What is the best argument against lease return charges?

That the company's photograph does not show damage beyond the fair wear and tear limit. It is the argument behind most of the charges removed in the decisions we have read.

Does low mileage reduce end of lease damage charges?

No. The ombudsman has rejected that argument repeatedly, because agreements do not provide for it.

Which arguments work when disputing lease return charges?

One argument works far more often than any other: the evidence does not prove the damage is beyond the limit. Arguments that the company suffered no loss, that the car was under its mileage, that it passed an MOT, or that the collection driver said it was fine have failed in every decision we have read.

Last reviewed 13 November 2026. Every figure links to its source.

What has worked

Argument	What happened
The photo has no scale and the scuff may be under 50mm	Two £80 wheel charges removed¹
The photo does not show the damage at all	A £65 charge removed²
The photos are not clear enough	£660 of charges removed³
The company has to prove each line	A wheel charge removed⁴
The late return charge does not match the contract dates	£43.75 waived⁵
This wheel's scuff is inside the 50mm limit	A wheel charge refunded⁶
The fault was there when the car was supplied	A £368.97 seat charge refunded with interest⁷
I can prove the services were done	£600 of service charges removed⁸
The inspection evidence does not support the bill	Most of a £9,605 bill withdrawn, plus £150 compensation⁹

What has failed

Argument	Why it failed
"You sold the car without repairing it, so you lost nothing"	The BVRLA guide allows the charge whether or not the repair is done¹⁰¹¹¹²
"I was well under my mileage"	Agreements do not offset mileage against damage¹³¹⁴¹⁵
"It passed an MOT"	The return standard is a different test from road legality¹³
"The driver said it was fine"	The company, not the collection agent, decides the charges¹⁶¹⁷
"The BVRLA guide is not law"	It is the industry standard, and using it is reasonable¹⁰
"I already had it repaired"	A repair without a transferable warranty can be charged again¹⁸
"I was never told about the standard"	The agreement referred to it and the guide is public³

Three practical lessons

Argue the evidence, line by line. The ombudsman goes through a bill one charge at a time. One decision assessed 23 separate lines.²
Concede what is plainly chargeable. In several cases the customer accepted some lines, and the dispute focused on the ones in doubt.
Complain to the company properly first. Bills were often cut before the ombudsman was involved: £1,727 to £931, £1,240 to £965, £880 to £430, £705 to £615.¹¹¹⁹¹⁶¹⁷

How to read this

These are 23 published decisions, chosen because they deal with return charges. They are not a random sample and the ombudsman decides each case on its own facts. Read the full digest.

Quick answers

What is the best argument against lease return charges?: That the company's photograph does not show damage beyond the fair wear and tear limit. It is the argument behind most of the charges removed in the decisions we have read.
Does low mileage reduce end of lease damage charges?: No. The ombudsman has rejected that argument repeatedly, because agreements do not provide for it.