Things you need to know about your company car

Operational

How do I ensure optimum daily use of my lease car?

• •
  Regularly check the oil level and that of other fluids between services. This will ensure optimum engine performance and reduce fuel consumption.
• •
  Regularly check the tyre pressures. This will reduce wear and increase your safety. But it will also lower your fuel consumption.
• •
  Make sure you use the right fuel.
• •
  Keep the car clean. This will prevent damage to the paintwork.
• •
  Adhere strictly to the manufacturer's maintenance instructions. This can help avoid discussions in the event of technical issues.
• •
  For the specific regulations in your company, you should refer to your employer's car policy

Can I use my company car when I'm ill or taking a career break? The answer to this question depends on the type of leave and whether you retain the right to salary while you are off. Personal use of a company car is tied to receiving salary so you will only need to return the car when your employer is no longer obliged to pay your salary. You therefore retain the right to make personal use of the company car during your annual holiday, on public holidays and while you are on sick leave and are entitled to guaranteed salary. However, if you take unpaid leave or are ill for an extended period of time and therefore are no longer entitled to guaranteed salary, your employer will then have the right to require the temporary return of the vehicle during this period. You should consult your fleet manager or read your company's car policy for more information and for possible exceptions.

Can the employer reclaim your company car immediately after you hand in your notice or are dismissed? If you have to work a period of notice, you will be entitled to use the company car during this time, since your right to a salary will continue as long as the employment contract is in force. If your employment contract is terminated without the need to work a period of notice, the employment relationship will be immediately discontinued and you will have to return your company car straight away. Calculations of any severance pay must take into account the benefits included in possessing a company car. You will probably find more information about this in your employer's car policy.

Can I drive my LeasePlan car to and in other countries? Yes, you can. You are advised to check whether the country you are visiting is listed on your green card and whether you will need any special papers, such as a customs certificate. You will probably find more information about this in your employer's car policy.

Can other people also drive the car abroad? And do I need to be in the car as well? LeasePlan only requires a person with a valid driving licence. However, it is your company's car policy that determines who can drive the car. You should therefore read this carefully beforehand or consult your fleet manager.

I've received notice that my car needs to have a roadworthiness inspection. Where can I have this done? The roadworthiness inspection can take place anywhere in Belgium. However, if your car fails the inspection, you will need to return to the same inspection centre for a new inspection. Find the nearest inspection centre via www.afsprakenautokeuring.be. The document for the reimbursement of a roadworthiness inspection can be found on My LeasePlan: www.leaseplan.be/myleaseplan. Print out the document and be sure to take it with you so you do not have to pay at the inspection centre.

What is the difference between summer and winter tyres and why is changing them recommended? Summer and winter tyres have a different rubber compound. Summer tyres are harder and perform better at temperatures of 7°C and above (grip, braking distance, wear and comfort). With their softer compounds, winter tyres are more suitable for temperatures below 7°C. Winter tyres have a greater depth of tread and a different tread pattern to improve water dispersal. Changing tyres is primarily recommended for safety reasons. Due to their softer compound, winter tyres in particular wear out quickly at higher temperatures and they also increase fuel consumption.

Where can I go to get my tyres changed or repaired?

Tyre change

The details of the tyre centre where your summer or winter tyres are stored can be found on My LeasePlan. Surf to www.leaseplan.be/myleaseplan.

Tyre repairs

Contact our Driver Services staff on 078 150 600 or by e-mail at drivercare@leaseplan.be. They will give you the details of the tyre centres where you can get your tyres repaired. You can then contact the tyre centre directly to make an appointment. The tyre centre will take care of the inspection and LeasePlan will look after the paperwork.

One in three vehicles in Europe has tyre pressures that are too low. In Belgium, this number actually rises to nine out of ten vehicles. The consequences of driving with tyre pressures that are too low are far-reaching for both the car and the environment. Low pressure causes the tyres to wear out faster than normal. This is due to the sides of the tyre becoming overloaded, which significantly raises the tyre temperature. Because the tyre becomes hotter and distorts, the risk of damage, such as a blowout, automatically becomes greater. Low tyre pressures also affect the amount of energy needed to power the car. As a result, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions rise significantly. Studies have shown that cars with low tyre pressures waste 3.9 billion litres of fuel Europe-wide every year. And it is our environment which pays the highest price, with as much as 9.2 million tonnes of CO2 being released into the atmosphere. This works out at an additional 3.45 g/km of CO2 emissions for every car.

When does my car need to be serviced? You can find this information in your car's user manual or you can contact LeasePlan. Incidentally, did you know that many manufacturers no longer work with fixed intervals for services? This is why your on-board computer is the best source of information. If this reports that it’s time for a service, you know for sure how things stand.

Where does my car need to be serviced? You can book a servicing appointment with just a few mouse clicks by means of the booking tool on My LeasePlan (www.leaseplan.be/myleaseplan). You can also see which service partner offers pick-up & delivery and/or free Wi-Fi.

I took my car over from a colleague but I don't know when it was last serviced. What should I do? Contact our Driver Services staff on 078 150 600. They will be happy to check when it was last serviced.

This depends on the conditions that were agreed in the lease contract. Contact LeasePlan Driver Services first on 078 150 600. They can quickly check whether a replacement car is included in the lease contract. If this is not the case, there are of course a number of alternatives:

• •
  You can book an appointment with a service partner which offers a pick-up & delivery service.
• •
  You could opt for servicing at a service partner with a free Wi-Fi zone. This means you can remain there until your car is ready and not miss any valuable work time.
• •
  Of course, you can always ask a colleague to pick you up.
• •
  Or ask your fleet manager whether there are other options offered by your company.

If your car is insured via LeasePlan, you can send the accident report to damage@leaseplan.be. This report is a necessity and will always be requested if you report an accident by telephone to the Driver Services department on 078 150 600. It is advisable to e-mail a scan of the report to LeasePlan. If the accident does not involve another party, it will be sufficient simply to e-mail an account of the facts.

If my car breaks down, is stolen or is involved in an accident in Belgium or Luxembourg, what assistance can I expect? If the vehicle is immobilised in Belgium or Luxembourg, whether beside or on a public highway, or at the driver's residence or workplace, the Flemish Automobile Association (VAB) will send a qualified technician to the location within two hours to make the vehicle roadworthy again. If it is possible to repair the car, the technician will carry out a repair that will last for at least 24 hours to ensure you can continue normal daily activities. If it is not possible to carry out a temporary or permanent repair, LeasePlan-Assistance will arrange for the transfer of the defective vehicle to an authorised garage or workshop. If the car has to stay in the garage, you will be entitled to a replacement car from the VAB.

If my car has sustained damage involving a known party abroad, how should I report this to LeasePlan? Complete the accident statement form together with the other party and send it as soon as possible to LeasePlan, for the attention of the claims department (by fax on 02 722 63 46 or by e-mail to damage@leaseplan.be), or to your insurer if your lease car is not insured through LeasePlan. If your car is insured through LeasePlan, you can already start a claims procedure by phoning LeasePlan Driver Services on +32 2 722 60 00. Please note that the claims department at LeasePlan will also need the original accident statement form!

Excess: who pays – the employee or the employer? This depends on the car policy. Some companies pay the initial excess and the driver pays for all others. Other companies pay the excess when their drivers drive for a certain period accident-free and are then involved in an accident. Some courier companies pay all excesses, because the vehicles frequently change drivers and it is impossible to find out who actually caused the damage. In other companies, each case is considered individually based on the average loss statistics.

If LeasePlan is unable to receive an admission of liability from the other party at the time the repair invoice has to be paid, the insurance excess will also be charged to the client. It goes without saying that if LeasePlan is still able to recover these expenses, the client will be credited with the excess charged.

End of contract

What should I pay attention to when handing in my car? Hand in your car in a clean and tidy condition. Dirty cars fetch a lower price and will therefore be cleaned at your expense. Make sure that you also remove your personal belongings from the car.

I have to hand in my car, but I paid for a number of additional options myself. Can I keep these and what would it cost? Yes, this is possible, although not for all options. It is only possible if the removal of a specific option causes no damage to the car (such as a bike rack, child car seat or tow bar). The additional options need to be removed before the car is returned.

How does your lease contract end? To read more about what to do when your contract ends, we kindly redirect you to this webpage. There we explain in more detail what you can expect when handing in your car and how best you can prepare.