Ask away

That, unsurprisingly, depends on how far you think you'll be driving over the term of the lease. Knowing how many miles you normally cover in a year is a good starting point. If you don't keep count, check the mileages on your old MOT papers. Or, make a list of the most regular trips you take in a month. Multiply that out over the year and add a little extra for ad hoc or special trips (like the annual drive to see Nana in Newcastle). 

We’ve put together a table to show how you could calculate your total mileage for a two-year lease plan.

Journeys	Average monthly mileage
Commuting 3 days a week to the office (20-mile round trip)	240 miles
School run (2-mile round trip)	40 miles
Running errands (5 miles a week)	20 miles
Weekend fun (30 miles)	120 miles
Buffer miles for special occasions	50 miles
Monthly total	470 miles
Annual total	5,640 miles
Total mileage across a two-year lease (with buffer)	12,000 miles

 

Want to know more about calculating your mileage before you place your order? Get the full details in our handy guide.

You can always change your mileage by contacting the Customer Care team via 0113 468 5377 or emailing [email protected].Then we’ll update your agreement with your new mileage.
It's worth a check every now and then as you could be charged excess mileage charges if you travel further than you told us. More info on that in our handy key information guide.

Of course, but there could be a charge depending on when/why you cancel.

From the day you make it official and sign your agreement, your 14-day cooling off period begins. Within this period, you are able to reject your order without receiving any cancellation fees and your processing fee will be refunded (£99 for new cars and £199 for used cars).

If you cancel after we’ve ordered your new car from the dealer, you’ll need to pay any charges they apply but we’ll work with them to keep this as low as possible. It’s normally around 10% of the cost of the car including any optional extras. Unfortunately, your processing fee won’t be refunded if you cancel at this stage.

Depending on why you want to cancel, you might prefer to just amend your order.

If in doubt, please call us to talk this through before placing your order so we can make sure you have all the information you need before committing to anything. Give our New Car Consultants a ring on 0113 468 5377.

You can’t. Your new wheels are only yours once you’ve signed your agreement and paid your processing fee.

If you do order some shiny wheels with us, please keep an eye on your inbox for these two emails. They’re a pretty big deal!

We’ll send you an order confirmation email (from [email protected]) that has key information about the car in one place. For details about the lease, take a look at your lease agreement (you review and sign this when you place your order).

It is your responsibility to fully comprehensively insure the car before it is delivered. You need to do this to comply with our Terms and Conditions and also protect yourself and us.

Shortly after your car is booked for delivery, you’ll receive a delivery confirmation email from [email protected]. You will find your registration number in this email. If you need this earlier or urgently, please contact the Customer Care team on 0113 468 5377 or at [email protected].

Every model's different. When you’re on our website, you can pick a car you like the look of to get more info about its features such as the driver aids and entertainment system.

If you’d like to speak to us, you can give our New Car Consultants a call on 0113 468 5377 or drop them an email [email protected].

If you’re looking at a new car and it’s missing a feature that you're after, you should be able to add it. As this is a factory order, you might have to wait a little longer for delivery. But you'll get exactly what you want. Winner.

It’s best to get in touch with us before that happens, so we can update your lease to reflect your actual mileage. This will probably increase your monthly payments. If you don’t let us know then we’ll charge you for every additional mile when you return the car, the amount will vary depending on your lease details. You can find out more about that (and loads of other things) in our handy key information guide. 

When you place your order, you’ll pay a processing fee.

When a delivery date is scheduled for your car, you’ll be asked to pay your initial payment.

Then, one month after your car is delivered, you’ll start your monthly payments. You're free to pick a payment date that suits you – to come just after payday, for example. We'll put the exact timings in your contract. 

Plus, you can change your payment date as many times as you need to. Just ring the Customer Care team on 0113 468 5377 or email [email protected].

At the end of your lease, we’ll check all is well with your mileage and the condition of your car. If you’ve gone over your mileage or there’s damage on the car outside of fair wear and tear, there may be charges. More on that further down the page.

If there is anything we should know about that will help us to better meet your circumstances, please call us on 0113 468 5377 or let us know by emailing [email protected]. This could be any personal circumstance or life event that may impact how you access our services or make use of our cars, eg any learning disabilities, hearing impairment, mental health issues, financial distress.

We adopt a ‘tell us once’ approach. Therefore, we will update our systems for future reference and will only use this data for this. This information will not be shared with any third parties and will only be accessible by our team. We appreciate that some needs may be temporary and can therefore remove this information at any time, just let us know when things change. Please see our data and privacy notice for further information on how we process your data.

Depending on your circumstances, external specialist support is available and may be able to assist you:

• Samaritans (Crisis support) - www.samaritans.org or call them on 116 123
• Mind (mental health support) www.mind.org.uk or call them on 0300 123 3393
• GamCare (Gambling Support) - www.gamcare.org.uk or call them on 0808 8020 133
• We are with You (drug and alcohol addiction support) - www.wearewithyou.org.uk

If you’re experiencing financial distress, please talk to us so we can better meet your circumstances. Speak to the Financial Assistance team on 0113 468 5377 (option 4) or by emailing them at [email protected]. 

We also have a dedicated money hub full of useful information, links to support services and general money tips. It’s a great place to start if you’re having money worries.

We adopt a ‘tell us once’ approach. Therefore, we will update our systems for future reference and will only use this data for this. This information will not be shared with any third parties and will only be accessible by our team. We appreciate that some needs may be temporary and can therefore remove this information at any time, all you have to do is let us know when things change. Please see our data and privacy notice for further information on how we process your data.

If you're driving sensibly and you look after your car, you'll probably be fine. It's best to check the BVRLA wear and tear guide, though. It gives you plenty of examples of what's fair and what's not. If it looks like you've put your car through the mill when you give it back, we could ask you to pay for repairs. 

If you already know the car you want, you can do the whole thing online. Or you can give the Sales team a bell on 0113 468 5377 (Option 1). They'll help you pick your car and order it online. They can even call you back if it's easier.

They'll give you loads more info about any cars you've got your eye on.  They'll also tell you how much the car costs, and they'll let you know how long it should take to deliver it.

Yes. We'd hate to see anyone get into money struggles from driving one of our cars or entering a lease with us. So, we always run a credit check to make sure you can afford the lease you're after. We’ll run a credit check in the initial order stages. We'll check your ID too (to make sure you're really you). So be sure to have photographic ID and proof of address ready when you get to this stage.

The checks will show up on your credit history, which means other lenders could see them if you apply for credit somewhere else.

If you're not sure whether you'll pass our checks, you can use our finance eligibility checker to find out, without impacting your credit score. This is a soft credit check that won’t impact your credit score.

So, you’re eager to get a new car but you have no idea what do with your current one. No stress, our friends at carwow can help you with that. Sell your car in three simple steps – it’s super easy and completely free!

Every model's different. When you’re on our website, you can pick a car you like the look of to get more info about its features such as the driver aids and entertainment system.

If you’d like to speak to us, you can give our New Car Consultants a call on 0113 468 5377 or drop them an email [email protected].

If you’re looking at a new car and it’s missing a feature that you're after, you should be able to add it. As this is a factory order, you might have to wait a little longer for delivery. But you'll get exactly what you want. Winner.

Unfortunately, not. Check the information on the site or speak to one of our New Car Consultants if there’s a feature you have your heart set on and we’ll make sure the car has it, or find you one that does!

You can give the New Car Consultants a call on 0113 468 5377 (option 1) or drop them an email [email protected].

You got it, here’s everything you need to know.

If it’s a new car, you are.

Used cars are covered by our ‘used car promise’ as well as any manufacturer’s warranty that still applies.

It really depends what goes wrong. AA breakdown cover is included as standard, so we’ll never leave you stranded.

You can report a breakdown by calling the AA on 03330 046 046. All you need to hand is your registration number.

If the car needs repairs for general wear and tear or damage that’s due to the way it’s been driven then you’ll be responsible for these.

If it’s a manufacturing issue, then we’ll get this sorted for you under the warranty. You just need to give the Customer Care team on 0113 468 5377 (option 3) and we’ll take care of it.

Worried about general wear and tear? Opt for the maintenance package for some peace of mind. Whether it’s a pothole puncture or worn-down tread leaving you needing replacement tyres, we’ve got you. Get covered for MOTs, servicing, and tyre TLC with manageable monthly payments.

Yes.

If you lease a new car, you won’t need to MOT it for the first two years. So, if you’re on a 3-year lease you’ll MOT it once. For a four-year lease, you’ll MOT your car twice.

Plus, if your car is due to be returned within the 4 weeks leading up to your MOT due date, you’d need to have your MOT carried out prior to returning the car.

Used cars will have at least 3 months on the MOT. If the MOT needs to be done during your lease then you'll need to sort this yourself (unless you're on our shiny maintenance package... nudge nudge)!

It simply means the car has already been registered, so might not carry the latest registration plate. It’s effectively still a new car and you’ll be the first proper driver, but we filed the paperwork to say we owned the car at some point in the past. You’ll normally get a slightly better deal on our pre-registered cars.

Our pre-registered cars are NOT ex demo cars, as can sometimes be the case. They’re new. This means there has been no previous owner and the mileage will be minimal – usually just to get it to a storage location or delivered to you!

Where we have already registered a car and it doesn’t have the latest registration plate, we’ll make it clear in the way the car is named i.e., Audi A3 TFSI – Automatic – ’20 Plate.

Since the car is already registered and built, you can’t customise the car. If you’d prefer to start from scratch and spec your own car, this will be a factory order. Factory orders will take longer to get to you, so keep this in mind when choosing your new wheels!

You’re looking for the 3rd and 4th character in the registration plate to tell when the car was registered. A car with registration AB70 CDE was registered between 1st September 2020 and 28th of February 2021.

Registered date	Plate
1st March – 31st Aug 2019	19
1st Sept – 28th Feb 2020	69
1st March – 31st Aug 2020	20
1st Sept – 28th Feb 2021	70
1st March – 31st Aug 2021	21

The car’s warranty, MOT and service clock starts ticking on a car as soon as it’s registered. For example, if you have a 3-year lease on a pre-registered car, you will need to get an MOT test done before you return it. It’s important to take costs such as these into account before you sign the lease agreement.

It also means that you’ll get some wheels that can be delivered pretty quickly. These cars are built and ready to go.

When you lease a car with us you can either lease a factory order or one of our in-stock cars – the process is the same for both, the only differences are the spec of the car and when it will be delivered to you.

A factory order is a car that’s built just for you, so you get the ultimate control over the spec, any optional extras, and the colour of the car. Plus, with a factory order you’ll be able to pick from a greater range of cars and get access to the latest models – anyone fancy a VW Caddy or a Lexus RZ? 

Whereas our in-stock cars are already built and ready to go, so if you need a new car quick and you’re not bothered about being able to customise it you might prefer to lease an in-stock car. But if you fancy customising your car to exactly how you want it and you don’t mind waiting a bit longer to get your dream car, then a factory order could be the one for you. You can learn more about factory orders over on our dedicated page.

The top reasons why our customers choose a factory order:

• You can customise the car and put your stamp on things
• You’ll get access to the latest models and newest reg plates
• You’ll have enough time to sort out your old car before your new one arrives

Fancy enjoying all that plus the usual Zen goodies like free Mainland GB delivery along with breakdown cover, road tax, and the manufacturer’s warranty included in your lease? Just Zen it!

Whether you order an in-stock car, or a factory order the ordering process is pretty much the same, except you have the option to customise a factory order when you build your lease.

So, what’s the deal?

It’s all online and will be done in no time! You just build your lease and customise the car to how you want it, submit a credit application, sign your agreement, and then wait for new car day all without leaving your sofa.

If you need a hand our New Car Consultants are just a call or email away! You can reach them on 0113 468 5377 (option 1) or email [email protected].

PS.PS. Don’t forget to add our shiny maintenance package to your lease! Make your life easier and spread the cost of MOTs, servicing and tyre TLC.

If you opt for a factory order, you’ll have the flexibility to customise your car with any of the add-ons available for that specific car. A factory order is built just for you, so it’s tailored to your requirements – you’ll be able to choose the trim, add any optional extras and pick the exact colour that you want. Ready to put your spin on things with a factory order? Browse our new car deals to find your dream wheels

Since a factory order is built from scratch when you place your order, it will take longer to arrive than if you opted for one of our already built in-stock cars. But good things are worth the wait, right?

If you’re eying up a factory order and want to know how long delivery could be just reach out to our New Car Consultants before you order – you can ring them on 0113 468 5377 (option 1) or just email  [email protected]. Depending on the car you want and the spec, we’ll then find out the expected lead time for you. If you decide to go ahead and order the car, we’ll then give you regular updates on the status of your order and send you all the info you need ahead of new car day.

Whatever you want it to be, in £250 increments. The higher this is, the lower your monthly payments will be.

You do. There’s a £99 processing fee for new cars and for used cars it’s £199. You won’t have to pay this until you’ve passed our finance checks and signed your agreement.

To make it easy, we’ve popped all the payment types, when you need to pay them and their payments methods in a table below. Exciting stuff – we know!

Type of payment	When you’ll need to pay it	Payment method
Processing fee - £99 for new cars and £199 for used cars	When you place your order – your car isn’t yours until you’ve paid this fee and signed your agreement.	Debit card
Initial payment	Then when your car is ready to be delivered, we’ll take your initial payment.   We’ll give you 10 working days’ notice before the payment is taken.	Debit card - you can use different debit cards for each of these payments if you like.
Monthly payment	We’ll start your monthly payments one month after your car is delivered.	Direct debit
Ad hoc charges	At the end of your lease, you may have to pay if you do more miles than you told us you would or if you damage the car beyond just fair wear and tear for example. You can find more information about our charges here.	Debit card

Your processing fee (£99 for new cars and £199 for used cars) will need to be paid using a debit card.

To save you the trouble, we’ll automatically take your initial payment from your bank account when your car is being prepped for delivery – we’ll give you 10 working days notice before the payment is taken.

We’ll take the payment for your processing fee when you place your order, after you’ve signed the lease agreement (digitally of course). Then when your car is ready to be delivered, we’ll take your initial payment. You can use different debit cards for each of these payments if you like.

Not during the ordering process, but you might have to after this if you do more miles than you told us you would or if you damage the car beyond just fair wear and tear for example. You can find more information about our charges here.

If you want to change to a personalised plate there will be an admin charge of £40 + any DVLA charges.

No, we’re not into haggling. We put a lot of work into making sure our prices are competitive so we just can’t make them any cheaper.

Nothing, it’s completely free to mainland GB.

If you aren’t at home on the arranged delivery date, there could be a charge.

There’s no set amount for an aborted delivery charge. This depends on what the dealer wants to apply. So please let us know if you can’t make the arranged delivery date anymore. To do so, just ring Customer Care on 0113 468 5377 (option 2) or email the team at [email protected].

A notice of sums in arrears (NOSIA) is a letter we must send you by law if you fall two, or more, payments behind on your hire agreement.

A subsequent notice of sums in arrears (SNOSIA) is a letter we must send you, by law, every six months after receiving a NOSIA. You’d receive these notices until you’re up to date with your hire agreement payment schedule.

We’re required to continue to send you these notices – even if you’ve told us about your current circumstances and we’ve made an arrangement with you (like a payment break). It’s important that you’re given certain info when you’re behind on your payments. A SNOSIA will contain details about the arrears along with the Financial Conduct Authority’s information sheet with useful info, like who to go to for financial support and advice.

We get that this may be confusing since the notice tells you you’re behind on payments. But as long as you’re keeping to the terms of the payment arrangement, you don’t need to do anything!

If you are experiencing financial difficulties and are unable to make your payments, it is important to contact us as early as possible on 0113 468 5377 and our team can assist in finding a solution for you. You can get free, impartial advice from Money Advice Service, Stepchange, The National Debt Line and Citizens Advice Bureau.

If there is anything we should know about that will help us to better meet your circumstances, please call us on 0113 468 5377 or let us know by emailing [email protected]. This could be any personal circumstance or life event that may impact how you access our services or make use of our cars, eg any learning disabilities, hearing impairment, mental health issues, financial distress.

We adopt a ‘tell us once’ approach. Therefore, we will update our systems for future reference and will only use this data for this. This information will not be shared with any third parties and will only be accessible by our team. We appreciate that some needs may be temporary and can therefore remove this information at any time, just let us know when things change. Please see our data and privacy notice for further information on how we process your data.

Depending on your circumstances, external specialist support is available and may be able to assist you:

• Samaritans (Crisis support) - www.samaritans.org or call them on 116 123
• Mind (mental health support) www.mind.org.uk or call them on 0300 123 3393
• GamCare (Gambling Support) - www.gamcare.org.uk or call them on 0808 8020 133
• We are with You (drug and alcohol addiction support) - www.wearewithyou.org.uk

It’s a way of finding out if your credit application may be successful when you place an order. Sometimes known as a ‘soft’ credit check, it’s not visible on your credit record so no other lenders will be able to see it.

You share some basic information with us (recent addresses, income, and employment status) and we tell you how likely you are to get a positive finance decision when you place your order.

We can't be absolutely certain whether you will or won't be accepted until we run a full check when you apply for a lease with us (sometimes known as a hard check), but this 'soft' check will give you an idea of your chances.

You can find more information about the things that could affect your chances of being accepted for finance from the Money Advice Service.

We check lots of things, but mainly that we can link you with your address and that you’re likely to be able to afford the lease.

It’s always best to check your credit record to be sure that there’s nothing new or surprising there. The Money Advice Service have loads of really useful (and impartial) information which might be useful.

Re-running the check will get the same results unless your credit record changes.

It's a way of finding out how likely you are to be accepted for the finance agreement for your lease, without impacting your credit score. You give us some basic information and we tell you your chances of being accepted as a percentage based on our checks. The checks we do will be invisible to anyone other than you (and us), so they won't be considered by other lenders.

We can't be absolutely certain whether you will or won't be accepted until we run a full check when you apply for a lease with us (sometimes known as a hard check), but this 'soft' check will give you an idea of your chances.

You can more information about the things that could affect your chances of being accepted for finance from the Money Advice Service.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties and are unable to make your payments, it is important to contact us as early as possible on 0113 468 5377 (option 4) and our Financial Assistance team can assist in finding a solution for you.

For helpful financial guides and links to external support please visit our Money Matters hub. It’s a great place to start if you are feeling overwhelmed and need a steer in the right direction.

No, no, no. And another big no. Just talking to us will never impact your credit record.

However, missing your payments could negatively impact your credit record. So, before it gets to this stage, please reach out and speak to us. We’re here to help.

PS. We have a money hub on our site which is full of useful guides, links to external services and some general money saving tips!

So, what actually is a credit record? An FAQ within an FAQ – crazy times.

Your credit record, also known as your credit history, should show accurate information about you, the credit you've taken out, how you've managed repayments and court action taken against you. Credit records are put together by credit reference agencies from information shared by lenders, along with other relevant public information.

Get in touch as soon as you can so that we can do everything we can to minimise any wider financial impacts to you wherever possible (overdraft charges etc). You can contact us on 0113 468 5377 or [email protected].

No. Your current lease price will not change during your contract. If you need to extend your lease after the original end date, the monthly price may change so please get in touch with us when you get your renewal notice or around 6 months before the end of your lease to find out what it will cost (as well any other options open to you).

No, we can confirm that we’ve never employed discretionary commission arrangements and none of our customers have been affected by this issue. If you any questions, please reach out to our Support Squad on 0113 468 5377 (option 3) or email [email protected]. 

It could mean that the delivery time for a car changes after you’ve placed your order, as it's possible that your car could arrive with us later than expected. We're working really closely with manufacturers to make sure that doesn't happen and if it does, we'll let you know as soon as we can. The lead times you see on the site have already been adjusted to factor in the delays to production to some degree, but we can't absolutely guarantee they are completely accurate. Here's some more info about the semiconductor shortage.

We will deliver your car to your home address in mainland GB. Unfortunately, if you're outside mainland GB we cannot deliver to you.

That depends on the car you pick.

If it’s a stock car we can get it to you within three to four weeks (and sometimes even sooner).

If it’s a factory order, meaning you spec your own car that then needs to be custom built, it’ll take a little longer.

If it’s a used car it should be delivered within 14 days.

You can call our New Car Consultants before you order, they’ll give you a better idea of when the car you're looking at will be ready. If you can't wait, they can suggest a different make, model or colour that could be ready earlier. Give them a call on 0113 468 5377 (option 1) or drop them an email [email protected].

As soon as you order your car, we'll be able to give you a delivery date for stock deals or an approximate delivery date for anything bespoke.

Sorry, we don’t deliver to addresses outside of mainland GB. If you have any further questions please visit our Contact Us page.

Nope, we deliver for free to mainland GB. Yay!

Give us a ring straight away and we’ll sort any issues that you might have as soon as possible. You can reach the Customer Care team via 0113 468 5377 (select Option 2) or drop us an email at [email protected].

Life happens, we get it. If you need to move your delivery, get in touch with the Customer Care team as soon as possible. You can reach us via 0113 468 5377 (select Option 2) or drop us an email at [email protected].

Our cars come from the dealers we've handpicked. If you've spec'd your car, the dealers will get it fresh from the manufacturer. You only have to talk to us when you're ordering though - we handle everything with the manufacturers and dealers behind the scenes. 

• Car insurance
• Maintenance and servicing (if you didn't choose the maintenance package when you ordered)
• Fuel
• Any fines and penalties that are incurred in connection with using the car (speeding tickets, parking charges being the most common)

It's renting something, over an agreed amount of time, for a fixed amount of money. PCH is on a regular consumer hire agreement.

If you're leasing something, you don't own it and won’t have the option to buy the vehicle at the end of the agreement (you give it back when the lease is up). If you're not sure if a lease is for you, you might find this information about personal leasing useful.

You can lease a new car from us for between 2 and 4 years. Typically, the longer your lease, the lower your monthly payments.

Unlike new cars, you can lease a used car from 12 months. However, you can’t lease a used car that’s older than 4 years. This means that some of our used cars are only available for shorter periods, so you won’t be given the option for a longer term when you place your order online. For example, if you were looking to lease a used car that’s already 2 years old you couldn’t create a lease plan for longer than 2 years.

The BVRLA (the UK rental/leasing association) define this as ‘deterioration to a vehicle through normal use’. It means you don’t have to return the car in exactly the same condition as when it was delivered to you, life happens!

The BVRLA produce a handy guide to tell you what would be classed as ‘fair wear and tear’ and what damage you might be charged for, so you can decide whether to get it fixed before you give us back the car.

Plus, we have a useful guide to help you keep your car in cracking condition!

Yes, our prices always include VAT.

Yep. You need to insure your car fully comprehensive and tell your insurance provider that ZenAuto is the registered keeper.

Yes, you can end your lease and return your car at any point throughout your lease. This is called an early termination and comes with fees to pay. The fees differ depending what agreement number you’re on – ZA or ZB.

If you’re on a ZA agreement and decide to hand your car back earlier, you’ll need to pay 40% of the total amount of remaining monthly payments.

If you’re on a ZB agreement (this includes Business Contract Hire agreements) you’ll also pay 40%, unless you decide to end your lease in the final 3 months, in which case you’ll pay the full balance of your final monthly lease payments.

If you’re thinking about returning your car early, just fill out this short form and we’ll get back to you with a quote for your early termination fee. You can ring the Support Squad on 0113 468 5377 (option 3) or drop them an email at [email protected].

No. You can order your car to your spec and have it just the way you like it. And for as long as you're leasing it, the car's all yours. But when the lease is up, you'll hand the keys back to us. 

No we always take the car back at the end of the lease term, so it’s up to you to make alternative plans if you still need a car once your lease has ended.  

In some circumstances it may be possible for you to extend your lease beyond the original end date. If you want to apply for an extension, then be sure to contact us well in advance of your lease ending. Just reach out to our New Car Consultants on 0113 468 5377 (option 1) or drop them an email [email protected].

Of course. If you have our maintenance package, we’ll go one step further than just letting you know it’s coming up – we’ll arrange it for you too.

Only if you include our maintenance package. More info on that here.

As well as the car (obviously) you also get:

• breakdown assistance and recovery from the AA
• a manufacturer’s warranty on any parts that need repairing or replacing
• road tax (officially called a 'Road Fund Licence')
• maintenance and servicing if you have choose this option when you order

As long a you live in mainland UK, we'll deliver your car to your home, for free. So, make sure you give us the right address when you order. We can't deliver anywhere other than your home address as we need to be completely sure we're giving the keys to the right person.

Yes, two common ways are, Personal Contract Hire (PCH) and Personal Contract Purchase (PCP):

• PCH (Personal Contract Hire) is a lease. We ask you to pay a fixed amount each month, but you never own your car. We like PCH because you usually pay less each month, compared with  PCP. And if you want to upgrade to a newer model when the lease is up, you don't have the hassle of selling your current car first. So, you've got even more time to spec your next new car, just the way you want it. 
• PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) is a type of hire purchase. Your monthly payments are based on how much the car should be worth at the end of the contract, so it's cheaper than paying for a car on monthly installments. When the contract's up, you have the choice to give the car back or buy it. The final amount you pay for the car will vary a lot from deal to deal. 

PCP deals normally include a road fund licence for the first year, while our PCH leases cover you for the while of the lease. We include breakdown cover too (but you don't get that with every PCH deal, that's a little extra from us). 

You are responsible for all licence fees, registration fees, insurance, insurance fines, parking and penalty charge notices, tolls and any other charges which must be paid in connection with the car and its use.

The process for notices and penalties depends on the nature of them, let’s take a look.

Non-police issued notices

• As we’re the owner of the car, the notice will come to us first and we’ll pay it as soon as we get it. We charge a £15 admin fee to process the notice for you.

• You’ll then get an email from [email protected] with details of the notice, how to appeal it if you wish to and a 3^rd party authority letter to confirm that the issuing authority can talk directly to you if you choose to appeal (you need this since we’re the registered keeper of your car).

• The amount of the notice, plus a £15 admin fee, will be taken from you via direct debit 4 weeks after we initially notify you (this will be separate to your monthly rental payment).

• If you choose to appeal and it’s successful, forward the confirmation from the issuing authority to [email protected]and we’ll refund you the cost of the fine (plus the admin fee).
• If the issuing authority won’t hear the appeal, email [email protected]– we’ll judge your appeal and issue a refund if your case is approved.

Police issued notices

• For any police issued notices you may incur (such as a speeding ticket or other traffic offences) we’ll transfer liability of the notice straight to you. We charge a £15 admin fee to do this.
• You’ll get an email from [email protected] with details of the notice
• The £15 admin fee will then be taken by direct debit 4 weeks after we first notify you (again, this will be separate to your monthly rental payment).

For any other notices, including failure to pay for fuel and non-police issued notices from outside mainland GB and police issued notices from outside mainland GB, we will forward to you for you to resolve, respond and pay as appropriate. If you fail to resolve these, we will pay these immediately and recharge these to you with an admin of £15 per notice.

We have a handy page that explains everything you need to know about the car collection process.

Give it a read to get collection day ready!

Business car leasing is a type of car leasing agreement set up specifically for businesses – it enables the director of a business to lease a car (a long-term rental of 2-4 years) for themselves and/or their employees. The main benefit being that the business can claim back up to 100% of the VAT on the monthly rental payments.

Ready to start your ZenAuto journey? Browse our range of car deals and find your perfect wheels! Or, if you need some more info on all things business leasing first, just head over to our dedicated hub.

To get a business lease with us, you need to meet the following criteria:

• Be a Director of a limited company;
• The limited company that you are a Director of has been incorporated for 3 or more years and is registered in England, Wales, or Scotland; and
• As a Director you’ll also be required to be a Guarantor to guarantee the Business Contract Hire and therefore must be a permanent resident in mainland GB

 Got a few questions? You can reach our New Car Consultants on 0113 468 5377 (option 1) or email [email protected].

It’s 100% online and you’ll get through it faster than it takes a Tesla Model Y Performance to go from 0-60mph (which is very, very fast!). In a nutshell, you order the car, go through the credit application stage, sign the agreements, complete the ID checks, and then get excited for new car day.

For the full lowdown check out our handy guide.

Ready to begin your ZenAuto journey? Browse our lease deals to find your next set of wheels! If you need help choosing the right car for you, give our New Car Consultants a call on 0113 468 5377  (option 1) or email [email protected].

With us, the process is pretty much the same for both – you follow all the same steps whether you’re a business or personal leasing customer.

Though there’s no real difference in the process, there are still four big differences:

• Eligibility requirements for each lease agreement
• The benefits each form of leasing brings
• How you can use the car e.g., for business purposes or private
• With a business lease if the driver’s not you, let us know – we’ll work directly with your employee, saving you the time and effort of having to arrange everything yourself

Yes, but you can claim up to 100% of it back in your business’ VAT Return. Each month the business will pay a monthly rental payment which will include VAT fees. Then, if you can prove that the car is only used for business purposes (this excludes commuting to and from work) the business can claim 100% of the VAT back. If it’s used for a mix of business and private journeys too, the business will only be able to claim 50% of the VAT back.

Plus, if you opt for our shiny maintenance package, as well as enjoying all the benefits of the package, your business can claim back 100% of the VAT on the monthly maintenance payments. This is regardless of whether the car is used for just business trips, or private ones too.

Interested in a business lease but want a bit of steer from the car experts? Give our New Car Consultants a call on 0113 468 5377 (option 1) or email [email protected] – they’re a friendly bunch!

Business car lease costs vary depending on the make and model of the car, and the amount of mileage. However, the typical costs include:

1. An initial payment: This is a lump sum payment that is usually required at the start of the lease.
2. Monthly rental payments: These payments are made by the business throughout the term of the lease.
3. Maintenance: These payments are optional and combined with your monthly rental to provide servicing, MOTs, and tyre repairs (due to fair wear and tear) as part of the lease agreement.
4. Excess mileage charges: If the business exceeds the agreed mileage allowance, the business will be charged for each additional mile. If you think you’re about to go over your mileage and need to increase your allowance, please contact our Support Squad and we’ll sort this for you. Give them a ring on 0113 468 5377 (option 3) or email [email protected].
5. Damage charges: If the business damages the car, they will be charged for the cost of repairs. Since we own the car, you’ll need to let us know if any damage occurs to it as we need to keep a record of it. You can do this by ringing the Support Squad on 0113 468 5377 (option 3) or emailing [email protected].
6. Fines: If the driver of the car incurs a fine, the business will be responsible for repaying the total cost.

Then there’ll be other things to consider – like setting up a fully comprehensive policy and whether you want to add GAP insurance for extra peace of mind.

Another thing to note is that although your road fund licence is included in your lease, we reserve the right to increase your monthly payments if the road fund rate for your car ever increases during your lease. We’ll let you know if this is ever the case though.

It’s the businesses’s responsibility to sort the insurance, not the leasing company – the insurance policy should be under the businesses’ s name. A fully comprehensive policy needs to be in place from the day the car is delivered, to the day it’s collected at the end of the lease agreement.

If the business is leasing more than one car it might be worth checking out fleet insurance, so you can insure all your company cars under one policy and make it easier to keep track of them. GAP insurance is also recommended to save yourself money if the car is ever damaged beyond repair. You can read all about insuring a business car over in our guide.

As an employer you need to tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if you make any company cars available for private use by directors or employees which AREN’T payrolled. When a company car is used for private use, it becomes taxable. So, you need to submit a P46(Car) form to HMRC whenever you:

• Start providing an employee with a company car
• Stop providing an employee with a company car
• Change a company car

P11D Form

If an employer gives directors and employees any benefits outside of payroll, the employer must complete a P11D form for HMRC. The amount on the form represents additional employment income and is taxable. The form provides the HMRC with details of any benefits (such as company cars that are used for private use), so that the tax and national insurance owed by the employee can be calculated.

P11D Value

The P11D value is separate to the P11D form (confusing, we know). The P11D value is used to calculate how much annual company car tax an employee needs to pay when the car is used for private trips too.

So, what actually is it?

The P11D value of a car is the list price, including VAT, any optional extras and delivery charges if applicable. It doesn’t include the car’s first registration fee or annual road tax.

Benefit in Kind

When a company car is used for private use as well as business use, HMRC class it as taxable income. This type of non-monetary benefit is called Benefit-in-Kind tax (Bik). BiK is a tax on employees who receive benefits or perks on top of their usual salary, such as company cars that are use for private trips.

Every car has a BiK percentage banding, which is based on how much CO2 the car emits, its fuel type and the emissions standard it meets. The lower the emissions, the less you’ll have to pay – electric car lease deal anyone?  

One of our team will talk to you about your indicative BiK and P11D value before you sign your agreement. However, we can’t provide the exact figures until once the car is delivered to you. If any elements of the P11D change between ordering the car and receiving delivery – such as the list price increases or decreases, or the optional extras do – this will impact your BiK calculation. 

Yes, we charge a £20 admin fee to do this on top of any DVLA and plate making fees. You need to contact us to do this.

Please don't, all our cars are non-smoking. 

If you have maintenance, just give us a call and we’ll get everything arranged for you. If you don’t have maintenance then the easiest way to do this is to take it to a garage that specialises in this kind of thing. We’re good friends with Kwikfit but there are plenty of other options too.

You’ll need to get our permission first. Give Customer Care a ring on 0113 468 5377 (option 3) or drop us an email at [email protected]. If you sign up for any connected services that incur costs then you’ll be responsible for paying for them (including a service that follows a free manufacturer trial).

If you wish to park in an area that requires one, then yes. We can get you any paperwork you need for this, just ask.

Ask our permission first. You’ll probably have to remove the modifications when you come to return the car.

Of course, just make sure it’s removed when you come to return the car and it hasn’t damaged the car in any way. If any damage is found when you return the car, you may be charged for this.

Planning a road trip huh? It’s one of the best things about having a car! Let us know where you’re going and we’ll make sure you have all the documentation you might need while you’re there (there’s a £10 admin charge for this). You’ll have to come back within 90 days too! You can find out more about this in our handy key information guide.

Yes, as a ZenAuto customer you’ll get AA breakdown cover thrown in with your lease.

What’s included:

• 24/7 roadside assistance
• Home start recovery
• European cover – access to a 24-hour phoneline (yes, your T-Roc can get recovered in sunny France!)
• Recovery to your required destination
• In-hours recovery to the dealership closest to your home address
• 1 x out of hours recovery either to nearest dealer or a preferred destination
• Some roadside repairs
• Recovery to the closest charge point if your EV runs out of charge

 

You’re NOT covered if you break down because…

• You put the wrong fuel in
• You have a flat battery due to leaving lights on, phone charging etc.
• You have a roadside collision
• Someone vandalises your car
• Your car gets stuck in snow, ice or mud
• Your keys are locked in the car/ you’ve lost them
• Your car is stolen
• Your car is broken into

 

Why not get even more piece of mind with our shiny maintenance package? Roll all your MOT, servicing, and tyre TLC needs in with your monthly payments. Plus, you won’t have to waste time hunting for a garage. We have a whole network of trusted garages ready to give your car the VIP treatment!

If you ever breakdown, you should call our breakdown number on 0800 028 0205 (write this down somewhere safe!) and we’ll get you sorted.

You can see what IS and ISN’T covered here.

Yes please. As we own the car, we need to keep a record of what’s happened to it for future reference. You can contact us via live chat, call 0113 468 5377 (option 3) or email [email protected] to let us know.

We don’t have any part in the repair process though. You can either go through your insurer to have the repair sorted or pay for the repair at a VAT registered garage that uses approved parts.

Yes please. You can either ring our Support Squad 0113 468 5377 (option 3) or email [email protected]. Our Support Squad will put you in contact with our Financial Assistance team who will take details of the incident along with your insurance details. Our team will then speak with your insurer directly to settle the loss.

You do and it needs to be fully comprehensive. The policy needs to be in place from the day the car is delivered to you right through to the end of your lease. If someone else is going to be driving the car, make sure they’re named on the policy.

If you haven’t heard of GAP insurance, you can read up on it in our handy guide. It’s a great way to protect yourself from depreciation if your cars ever totalled or stolen (we really hope this doesn’t happen to you!).

It needs to start on the day we’re delivering the car to you.

We do, it’s included in your monthly rental. One less thing for you to remember!

There are a number of low emissions zones across the UK. Below are the details of how to apply for an exemption in each zone.

London’s Low Emission Zone and Ultra Low Emission Zone

You will have to pay the charge, but only until you register your car for congestion charge exemption with TFL.

The low emission exemptions cost £10 and TFL will notify you when it’s time to renew. Get the full details below.

LEZ registration

ULEZ registration

Clean Air Zones

Where the CAZ’s are:

• Bath
• Birmingham
• Bradford
• Bristol
• Greater Manchester
• Portsmouth
• Sheffield
• Tyneside - Newcastle and Gateshead

 

Battery electric vehicles are automatically exempt from paying the daily charge in any of these CAZ’s. So, you don’t have to register.

If you drive a hybrid car you will need to check whether you are exempt. Use this handy Government tool to check each CAZ.

If you don’t have a public charger close to home or at work, getting a charger installed at home is the best way to go. There are loads of different home chargers available, you can find a few options here.

It’s a little cheaper than normal at the minute if you get a grant from OLEV (Office for Low Emissions Vehicles). It’ll save you £350 off the total cost of your home charging point. The supplier will normally do all the admin involved in claiming the grant too, winner.

Home charging points vary in price. Generally speaking the more functionality, the more you pay for it. Some chargers are clever enough to charge when your electricity is cheapest and allow you to check your car’s battery level from your phone.

The average car journey in the UK is 8.4 miles so for most journeys, you won’t even need to think about range or charging. If you’re planning on driving a longer distance then it’s always a good idea to check where the chargers are along the way, ZapMap is a great tool for this.

We give you an indication of the range on the specification details for the car, we get this from the manufacturer. Depending on how you drive the car, you might find your actual range is a little different to this (if you have air conditioning on or drive with your windows open you won’t quite go as far on a single charge for example).

You have loads of options. Many large supermarkets now have EV charging spaces that you can use for free. The same goes for workplaces and train stations.

There are also few different charging networks in the UK that you can pay to use. Some let you pay as you go and some require a subscription. Chargepoint, InstaVolt and Podpoint are a few of the larger ones. Tesla has their own network which includes Superchargers that can get you almost full in 30 minutes.

The VIP treatment. You can come to us to help sort your car's maintenance throughout your lease.

1.All the servicing that the car needs during the lease, we'll find a garage and even book it in at a convenient time for you.

2. MOT tests (if your lease is long enough that you need one)

3. Replacement tyres (if you get a puncture or due to general wear and tear)

4. Exhaust and battery repairs (fixes or replacement due to fair wear and tear)

'Fair wear and tear' damage is caused through normal use of the car. You can get the full low down on all things maintenance related here.

If you don't go for our maintenance package, then you'll need to take care of the car's maintenance yourself.

You do. Most cars have service lights, but we’ll remind you once a year too.

You have to get your car serviced in accordance with the service schedule for your car. Each car can vary, so it's always best to check. When your new car arrives, just check you car's service schedule in the handbook.

If it’s a new car, you won’t have to MOT it unless you’re on a three or four-year lease. Plus, if your car is due to be returned within the 4 weeks leading up to your MOT due date, you’d need to have your MOT carried out prior to returning the car.

Let us do all the hard work for you by including our ‘Maintenance Package’ – it includes servicing, MOTs and even replacement tyres.

Keep hold of the service paperwork as we’ll need this when you return the car. The glovebox is a handy place to stash it!

No, you’re not just restricted to the dealership.

If you’re on our maintenance package you must choose from our network of approved garages. We’ve done all the work to find the best reputable garages, so you don’t have to! All you need to do is book your MOT/service online or contact us and we’ll take it from there.

If you’ve not got the package, you can get your service done at any VAT registered garage, as long as they use manufactured approved parts. Remember, it’s your responsibility to find the garage and get booked in.

Absolutely. We’ll email you in advance of the due date. You can also check the due date using this handy government tool.

For new cars you’ll only need to MOT them if you’re on a three- or four-year lease. And if your car is due to be returned within the four weeks leading up to your MOT due date, it’s your job to MOT it before the car comes back to us.

Used cars will have at least 3 months on the MOT. If the MOT needs to be done during your lease then you’ll need to sort this yourself (unless you’re on our shiny maintenance package... nudge, nudge)!

All new cars come complete with the manufacturer’s warranty. If you have a used car then our ‘used car promise’ applies too. Outside of anything covered by the warranty or the ‘used car promise’, you’re responsible for the repairs.

Obviously you’re responsible for any faults that you cause (so make sure you don’t mis fuel)!

You can find our reviews right here, we’re incredibly proud of them!

We are the folks that can help you get more car than you thought possible. We’re part of the Zenith Group that has been around for more than 30 years. They lease fleets to big businesses. We’re their retail arm, which means we lease cars to people, not companies. Get the full story about us here.

Great question. We’re owned by Zenith Automotive Holdings Limited. Zenith are only the UK’s leading independent leasing, fleet management and vehicle outsourcing business. No biggie.

If you're looking for who's in charge, that's the Chief Executive Officer of ZenAuto - Ian Hughes.

Nope. One day we might look into leasing vans or motorbikes, but cars will always be our first love. 

We’re a part of Zenith, you can find the statement for the group right here.