Fair wear and tear or damage? Where the line usually falls

A lease agreement expects the car back in a condition consistent with fair wear and tear. What that phrase actually covers is what separates a return with no charge from an invoice. There is no universal answer — but there are recognisable criteria.

Where the distinction comes from

Fair wear and tear is what a vehicle picks up simply from being used as intended, over the agreed term and mileage. Damage is what results from an impact, from neglect, from missed servicing or from unusual use.

Two practical consequences:

  • Mileage and age count. What is unremarkable on a four-year-old car with 120,000 miles is not on a two-year-old with 20,000.
  • The nature of a defect matters more than its size. A stone chip is a road risk; a dent is an impact.

Most funders publish a written standard describing, item by item, what is accepted. Ask for it. Reading it in advance is the single best use of ten minutes before a collection.

Usually treated as fair wear and tear

  • Light wash swirls spread across the paintwork.
  • Small stone chips on the front bumper and sills.
  • Even tyre wear above the legal minimum.
  • Shine on the steering wheel, gear knob and driver's seat bolster, in proportion to mileage.
  • Mat wear under the heel.
  • Light marks in the boot from ordinary loading.

Usually treated as damage

  • A scratch through to primer or metal, whatever its length.
  • A dent with broken paint, or a distorted panel.
  • A kerbed alloy with metal removed.
  • A chip or crack in the windscreen.
  • A cracked headlamp, a misted lamp unit, a broken mirror.
  • A burn, a tear or a stubborn stain inside.
  • A persistent smell of smoke or animals.
  • Missing items: second key, parcel shelf, charging cable, tools.
  • Accessories fitted that were not agreed, or holes drilled in bodywork.
  • Servicing not carried out, or not to schedule.

Handling the grey area

  1. Photograph it beforehand. A defect recorded with a date can be discussed; an unrecorded one cannot.
  2. Put it against the mileage. A high-mileage car is expected to show more wear, and that is an argument you can make.
  3. Get a second opinion. A body shop will tell you in two minutes whether a defect is a polish or a respray. That is the information that decides it.

Things that are never fair wear and tear

  • Missing items. A missing second key is a certain line. Look for it now.
  • Servicing. An incomplete history cannot be recovered in a week.
  • Tyres below the legal limit. A safety matter before it is a billing one.
  • Modifications. Wraps, stickers, tow bars, non-standard wheels: the car goes back as it was supplied.

Preparing a car means fixing what can be fixed and recording the rest. It does not mean disguising anything: a visible touch-up or a polish that has gone through the lacquer is spotted, and works against you.