The BVRLA Leasing Broker Committee has strengthened its code of conduct as part of its efforts to improve standards of professionalism and customer service in the sector.

The enhanced code, which took effect from 1 January, places more emphasis on after-sale service and requires all BVRLA leasing broker members to play an active role in dealing with customer queries and complaints.

It ask them to provide clear guidance on how cancellations are made and communicated together with details of circumstances in which a customer may be liable for cancellation charges.

The updated code also requires broker members to make the full terms of any business they sign available to the leasing company that is funding the deal in order to improve transparency and to raise standards.

“The Leasing Broker committee has been instrumental in helping us make these necessary changes to the code of conduct” said John Lewis chief executive of the BVRLA “This revised code reflects current business practices and legislation and will instill greater confidence among our member’s customers”.

The strengthened leasing broker code of conduct is the first of a series of measures that the BVRLA is implementing to improve broker standards. The association is looking to introduce a new accreditation process for leasing broker staff and a set of best practice guidelines for customer service, focusing on whole-life contract management, including the end-of-lease period.

Created in autumn 2007, the BVRLA Leasing Broker Committee has concentrated much of its efforts on improving customer service, with some promising results. The percentage of leasing broker members subject to complaints referred to the BVRLA Conciliation Service has fallen from 13% in 2008 to 5% in 2009.

The Honda Jazz is proving itself to be a “right good buy” with its ample load space and high spec equiptment, but coupling this with great fuel economy and low emmission it is firmly holding onto its residual value, thus making the Honda Jazz into a good investment.

The myth that older drivers are less safe has been blown out of the water with the current finding from the Institute of Advanced Motorists who found that only eight per cent of drives are over 70 and they are involved in around four per cent of injury crashes, but of the fifteen per cent of drivers who are in their teen and twenties, thirty four per cent are involved in injury crashes.

In general older people rely more on their own transport and tend to make more trips than their much younger counterparts, and the spokesman Greg Lewis from Age Concern stated “We believe that where drivers wish to continue behind the wheel beyond the age of 70 only convincing reasons should prevent them from doing so”

Further the IAM have said rather than preventing older people from driving the additional risk should be assessed and then appropriate training implemented. In fact the greatest risk to this group is of being killed or injured being 5 times higher than a younger person only due to their increased physical frailty.

Some of the main findings were:

In the next 20 years the number of male drivers over 70 will double and female drivers will triple

No particular age was identified where there is sudden increase in crash involvements

Drivers over 70 are safer on bends and overtaking that 50 year olds but are more at risk on roundabouts, junctions and slip roads

Older drivers self regulate and are less likely to drive in poor conditions

Over the age 85 you are four times more likely to have caused a crash than to have been an innocent victim.

Crashes in which older women are to blame peak about five years earlier that those for older men.

In summary the IAM belives that there is no case for compulsory retesting of older drivers at a set age and indeed more research into the best age to renew a licence together with discussion on restricted licensing as well as bans.

Peugeot’s 3008 mini-MPV has won the 2010 What Car? Car of the Year the judges were impressed with the cars space as well as practicality, Jon Goodman MD of Peugeot made the following comments

” Everyone at Peugeot is delighted to have won the prestigious What Car? Car of the Year award with the 3008, Just like What Car? our customers appreciate our designers’ clever thinking, indeed so much so that we have had to signifcantly increase production to meet demand since it launch, no other car manufacturer has won this award more than Peugeot and it is a fantastic achievement at the start of the 200th year for the brand to win both the overall prize with the 3008 and aslo the best MPV category with the new 5008, and with the highly anticipated RCZ coming to market later this year, we belive 2010 will prove to be a landmark year for Peugeot”

So you would like a new car, you have seen the adverts talked to your friends and then taken a wander into a dealership so that you can see the car in all its glory, all shiny and new. You will of course compare prices, discounts both in the local dealers and on the internet.

The final step, you buy your new car and this will be either with your savings or a loan, you will need to add the interest into your calculations, as well as the road tax for the time you have the car and not forgetting deprecation when costing your total motoring costs.

Maintenance costs will be comparable if you kept the car for the same length as a contract, ie: 24 or 36 months, but if you decided to keep it longer the maintenance costs on a 3 year plus car start to go through the roof.

Time passes and another new car is needed again you know what you want but you also have to get rid of your current car, now this could be through the local paper with people coming round haggling and of course the waiting in for them to turn up or you could part exchange with the dealer although perhaps the best price won’t be achieved, however you go it will cost you money.

So what is the answer to these dilemmas?

Leasing could be the answer to all the niggles of car buying, leasing in the USA is huge and now the UK is the most advanced car leasing market within Europe, buying thousands of new cars, leasing and then recycling back into the used car market.

If you look to change your car regularly, every 2 or 3 years then leasing works out the least expensive option not only providing the keen pricing of the vehicles by the buying power of the big leasing companies but also taking away the cost and the hassle of the disposal at the end of the contract.

So why choose Contract Hire?

• Fixed costs for the whole period
• Reliable Brand New car every 2 or 3 years
• No used car value fluctuations
• Reduced administration
• Car leasing contracts are available with or without maintenance (which covers routine maintenance and servicing costs)
• Takes advantage of the buying power of Leaseline Car leasing and their whole of market trading.

Low monthly rentals

Rentals are based on a small initial outlay and then the monthly payments are fixed which helps with personal budgeting. You pay the monthly rental and then at the end of the term you simply hand the car back and providing it meets the condition and mileage stated in the contract, there is nothing to pay.

Damage and mileage

Any excess mileage is stated in the contract and is not a penalty simply a cost and any damage must fall within the strict guidelines BVRLA fair wear and tear.

Summing it up

You have low fixed cost rentals, no hassle in selling the car at the end. Minimum maintenance costs as most new cars come with 3 or 5 year Full Manufacturer’s warranty, includes Road tax for the complete term.

I am a Self Employed.

Car leasing is available to you too and with all the same benefits of a new car every two to three years, with low rentals and no disposal problems.

Car makers are predicting a tough 2010 without the scrappage scheme to boost sales, and they are turning back to fleet buyers to pick up much of the slack.

Commenting today on new car registrations for 2009, which were the lowest for nearly 15 years, Paul Everitt, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said that ‘stronger demand’ was required from fleet and business buyers.

According to BVRLA chief executive John Lewis, the fleet sector could replace the scrappage scheme as the motor industry’s saviour in 2010.

“2009 brought a real slump in the business car market, which saw its share of new car registrations fall below 50% for the first time in 16 years as companies put off their buying decisions and chose to run their existing fleets for longer before replacing them,” he said.

“These vehicles will need to be replaced soon and with an economic recovery underway and firms beginning to recruit again, we expect fleet car sales to pass the million mark in 2010, providing a vital shot in the arm for manufacturers.”

Manufacturers have already signalled their new marketing priorities by building up the size of their fleet sales teams.

Any rebound in business sales will be especially welcome as these vehicles tend to be higher-spec, more executive models that are more profitable for manufacturers.

“Without the taxpayer-funded scrappage scheme to support them, retail sales are set to slump dramatically this year so it is not surprising that carmakers are already launching a charm offensive on their fleet customers in an attempt to regain share in the vital business market,” Mr Lewis said.