Driver Services from Lex Autolease

Q. My vehicle order is delayed

A. If you have any questions about your vehicle order, please speak to your sales advisor.

The industry is currently seeing a challenge with supply because of a shortage of semiconductor chips, production delays from the impact of COVID-19 and continued increase in demand. We’re expecting these delays in vehicle supply to continue well into 2022 which may impact your vehicle’s lead times.

Q. What should be included in my driver pack upon delivery?

A. We include a driver pack with every vehicle. It's contents may change depending on availability, but will typically include; tailored floor mats, hessian safety bag, warning triangle, hi-visibility jacket, and a welcome letter.

If you have a maintenance package with us, we’ll also include an information window sticker that will provide details for specific services such as servicing, maintenance and breakdown.

Q. What happens if my vehicle is damaged on delivery?

A. Please make sure the vehicle is thoroughly checked during the hand over process. In the unlikely event of there being any damage on the vehicle, please ensure this is recorded on the delivery release note at the time of delivery and reported to your Customer Service Representative or fleet contact as soon as possible.

Q. How do I order replacement mats and or number plates?

A. If you have a problem with the mats or number plates supplied with your vehicle, please contact your Customer Service Representative in the first instance. Please note that these items will only be replaced free of charge if they are faulty (i.e. not damaged through accident), have been supplied by VGroup, or are covered under the 3 year warranty.

Q. Vehicle delivered does not match order

A. If your vehicle doesn't match what you've ordered when it’s delivered - please speak to your sales advisor or your fleet manager.

Q. When I book a repair or service, can the garage collect my car and drop it off afterwards?

A. Many franchised dealers provide a collection and delivery service depending on availability. If you would like to arrange this please ask the dealer when you call to make a booking or you could also consider asking about while-you-wait appointments if that would be suitable instead. Alternatively, you can use the Lex Autolease Driver Portal which includes the option to request collection and delivery.

Q. Will I be billed for my repair?

A. Any repairs required as a result of damage, theft, vandalism, driver neglect or misuse are not covered by any maintenance agreement.

Q. How do I find out when my MOT is due?

A. MOT reminders are automatically sent out in line with the following timescales:

1st reminder – approx. 56 days before MOT expires

2nd reminder – approx. 30 days before MOT expires

3rd reminder – approx. 7 days before MOT expires

Depending on what’s been agreed with your Fleet Manager, reminders may be sent via email or post. Please contact your Fleet Manager for further details.

Where vehicles are overdue an MOT Schedule, with details of vehicles without a valid certificate, is sent to the Fleet Manager/Fleet Helpdesk on a monthly basis.

Q. What happens if my vehicle fails the MOT?

A. Should your vehicle fail the MOT, Lex Autolease would arrange authorisation of the failing components with the repairing garage. Where the failing components require pre authorisation from your Fleet contact, Lex Autolease would seek authority. This ensures the vehicle is repaired and re tested before being returned. Lex Autolease proactively monitor any vehicles that fail an MOT to ensure the vehicle is road legal.

Q. If my vehicle has broken down will I get a free-of-charge replacement vehicle?

A. If your vehicle contract includes breakdown cover, you will be entitled to a free-of-charge relief vehicle upon recovery (subject to availability). You will need to request this from our recovery agent in order to book your rental vehicle. There are some occasions where this relief vehicle would be billed back to your company.

Q. In what cases would my 48 hour rental be billed to my company?

A. Damage, theft, driver error and vandalism may attract a charge to your company.

Q. What type of vehicle will I receive and what is the expected delivery time for a 48 hour rental vehicle?

A. Where the relief vehicle is a car, it will typically be a small hatchback-type vehicle, for example a Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo or Vauxhall Corsa.

Where the relief vehicle is a commercial vehicle, it would typically be a small to medium van, for example a Vauxhall Combo or Citroen Berlingo.

In business hours the expected waiting time for a relief vehicle is up to 2 hours. Delivery is not available outside of business hours, although it may be possible to make a vehicle available for collection from a rental branch.

Lex Autolease opening hours are 08:00–18:00 Monday to Friday and 08:30–12:30 on Saturdays. The two hour service level applies to booking made two hours before the end of working hours e.g. bookings must be made before 16:00 on week days.

Vehicles are provided subject to availability.

Q. Do I need to check or provide anything when receiving my relief vehicle from the recovery agent?

A. Upon delivery we would expect you to check the relief vehicle for damages to ensure that there are no unexpected damage claim charges. Equally, when the vehicle is collected by the supplier, it is advisable to check the vehicle again to ensure that any damage sustained in your care is accurately recorded. Please note that you’re expected to refuel your relief vehicle before returning it to the supplier.

Please note: It is your responsibility to ensure that the relief vehicle is covered under your company insurance.

Q. Will I get a relief vehicle whilst my vehicle is being repaired under warranty?

A. This is dependent on both the type of warranty that applies to your vehicle, your contract type and also the provision from the manufacturer.

If your vehicle contract includes relief vehicle provision as part of the agreement then a replacement vehicle will be made available for a maximum of 28 days. Please note this may not be a like-for-like vehicle.

If your vehicle does not include relief vehicle cover then it depends on the provision offered by the motor manufacturer. Manufacturer replacement vehicle cover is outside of our control and usually falls into three main categories:

1. Manufacturer or dealer provides onward mobility – you would need to provide a credit card and both parts of a driving licence prior to driving the vehicle.

2. Manufacturers do not support any form of onward mobility – it is the customer’s responsibility to arrange an alternative vehicle while repairs are being completed

3. Manufacturers offer a value of support per day to help customers with their onward mobility costs. The value may not cover the full amount of the daily charge. The request for this type of support must be made before the customer incurs any costs as retrospective claims are not supported.

Q. Who do I contact if I need to place an additional rental vehicle?

A. If your employer uses Lex Autolease to supply rental vehicles, our dedicated reservations team can be contacted on 0344 879 6666 option 1, or alternatively contacted via email on supplier@rentalmp.com who will be able to assist with your booking requirements.

Q. How much notice do I need to provide when requesting a rental vehicle?

A. Our minimum lead time requirement is 2 hours for a standard manual vehicle, and 4 hours should you need automatic transmission. Specialist vehicles are subject to longer lead times based on availability. Please refer to our vehicle group’s guide for exact clarification.

Q. If I have a problem with my rental vehicle, who should I contact?

A. Should you need any advice or assistance with your reservation please contact our reservations team here at Lex Autolease on 0344 879 6666 at your earliest opportunity. If, however, you need urgent roadside assistance, our individual suppliers will provide an emergency contact number on the back of the tax disc holder.

Q. What should I do if I have left any items in a rental vehicle that has now been returned?

A. Please contact us as soon as possible in order that we can address this with the supplying branch. We will endeavour to ensure any personal belongings are returned, however due to how quickly rental vehicles are turned around for the use of other customers, we cannot guarantee items will be retrieved by the branch. Please ensure the vehicle is emptied of personal belongings when off hired to avoid any disappointment.

Q. What happens if I receive a parking fine?

A.Council Parking Fines

If a parking fine is received on a vehicle the driver has the timeframe specified on the ticket to respond to the notice and either pay or appeal the fine. If the ticket is ignored then the issuing authority will issue a Parking Charge Notice to Lex Autolease who will respond to the fine (depending on the customer’s policy). Some parking fines will be captured by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR); these will come directly to Lex Autolease and will be responded to in accordance to the customer’s policy. If you’re unsure as to the terms of your policy please speak with your fleet contact.

Private Parking

On receiving a Private Parking notice we will follow the customer’s policy and either pay or nominate. If the customer’s policy is to pay the fine we will send a cheque to the issuing Private Parking Company and recharge the full amount to the customer. Depending on the policy, this could incur an administration fee.

If the policy is to nominate company address details, we will provide these details to the Private Company. Once the address has been received the Private Parking Company will transfer the liability into the customer’s name and issue them with a fresh notice. It then becomes the responsibility of the customer to either pay, appeal or nominate further. Depending on the policy, this could incur an administration fee.

If the policy is set to nominate driver address details, due to the Data Protection Act we are unable to provide these details to a Private Parking company. In these instances we will pass the notice directly to the customer’s address with a covering letter advising the customer to take action by either paying or appealing. Depending on the policy, this could incur an administration fee.

If, after 28 days, the customer has failed to make payment or appeal, the liability will be transferred back into Lex Autolease’s name - as the owners of the vehicle. Lex Autolease will then make contact with the customer giving them five working days to respond; if no response is made Lex Autolease will pay the now higher fine amount and fully recharge this to the customer.

All appeals can be made directly to the Private Parking Company should you wish to do so.

Q. Can I challenge a parking fine?

A. A customer can challenge a parking fine by sending an appeal directly to the issuing authority. This can be done for all offences regardless of whether Lex Autolease have paid or nominated the fine. Appeals can be submitted in writing or via the issuing authority’s website.

Q. What is the process for Congestion Charges?

A. It’s the driver’s responsibility to either pre-register or pay the daily charge when entering the Congestion Zone. If the vehicle isn’t registered, or the driver fails to pay on the day, then Transport for London will issue a Penalty Charge Notice to Lex Autolease. Due to a London by-law which prevents Lex Autolease being able to make representation against the offence, Congestion Charges have to be paid by the registered keepers. The fine will be paid and an administration fee may be charged depending on the customer’s policy with Lex Autolease. If the customer wishes to appeal the fine they can do so directly with Transport for London.

Q. What happens if I receive a speeding fine?

A. Speeding offences (Notice of Intended Prosecution) will be sent directly to Lex Autolease in order to make a nomination back to the police with the customer’s details. An administration fee for doing this may be charged in accordance with the customer’s policy. Once the customer receives this notice, if they are not the driver, they should respond to the policy with the correct driver details

***Please note that speeding offences cannot be passed to a third party and you MUST respond directly to the police. *** Once the speeding notice has reached the correct driver, the driver should complete the documentation where specified and send this back to the police. The police will then make them aware of any license endorsements, fines or speed awareness courses as a result of the speeding offence.

Q. Who decides what damage is fair wear and tear and what is outside of the guidelines?

A. An appraisal is carried out at point of collection where we ask all collection drivers to note any obvious damage. A full inspection of the vehicle will then be carried out once it arrives at our de-fleet centre. The vehicle will undergo a more detailed damage and condition assessment in a controlled inspection environment. Any additional damage that falls outside of the BVRLA (British Vehicle Rental Leasing Association) Fair Wear and Tear guidelines [link] will be recorded and a re –charge may be imposed.

Q. In what condition do you expect the vehicle to be returned?

A. We wouldn’t expect a vehicle to be returned in the same condition that we delivered it in at the beginning of the contract – fair wear and tear occurs no matter how carefully a vehicle is looked after, and happens when normal usage causes deterioration to a vehicle. It is not to be confused with damage which occurs as a result of a specific event or series of events such as impact, inappropriate stowing of items, harsh treatment or negligent acts.

All vehicle documentation including operation manuals, service books and any other documents relating to vehicle equipment must be intact and available. All documents must be inside the vehicle on its return. A full set of keys including the master key, spares and locking wheel nut keys, should be returned with the vehicle. Accessories such as parcel shelves, load covers, restraining straps and nets must be returned with the vehicle. The spare wheel (including ‘spacesaver’), jack and other tools must be intact, present and stowed properly, in the correct location and in good working order. The emergency tyre inflation canister, if supplied when new, should be in full working order, serviceable and ready for use. A canister that has been partially or fully discharged should be replaced.

Q. What are the expectations for windscreens, mirrors and windows?

A. Light scratching is acceptable provided it does not interfere with the driver’s line of sight and any heating elements still work properly. Chips, cracks or holes are not acceptable. Repaired chips within the driver’s line of sight are not acceptable. Repaired chips outside the driver’s line of sight are acceptable provided they are repaired to a professional standard and the work is under warranty. If it has passed an MOT this does not necessarily mean it is acceptable against the BVRLA Fair Wear & Tear return standard. Missing, cracked or damaged door mirrors are not acceptable.

Q. I’ve had the vehicle repaired prior to handing it back; will I be exempt from any charges?

A. We do not expect the collection drivers to identify if repaired damage is to the correct standard. Once returned to the de-fleet site, the vehicle will undergo a more detailed damage and condition assessment in a controlled inspection environment, to the BVRLA return standard. Any obvious evidence of poor repair, such as flaking paint, preparation marks, paint contamination, rippled and poorly matched paint, is not acceptable and a charge may be imposed.

Q. When my vehicle is collected at the end of the contract, what will the collection driver do?

A. The collection driver will make a note of any damage that is visible on the vehicle. The noted damage must be a true reflection of the vehicle’s condition at the point of collection. The damage recorded at the point of collection is not necessarily the damage that you will be charged for as often small marks and scratches will be within guidelines for fair wear and tear.

When the vehicle arrives at one of our centres it will be inspected by one of our fully BVRLA trained Vehicle Assessors. This assessment will identify damage which is within or outside of the BVRLA fair wear and tear guidelines. It is this assessment that decides what damage you will be charged for.

Q. What time will my vehicle be collected?

A. We’ll collect your vehicle between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Fridays, excluding bank holidays.