How to challenge end-of-lease charges – and win

SOMETIMES it seems like a lose-lose situation.

You return a hard-worked lease car with a few little scrapes and dents and expect some financial penalty. But what if the hire company levies more than you expect for end-of-lease charges? There can be a remedy.

The Financial Ombudsman has released this case study.

When Mr V reached the end of the finance agreement on his car, he returned the car to the hire company he’d leased it from. The company contacted him to confirm his contract had ended. And they also sent him a bill with some additional charges.

Mr V wasn’t happy with all the charges – in particular, £350 relating to damage to the roof of the car.

When he asked for more information, the company told him there were dents in the roof. They said they’d made it clear that Mr V would be charged for this kind of damage.

Two dents or three?

Mr V maintained that he hadn’t damaged the car’s roof. But when the company insisted he pay the charge, he turned to the Financial Ombudsman for help.

Mr V told the ombudsman he’d known he’d scratched the front of the car – and he’d expected to pay for this, as well as for extra mileage.