Personal car leasing
Affordable car lease deals for individuals over a time that suits you
Compare over 5 million car lease deals from the UK’s top car leasing providers
Choose from a wide range of personal, business and electric car leases
All car lease deals include free UK mainland delivery and manufacturers warranty
Car Leasing is a type of car finance that works much like a mobile phone contract. You select the car you want to lease, for how long you’d like to lease it and simply return it at the end of the contract. If you’ve stuck to the car lease terms there is nothing more to pay.
Whether you’re a business owner looking for an upgrade or an individual wanting to change your car, leasing provides a flexible and affordable way to drive a new car.
Affordable car lease deals for individuals over a time that suits you
Consider an electric vehicle as an alternative to traditional car leases
Leasing a business car could be a more affordable way to get staff on the road
Once you know which car you want to lease, you’ll need to choose the terms of your agreement. At the end of your lease, you won’t have anything more to pay as long as the car is still in good condition and you didn’t exceed your agreed mileage. Here’s how it works...
You’ll pay a lump sum equivalent to one, three, six or nine months of the fixed lease price for the car. The higher the upfront payment, the lower your remaining monthly payments will be.
You’ll usually be able to choose a car lease from contracts, such as 24, 36 and 48 months. Monthly payments are often cheaper for longer contracts, but if you lease for more than three years, you’ll need to pay for an MOT.
You specify how far you plan to drive each year, from 5,000 miles up to 30,000. A higher estimated mileage will increase your monthly payments, as cars lose value the more they’re used.
Once you’ve paid the deposit and signed the contract, you can drive your brand new car. Make sure to stick to the contractual agreements because if you don’t, you could be charged with fees
The cost of leasing a car depends on a range of factors, including:
Type of car you choose: You can expect to pay more when leasing a high-end car
Initial rental amount: Paying more upfront will bring down the cost of your remaining repayments
Contract length: Monthly payments tend to be less on a longer contract
Annual mileage: The higher the mileage on your contract, the more your monthly payments will be
**Average price according to data collected from moneyshake.com for deals with a 36-month term, 5,000 miles per year and nine months paid up front. Accurate as of November 2024**
Car | Average monthly lease cost* |
|---|---|
Vauxhall Corsa-E | £164 |
Nissan Qashqai | £228 |
Audi A3 | £292 |
Vauxhall Grandland | £194 |
Audi Q3 | £371 |
We’ve joined up with partner Moneyshake to bring you car leasing deals from across the UK market.
We can show you the latest in-stock deals, with all the information you need to make the right decision.
You can hone your choice depending on a range of preferences such as your monthly budget or the make, model or mileage.
Once you’ve picked your deal, the car will be delivered free of charge, with road tax and full manufacturer warranty included.
There are plenty of advantages to leasing a car, but there some downsides to consider:
Could be a cost-effective way to drive a brand new car – without having to sell an old one
Comes with road tax and warranty included, so you can have the car fixed for free should it go wrong
You hand it back at the end of the contract and can start again with a new lease
You won’t own the vehicle at the end of the deal
Could be expensive if you breach terms such as maximum mileage
You are likely to need a good credit record to give the provider confidence you can keep up with repayments
Eligibility requirements to lease a car will vary across car finance companies. Here’s what to expect:
You’ll usually have to be aged 18 or over to be eligible to lease a car
Once you’ve agreed to the contract, you must have car insurance in place
You’ll need a valid driver's licence to be able to lease a car
It’ll be easier to be accepted for car leasing if you have a strong credit score. A good credit rating indicates to lenders that you’ll stay on top of payments
You’ll need to prove you are who you say are – you can do this by providing photographic ID, such as your passport
Proof of address You will have to verify your address – you can use a utility bill or bank statement to do this
You may have to provide your employment history for the last three years
When you decide to lease a car it’s vital to get the right deal and contract to suit your needs. These pointers should help:
Decide how much you can afford to spend per month to lease. Don’t forget running costs such as fuel.
There’s plenty of choice, so make sure you pick the right car to suit your lifestyle.
Work out how far you’ll drive so you get the right deal from the outset and won’t face extra mileage charges.
Ensure you compare a wide range of deals before making a final decision. We’ve partnered with leasing experts Moneyshake to help find you a great deal.
Once you’ve met all your monthly payments, you have the options of:
Handing the keys back to the provider and walking away
Picking your next brand-new car and agreeing to another lease deal
Don’t worry about getting the car back to the provider. Just remember to put enough fuel into it, and they’ll come and take it off your hands at a time that suits you.
An inspection of the car will be part of this pickup, so be sure to check there’s no damage to it that could be considered beyond fair wear and tear. The car doesn’t need to be in showroom condition.
Leasing a car can be a cost-effective way of driving a brand-new vehicle. Especially when you factor in the fact that road tax and warranty are included for the duration of the contract length. Better still, car leasing is flexible and at the end of your lease you can just hand your keys back and walk away.
Victoria Russell Money & Personal Finance Expert
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It’s easy to compare car leasing deals with MoneySuperMarket. We’ve teamed up with Moneyshake to bring you the best car finance deals on the market from 23 leasing companies.
Tell us what the lease is for, refining your search depending on your monthly budget, preferred contract term, anticipated mileage, make and model of car.
We’ll help you compare a range of different leasing deals and quotes, so you can find the perfect leasing option for your needs
Click through to apply for your new lease. Your vehicle will be delivered, including free road tax, warranty and home delivery.
If you have a bad credit rating or no credit history, it doesn’t have to mean you can’t lease a car, but your options may be more limited because most providers look for good to excellent credit scores.
If you have bad credit it's worth considering other options, such as buying a car. Unlike with a car lease, when you buy a car you will pay cash for your car, meaning you won't be required to undergo a credit check.
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, unless your lease deal has insurance included, in which case it will be folded into the monthly payments for the car. These types of deals are often referred to as ‘Total Care’ leasing.
For the most part, standard leasing agreements won’t include insurance. The finance provider (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.
There are car lease deals available with insurance included, however there are criteria you must meet to be approved for these types of deals:
You must be at least 21 years old
You must have a full UK driving licence valid for at least a year
You can’t have more than six points on your licence
In many cases leasing with insurance also includes breakdown assistance, maintenance and glass protection.
Make sure that you shop around to find a deal which has everything you need included.
Business car leasing is for working professionals who need a car to use for work purposes. The finance agreement is in the name of the company and its director, who is responsible for paying for the vehicle.
Personal leasing is for private individuals who want to use a car for any means, including both private and work journeys.
The key difference between the two is that business leasing has cheaper monthly payments. This is because VAT-registered companies can claim back 100% VAT on the rentals for the car, provided that the car is only used for business purposes.
You don’t need a lump sum deposit to start a leasing contract. You’ll just need at least one month’s worth of the regular lease payments to pay upfront. After this, you pay a fixed monthly fee for the remainder of the contract. Under some contracts you won’t have to pay for repair costs – or sometimes insurance. For this reason it can be a cheaper option than buying a similar car outright.
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. Failure to pay can lead to late payment charges.
In many cases you may be able to work out an alternative finance option with your leasing provider. This might include a temporary price reduction until you can afford to pay in full again. But any negotiations regarding the terms of a lease agreement are at the discretion of the lease provider.
It is often possible to extend your lease, depending on the circumstances. An admin fee will typically apply. 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. An informal extension lasts no longer than six months and is generally used to assist the change from one lease deal to another
Formal extension: A longer extension (up to 12 months) 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.
Businesses can lease a car in the UK, even if they don't have substantial financial history. The firm will need to prove it can afford the monthly lease payments and may be asked to provide documentation, such as bank statements. Read out guide to business leasing for more information.
Despite being able to legally drive in the UK from the age of 17, the minimum age to lease a car is usually 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.
If you’re a young driver under 24, get hold of your credit report and score for free online before applying to lease a car.
You can choose from a broad range of different car makes and models when you lease through our partner Moneyshake. Here’s some information about two of the more popular brands, Audi and Ford.
It’s an upfront payment payable to the leasing provider around 14 days from delivery. You can usually opt to pay three, six or nine months of the monthly leasing payment as an initial rental. For example, if your monthly rental is around £250 then you can expect initial rentals from £750 to £2,250.
A higher initial rental will result in cheaper monthly payments than a lower one, as it goes towards the cost of the vehicle.
Some deals will include maintenance but most will be quoted without. If you’d like to add a maintenance package then this can be a cost-effective way of having hassle-free motoring.
Ask the leasing provider for your chosen vehicle what packages are available and what is included.
The vehicle is owned by the finance provider who will be the registered owner and keeper of lease vehicles on all personal and business contract hire agreements. You won't get a V5C registration document with the vehicle – they will keep it.
From hatchbacks to SUVs, hybrids to a Jeep, you can lease a really wide range of vehicles. Among the brands typically on offer are:
Citroen
Kia
Mazda
Nissan
Skoda
Tesla
Vauxhall
Yes - Van Leasing is available to compare through MoneySuperMarket and our partner Moneyshake
