A Guide On Travelling Abroad In Your Lease Vehicle
There’s still a few weeks of summer left and you might be planning to travel abroad during this time but what about travelling abroad when you have a lease car, are you allowed to take a lease car abroad and if so, is there anything you must do beforehand?
If you’re planning a trip abroad in your lease car from Flexed this is perfectly acceptable, however, you might have to prove whilst abroad that the vehicle you are driving is your’s and of course this is not the case, as your lease car is owned by your finance company.
Prepare yourself for a trip abroad in your lease car – you’ll need to fill in a VE103 form and get a letter of authorisation from your finance company.
It is your finance provider who remains the registered owner and keeper of your lease car for the duration of your chosen lease term and therefore, it is they who hold onto the V5C document (log book) relating to your lease vehicle.
To make sure you have the right paperwork whilst travelling abroad, you’ll need to fill in a VE103 ‘Vehicle on Hire’ form that you can acquire from your finance provider.
This form is a legal alternative to the original V5C log book and is accepted as such, so if the need arose whilst abroad for you to show your paperwork relating to the car you’re driving, this will be the correct proof.
You’ll also be provided with a letter of authorisation from your finance provider that confirms them as the legal owner and keeper of the vehicle but that they’ve granted permission for you to take the lease vehicle outside of the UK.
Upon requesting a VE103 form from your finance company, you might be asked to provide the following information:
- Lease holder’s name
- UK address – the same as shown on your driving licence
- Contact telephone number
- Which country/countries you plan to visit
- Your leaving and returning dates
To ensure your finance provider has enough time to deal with your request, it’s advisable to ask for a VE103 form and a letter of authorisation around 14 days before you plan to travel.
Your VE103 form will be valid for 12 months, so you can travel abroad at any time during this period. Be aware that your finance provider might have their own rules on how long the lease vehicle can be out of the UK for, so please check with them beforehand, as it might be that you can only take the vehicle out of the country for a certain amount of days during the 12 month period.
Please note, you might be charged an admin fee by your finance company for providing a VE103 form and letter of authorisation which could be around £15.
Checklist for Travelling Abroad in your Lease Car:
- VE103 Form
- Letter of Authorisation
- Your Full, Valid UK Driving Licence
- Insurance Cover for Driving Abroad – contact your insurance provider to find out if your policy includes driving abroad.
- Breakdown Cover for Travelling Abroad – does Flexed cover me for travelling abroad? If not, you must arrange your own cover for the length of your planned trip.
Lastly, make sure you check the driving laws for the country/countries you are visiting before setting off – doing so could make all the difference between a happy holiday or one to forget!
About us
At Flexed, our flexible short term leases allow you to lease a car, van or pickup for a minimum of 28 days and after which, you can simply return the vehicle without obligation, lease for longer or swap to another model or make with no additional charges to pay.
We also offer long term rentals from 3 months, 6 or 12 months on a number of select vehicles – call 0800 311 8290 to find out more.
All of our lease vehicles are less than 12 months old, with 85% being less than 6 months old. We change our entire fleet every six months, so our customer always have the latest models to choose from.
We welcome individuals looking to lease a vehicle for personal use or company owners who require a vehicle or fleet of vehicle’s to represent their business.
Included within the 28 day rental is UK road tax, manufacturer warranty, breakdown cover, vehicle maintenance and 1,250 miles a month (additional mileages available). Insurance can also be included within our 28-day contracts at an additional charge.
Please click here to find out more about our car leasing services and fantastic offers for both Business and Personal customers, or give us a call on 0800 311 8290.
Drop us a quick email to talk@flexed.co.uk or chat with a member of our team NOW using our online ‘We Are Here!’ service – we’ll gladly answer any leasing questions you may have.
