Lease Car Tyres: Who Pays and What Happens at Handback

You're two years into a three-year lease - the car's been great and then the garage tells you that your front tyres are close to the limit.

At this point, you'll likely be asking yourself if that tyre bill is yours or the leasing company's responsibility? Also, can you go to any tyre fitter for them? And do you have to use a particular brand?

You're not alone. These are some of the most common questions lease drivers ask. The answers aren't always obvious from the paperwork.

The short answer is that on most leases, keeping the tyres roadworthy is down to you. You usually have a fair amount of choice in where you buy and fit them. 

Below we've gone through who pays, what you can fit, how tyres are judged when the car goes back, and the checks worth doing before collection day.

If you just need tyres now, you can find tyres for your car by registration on Blackcircles and have them fitted at a local approved garage or by a mobile fitter.

Who pays for tyres on a lease car?

On a standard personal or business contract hire agreement, you are required to pay for new tyres on a car lease.

The leasing company owns the car, but the agreement will almost always make you responsible for keeping it roadworthy. Worn tyres count as normal running costs.

The main exception is if you have taken out a maintenance package. If you have one then replacement tyres for normal wear are often included. 

The detail varies a lot between funders. So look for three things in your agreement:

• Check whether there's a limit on how many tyres you can have
• Whether you must use a particular fitter
• What counts as damage rather than wear.

Punctures, kerb strikes and vandalism are commonly excluded - even on maintained contracts.

Some specific schemes work differently - such as  Motability. Replacement tyres are included at no extra cost through Motability's own tyre arrangement - within its fair usage policy. 

If you're not sure which type of agreement you're on, your funder's online account or welcome pack will say.

It's worth checking before you book, because a maintained contract usually means going through the funder rather than buying tyres yourself.

Can you fit a different brand or budget tyres on a lease car?

Usually, yes. Leasing companies care much more about the specification of the tyre than the name on the sidewall.

Where the agreement doesn't say otherwise, a different brand is generally fine. As long as the new tyre is the same as the original fitment in the ways that matter:

• The size. For example,  225/45 R17
• The load index and speed rating. That's the code after the size (such as 94 (loading) and W (speed)). These should be the same or possibly higher - but never lower
• The type of tyre and construction. So run-flat tyres need to be replaced with run-flats, for example.
• Any manufacturer approval marking on the original. Such as a star on BMW-approved tyres or MO for Mercedes-Benz. These tyres are developed for that car, and some lease companies expect them to be matched

The industry's BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear guide - which most leasing companies use at handback - says tyres must follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations on:

• Type
• Class
• Size
• Speed rating.

It also says replacements should be in the same class as those sold on the new car. This refers to EU tyre label performance.

Budget tyres are where people tend to get caught out. Some lease companies will accept them. Whereas others expect premium or mid-range tyres. 

The safest approach is to check your agreement's tyre wording. Or possibly email the funder, before you buy.

The easiest way to get the specification right is to search by your registration. On Blackcircles.com this will bring up the sizes and tyres that suit your car.

It's still worth comparing the load and speed code on the results with what's on your current tyres.

Do you need new tyres before handing a lease car back?

Only if they wouldn't pass the inspection. You don't have to return the car on brand-new tyres, but they do need to be legal and undamaged.

The legal minimum for car tyres in the UK is 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tread, all the way round. This is covered under Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

A car collected with a tyre below that may not be driveable. This can lead to an aborted collection and a fee on top.

Driving on an illegal tyre at any point in the lease also risks a fine of up to £2,500 - and three penalty points per tyre.

Here's what the BVRLA car guide says inspectors look for on tyres and wheels. Your funder's own guide may add to this.

It's recommended that you check your pressures every few weeks throughout the lease is the simplest way to avoid uneven wear.

Punctures, kerb damage and winter tyres on a lease

A nail in the tread doesn't count as wear. So it's normally your cost even on a maintained contract.

Whether it can be repaired depends on where the damage is and how big it is. A puncture in the central part of the tread can often be fixed to the British Standard for tyre repairs. A properly repaired tyre can be accepted on a lease car.

Damage near or on the sidewall can't be repaired. So the tyre will need to be replaced with one of the same specification.

Kerbing is the other common one. If you are unlucky enough to clip a kerb, this can scuff the alloys on your car. But it can also cut or bulge the sidewall.

A bulge means the internal structure is damaged. In this instance then the tyre isn't safe to drive. Get it replaced rather than waiting for a handback.

Winter tyres are rarely included in a lease or maintenance package. However, it is normally ok to fit them at your own cost. As long as they match the car's size, load index and speed rating. Store the original set carefully and refit them before collection day.

Tyre checks to do before lease end

Aim to look the car over a couple of months before collection.

That leaves time to order and fit tyres without rushing. Which includes tim to research the best tyres, rather than accepting whatever the funder charges afterwards.

The BVRLA also has a Return Ready page for drivers getting a car ready to hand back.

1. Tread. Measure each tyre in a few places across its width with a tread depth gauge. The tread wear indicators, small raised bars in the main grooves, sit at the legal limit, so if the tread is level with them the tyre needs replacing.
2. Edges. Run your hand (carefully) across each tyre. One edge noticeably more worn than the other usually means pressure or alignment issues.
3. Sidewalls. Look for cuts, cracks and bulges, especially on the side that's taken the most kerb contact.
4. Specification. Compare the size and load and speed code on all four tyres with the manufacturer's spec, which you'll find in the handbook or on the sticker inside the driver's door.
5. The spare and the kit. Check the spare's tread and pressure, and that the jack and tools or the inflation kit are all there.
6. Wheels. Note any alloy scuffs and roughly how long they are.
7. Paperwork. Keep invoices for any tyres you've fitted during the lease. They show the brand and specification if there's ever a question at handback.

If any tyres need replacing, you can enter your registration on Blackcircles to see tyres that fit your car. Then simply choose fitting at a local garage or with a mobile fitter. All at a time that suits your schedule.