Mahony Fleet Fair Wear & Tear Guidelines 

Considering a vehicle’s age and mileage and covering overall condition, from the mechanics and the electrics through to the bodywork and the upholstery, fair wear and tear summarises the degree of deterioration judged to be reasonable at the end of a contract period. Fair wear and tear should not be confused with damage which occurs as a result of a specific event or series of events, such as an impact, inappropriate stowing of items, harsh treatment, negligent acts or omissions. 

 

Lack of attention to preventative measures, misuse or neglect are the main reasons fleet vehicles suffer from excessive wear and tear. You can expect to incur refurbishment charges from us if a vehicle is returned with an unreasonable level of wear and tear at the end of the contract.

 

We have designed this guide to help you to understand the implications of our Fair Wear and Tear Policy. By providing you with this information we strive to reduce the refurbishment charges at the end of the contract, saving you and your company money and time, in addition to reducing any uncertainty at the end of the contract.

 

It is advised to share this Fair Wear & Tear Policy with drivers, so they are aware of the standards expected on the return of their vehicle. By ensuring your drivers know what is expected of them on the return of their company vehicle and by taking reasonable steps to ensure the vehicle is cared for properly, you may find that overall refurbishment costs will be minimised.

 

Please note the following:

• Where replacement parts are required, manufacturer’s list price will be used.

• Costs to repair damage will be recharged where the damage has been caused due to accident, vandalism, negligence or where there has been a poor repair that needs to be rectified.

• The cost of chargeable damaged is based on current market pricing for a quality repair in line with the age, mileage and value of the vehicle.

 

Our Fair Wear & Tear Standards

 

When the vehicle is collected or returned from the driver, the condition of the vehicle will be assessed under the following headings: 

 

1. General Appearance and Road Safety

• Regular cleaning of both the interior and exterior of the vehicle is required. The vehicle should be returned at lease end in a suitably clean condition to allow proper inspection of paint, body and interior.

• There should be no rust or corrosion on any part of the bodywork, trim of the vehicle or on the alloys.

• All electronic safety features and advanced driver assistance systems that help the driver, such as parking sensors, cruise controls, lane departure and collision warnings, must be in working order

 

2. Servicing, Maintenance and Repair

• Regular maintenance and servicing should be carried out by a franchised dealer or our approved servicing agent according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, using approved service parts and lubricants only.

• Any repairs made to the vehicle before its return must be to a professional standard by repairers who can provide full warranty on their work.

• All standard equipment, together with non-standard or “customised” fittings originally supplied, must be returned at the end of the contract period.

 

3. Documentation

• The service book, if originally supplied with the vehicle, must be present and date stamped by the repairer or workshop as evidence that the services have taken place. If the service record is kept electronically, the driver must produce evidence that the vehicle has been serviced and maintained according to the vehicle manufacturers service and maintenance schedule.

• The vehicle handbook and any other documents relating to vehicle equipment are the responsibility of the vehicle user and must be intact and available. All documents must be in the vehicle on its return to us – including and details of radio codes.

 

4. Keys and Security

• A full set of keys should be available. If the locking system is remote, the appropriate key fobs should be available and functioning. Return of the master key, which controls the vehicles engine management system, is mandatory.

• If the vehicle was originally supplied with an alarm system, this should be intact and fully operational, including any key or fob necessary for operation.

 

5. Vehicle Body and Paintwork

• There should be no rust, corrosion or discolouration on any painted area, including painted bumpers, body mouldings and mirrors.

• Exterior paintwork should be free from major abrasions such as paint damage caused by continual use of automatic car-washing and have good gloss and colour. Colour mismatch between panels or poorly fitting panels are unacceptable.

• Repaired chips, scratches and dents are acceptable provided the work is completed to a professional standard by our pre-approved agents.

• Chips of 3mm or less in diameter are acceptable provided they are not rusted. A maximum of four chips on any panel, six chips per door edge and eight chips on any forward-facing panel is permitted.

• Dents of 15mm or less in diameter are acceptable provided there are no more than two per panel and the paint surface is not broken. Chips within dents are not acceptable. Dents on the roof or on the swage line of any panel are not acceptable.

• Scratches surface scratches of 25mm or less where the primer or bare metal is not showing are acceptable provided they can be polished out. A maximum of four surface scratches on one panel is acceptable.

• Scuffs of 25mm or less are acceptable provided the moulding or trim is not broken, cracked or deformed.

 

6. Window Glass

• Damage in excess of 10mm in the driver’s line of vision (a vertical strip 290mm wide centred on the steering wheel), or in excess of 40mm elsewhere in the area swept by the vehicle’s wiper blades are not acceptable.

• Light scratches and minor chipping around the periphery of the windscreen is accepted as fair wear and tear. The windscreen must be able to pass an NCT inspection.

 

7. Lamp & Lens

• All lamps must be operational. Minor scuffmarks or scratches of 25mm or less are acceptable, but holes or cracks in the glass or plastic covers or lamp units are not.

 

8. Door Mirrors

• Missing, cracked or damaged door mirrors are not acceptable. Adjustable and/or heated mirrors must work correctly. Minor scuffmarks on the back of door mirrors are acceptable provided they have not penetrated through to the metal.

 

9. Vehicle Interior

• The interior should be clean and tidy with no visible burns, tears or permanent staining to seats, headlining or carpets. Wear and soiling through normal use is acceptable.

• Carpets should not have holes. All seats originally supplied must be present.

 

10. Boot & Luggage Area 

• Surface scoring and light blemishes that reflect normal use are acceptable but floor coverings and surrounding trim panels should not be torn or split. 

 

• Accessories such as parcel shelves, load covers, boot liners, restraining straps and nets must be returned with the vehicle.

 

11. Equipment & Controls

• All original controls must be intact and operate correctly. All odometer alterations must be reported and unauthorised odometer changes are unacceptable. Missing parts and items will be recharged.

 

12. Wheels and Wheel Trims

• Tyre wear & damage: All tyres, including any spare, must meet the minimum legal required tread depth and comply with the vehicle manufacturers recommendations of tyre type, class, size and speed rating for the vehicle. There must be no damage to the sidewalls or tread.

• Wheels & Wheel trim: Dents or damage to the rim or main body of the wheels are not acceptable. Scuffs up to 50mm on the total circumference of the wheel rim and on the alloy wheels are acceptable. The spare wheel, jack and appropriate wheel tools must be stowed properly and in good order. The spare wheel should never be removed from the vehicle. The emergency tyre inflation kit, if supplied when new, should be in full working order, serviceable and ready for use.

 

13. Vehicle Underside

• Minor dents and deformation such as stone damage is acceptable as long as it has not caused major corrosion. Any suspected impact damage should be investigated and dealt with professionally as significant damage or distortion to chassis components is not acceptable.

 

14. Mechanical Condition:

• Regular, timely servicing and maintenance through an our approved agent and in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer’s servicing schedule should keep the vehicle in sound mechanical condition. The following examples are conditions usually caused by vehicle neglect or misuse and therefore are not regarded as fair wear and tear.
  • Brakes: Grooved brake discs caused by metal-to-metal contact (worn brake pads).
  • Engine: Seized due to running vehicle with insufficient coolant, lubricating oil and with broken internal components.
  • Manual Transmission: Slipping, erratic gear changing, clutch slipping, noisy transmission or ineffective synchromesh.
  • Automatic Transmission: Noisy gearbox or torque converter, abrupt gear changes or loose gear linkage.

 

Taking Care of your Vehicle  

 

A well cared for vehicle will not only reflect a positive image for your company but will likely reduce cost for you when the vehicle is returned. Here are some tips to help you take care of your vehicle during the term of the vehicle lease:

 

1. Familiarise yourself with your vehicle

• When you first receive your new vehicle take the time to read through the handbook and learn where all the controls are and how to operate the features. Also, make sure you know where the tools and jack are for that unexpected flat tyre moment.

 

2. Keep it Clean

• Regular washing helps to remove grit, bird droppings and other harmful substances. It also helps you to identify damage that should be repaired at the time (e.g. scrapes through to bare metal, rust, etc.) Regular vacuuming of the interior helps maintain the appearance of the upholstery. We do not advise the use of mechanical car washes as these have the potential to scratch paintwork.
• It is forbidden to smoke in the vehicle. In the event that smoking has taken place in the vehicle, you will be charged an additional €500 to valet the vehicle and account for the reduction in the value of the vehicle.

 

3. Keep it Serviced

• The vehicle must be serviced and maintained in accordance with the vehicle manufacturers guidelines. This will help maintain performance and preserve its safety features and emissions standards. The service schedule can be found in the handbook.

 

4. Tyres

• Inspect them regularly for damage and ensure tyre pressures are correct. Check that the wear on the tread across each tyre is even. Even a small difference in tyre pressure can affect the performance and safety of your car.

 

5. Removable Items

• Take care of items that can be removed such as parcel trays, head rests, handbooks, cigarette lighters etc. These are often expensive items and are required to be returned at the end of the contract.

 

6. Keys and Remotes

• Most keys are now electronically coded and form an integral part of a vehicles security system. Both remotes and replacement keys are very expensive items and must be returned at the end of the contract. Make sure spare keys are kept in a safe place.

 

7. Do your own inspection

• Take a few minutes during the contract period to regularly inspect your own vehicle for faults or repair requirements. This will allow you to arrange to have any damage rectified and missing items replaced before returning the vehicle at the end of the contracted term.