Car leasing

Leasing from the name that you know and trust, Autotrader have 50 years’ experience in all things automotive.

Partnering with the widest network of trusted providers, Autotrader Leasing searches the market to help you find the most competitive offers on all makes and models of vehicle.

With fixed monthly pricing to help you manage your monthly budget and transparent pricing, what you see is the price you pay.

Browse, choose and apply online or call one of the expert team. Autotrader Leasing manage the process for you so you can order from your sofa and have a delivery to your door.

As a car lease is a financial agreement, you will need to have a good credit score in order to get approved for a lease.

Remember, how your credit score is measured can vary depending on the credit report you use. Similarly, leasing companies will have different criteria, so whether you are approved for a lease may depend on the funder the deal is with.

If you’re unsure how your credit score stacks up, you can find out for free here.

There are lots of different ways to fund your new wheels, including: 

Car loan. Take out a personal unsecured loan to buy the car outright and then pay back the cost in monthly repayments to your loan provider over a fixed term. 

Hire Purchase. Spread the cost of a new car across a series of instalments. Once you've made the last payment, you will own the car.  

Personal Contract Purchase. PCP is similar to car leasing, but at the end of the contract you can make an optional final payment – sometimes known as the ‘balloon payment’ – to buy the car outright.

Yes, you will as standard leasing agreements do not include insurance. The leasing company (who owns the vehicle) will require you to insure the car with a fully comprehensive policy. This covers damage to the vehicle and any injuries you or your passengers may have if you’re involved in an accident.

Business vehicle leases are leases which are in a company name and are probably better known as company cars. The lease is between the leasing company and a business and the business is responsible making the monthly lease payments. These vehicles can be used for work or personal driving.

Personal vehicle leases are in an individual’s name. These vehicles can also be used for work or personal driving and an individual is responsible for making the monthly payments.

The key difference is VAT. Both a personal lease and a business lease contract require VAT to be paid. But for a business lease this can be reclaimed, with rates varying based on usage. There may also be additional tax reclaim opportunities for business, so it’s always best to speak to your accountant to see what works best for you.

Leasing and buying are very different.

When leasing you will need to pay an initial rental and then a fixed monthly payment.

The vehicle never belongs to you, but is handed back at the end of the lease.

When buying a vehicle, it belongs to you (when you have paid all the monthly instalments or balloon payment if you are financing)

It’s important that you research your options and make an informed decision which approach is right for you and your personal circumstances.

If you can’t afford to pay your monthly lease payments anymore, you should contact the leasing company you got the car from straight away.

Missed or late payments can not only incur late payment charges but will also impact your credit rating. Talking to the leasing company before you get to this point is always advisable.

Your leasing company will be able to suggest a number of solutions to help you.

It is often possible to extend your lease, depending on the circumstances.

There are two types of contract extensions:

• Informal extension: A short-term agreement where the customer agrees to use the car beyond the contract end date under the same terms and monthly price. This is generally used to assist the change from one lease deal to another.

• Formal extension: A longer extension which allows the customer to continue using the car beyond the contract end date, but new agreement terms are drafted. This includes a ‘modifying agreement’ detailing a new monthly payment price, annual mileage and contract length

Provided you can afford the initial down payment and ongoing monthly payments and you’re approved through a credit check, you should usually be eligible for leasing. 

You'll typically need to be 18 or over. 

Check how likely you are to be approved for a car lease here.

Businesses can lease a vehicle in the UK, but most leasing companies will look for two years of trading history to be able to make a valid credit search.

The business will need to be able to prove that they can afford the monthly lease payments and may be asked to supply things like bank statements of management accounts to support this. Some leasing companies may also ask for additional business information regarding ultimate ownership to comply with finance regulations.

Despite being able to legally drive in the UK from the age of 17, the minimum age to lease a car is 18 years old.

Car leasing is also only possible for 18-year-olds who have enough financial history in order to pass the credit check required for a lease car.

Autotrader Leasing offers all major makes and models so it’s entirely up to you!

It’s important to check that you can afford the initial rental payment and the ongoing monthly payments.

The initial rental is a payment that you make to the leasing company when your contract starts. It’s usually payable 7-10 days after your vehicle is delivered. The initial rental and all the following monthly payments are taken by the leasing company by direct debit.

You can make a choice as to what initial rental you want to pay. This can vary from 1 month through to 12 months (usually in 3-month increments). For example, if your monthly lease rental is £250 a month then a 3-month initial rental would be £750. The higher the initial rental you make then the lower your monthly payments will be. But it’s important to make sure that you can afford the initial rental and the monthly payments.

Yes. You can make the choice whether you want to take your lease with or without maintenance. It’s a fixed monthly price to help you budget.

You can see the price with or without maintenance on our website.

The Autotrader Leasing maintenance solution covers all routine servicing and maintenance, replacement tyres, an MOT (if needed), breakdown assistance and a replacement vehicle for up to 7 days if your vehicle is out of action.

It’s important to know that if you opt not to use the Autotrader Leasing maintenance solution, it’s your responsibility to make sure that your vehicle is serviced and maintained, or you may incur a penalty fine from the leasing company at the end of the contract.

Vehicles on lease remain the property of the leasing company. The leasing company are registered owner and keeper with the DVLA for both personal and business contract hire agreements.

This means you won’t see a V5 registration document with the vehicle – this stays with the leasing company.

Autotrader Leasing offers all major makes and models so it’s entirely up to you!

Check out our best deals on electric cars, cars under £200 from coupes to convertibles. And if you need a car fast, then look at our in stock selection.

It’s important to check that you can afford the initial rental payment and the ongoing monthly payments.

Yes - Van Leasing is available to compare through Autotrader Leasing. Choose from small, medium or large vans or opt for a pick-up truck.

And if you need a van fast, then there is always a selection that are ready to go.