease vehicle, the leasing company will check your service history. But, do you have to get it serviced at a franchised dealer?

We understand that servicing and maintenance of the car is one of the most common worries for customers and we have educated thousands of customers on exactly what the obligations are with regards to servicing lease cars. Which is why we’re going to explain why you have to get your car serviced at a franchised dealer.

It’s no secret that leasing a car comes with additional costs, and most of these additional costs involve you having to ensure that your lease vehicle is in top condition.

Depending on your lease contract, you may have to think about your vehicles MOT. Unlike servicing, you don’t always have to get your lease vehicle MOT’d. Whether you do depends on your contract. If you do, then there are some things you should consider because we know that if you’re new to leasing, one of the biggest concerns customers have is being caught out by hidden costs.
We discuss this with customers every day, which is why we’ve written an article explaining whether you have to get your lease car MOT’d, whether you have to pay for it and what happens if your lease car fails its MOT.

Car leasing is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. But, how does it work? If you’re new to leasing, there’s a lot to take in. Sometimes it can be difficult to understand what leasing even is. That’s why we thought we would write an essential guide to car leasing and how it works in the United Kingdom. So firstly, what is car leasing? Car leasing is essentially when you have a car for a set period of time, making monthly payments until that time is up. Then, you hand the car back. It’s fairly simple. The main difference between leasing and buying is that when you lease a car, you don’t actually own it. Whether this is an advantage or a disadvantage is completely subjective…

Car leasing has become extremely popular within the last 5 years, and with the prices some lease companies are offering, it’s easy to see why. However, some people are sceptical about the too-good-to-be-true deals when it comes to leasing a car.

We understand why people are sceptical, with such great deals there simply has to be a catch.
Well, no, there’s not. There are some things that you should take into consideration when leasing a car, and whether these things count as ‘catches’or not is completely subjective. The only way, really, you would get caught out is if your vehicle broker did not go over it with you before you signed along the dotted line. At OSV, we have years of experience educating customers, which is why we are going to explain what we think count as ‘catches’ in lease contracts to reassure you that you won’t get caught out by a hidden cost.

It’s not the most exciting bit of the leasing process, but it’a absolutely vital that you know exactly what you are signing and that it is all correct. This is so you can drive away in your shiny new car as soon as possible. At OSV, we go through the documentation process with our customers everyday, so we know that this can be a lengthy process. In this article we talk you through the paperwork process, providing information on everything you need to know.

So, you’ve finally got your lease car. And you love it, obviously. Now, you have to think about servicing it.

Servicing your car is a necessary cost when it comes to leasing a vehicle. But, how much is it really going to cost you? We’ve put together an article explaining what’s involved with each service, and how much it will cost you (approximately)…

Do I Have to Service a Lease Car?

The short answer is; yes, you do have to service a lease vehicle. The long answer is; yes you definitely have to service a lease car, as per the manufacturer’s guidelines.
This is because although you don’t own the car or van you are responsible for it. When you go to return the car, the finance house/leasing company want the car to be in a road worthy condition, for it to be mechanically sound and, if applicable, with the balance of the Manufacturer’s Warranty.

When you see a brand new Mercedes available for less than £200 a month, you’re going to assume that there are hundreds of pounds worth of hidden costs that they haven’t included in that price.

You’re right to assume that because of course it isn’t going to be £200 a month. But it doesn’t mean that the extra costs are ‘hidden’ as such, they just aren’t staring you in the face.
If you are dealing with a trustworthy broker, then they should be transparent on how much leasing a car will cost you. A BVRLA accredited company will have to do this because it’s part of their regulations. So, if you go through an accredited broker, then there shouldn’t be any cost that takes you by surprise.
But there will be extra costs, and it’s important to know those beforehand so you can take them into consideration when thinking about your budget. It’s for this reason that we’ve written an article on extra costs when leasing a car.

We at OSV know how vital it is that you are able to trust the company you are leasing a car from. Of course you want to be able to trust them, how do you know if they are working in your best interests if you don’t?

But, how do you know if a leasing company is trustworthy? Luckily, we have the answer to that question, and in this article we will be discussing how you can tell if your vehicle supplier is reputable. Leasing isn’t for everyone, and there could be a chance that leasing isn’t actually the right option for you. Therefore a trustworthy vehicle supplier should…