Fees and charges

Every charge that can appear on a Drive Subscribe agreement, written down before you order rather than after. Most leasing companies keep this list in the agreement and let you find it later. We'd rather put it on a page you can read before you order anything, because a charge you knew about in advance isn't the same as one that turns up in month seven. None of these are charged as a matter of course. Most customers pay their monthly figure, hand the vehicle back and never see a single line on this page. It's here so that if one of them ever does apply, you already knew it existed and what it costs. Everything below is exclusive of VAT, and everything below comes from your vehicle agreement rather than this website. Where the two ever appear to disagree, the agreement is the one that counts.

Getting the vehicle to you and back

Charge	Amount	When it applies
Aborted delivery	£180 + VAT	Charged when we arrive and the vehicle can't be handed over — nobody there, no licence to check, no insurance in place.
Aborted collection	£180 + VAT	The same at the other end, if we arrive to collect and can't.
Delivery and collection	Free	Anywhere in mainland Britain, excluding the Scottish Highlands. Both ways.

Servicing and keeping the vehicle right

Charge	Amount	When it applies
Missed service	£500 + VAT	Charged if a service interval is passed by more than 500 miles. It also takes the vehicle out of manufacturer warranty, which is the more expensive half of the problem. Tell us when the dashboard starts counting down and none of this arises.
Scheduled servicing and maintenance	Free	Booked by us at an approved service centre and paid for by us, for the whole term.
Lost key	From £450 + VAT	A minimum — the real figure depends on the manufacturer, and on some cars it is considerably more.

Returning the vehicle

Charge	Amount	When it applies
Light valet	£30 + VAT	Charged only where the vehicle comes back needing more than a normal clean.
Medium valet	£75 + VAT
Heavy valet	£150 + VAT
Alloy wheel damage	£125 + VAT per wheel	Where the damage is 20mm or greater. Smaller marks fall inside BVRLA fair wear and tear and aren't charged.
End of hire charges — admin	£40 + VAT	A one-off administration fee, charged only where there are end-of-hire charges to process.
Late return, days 1–7	100% of the daily rate	Per day, on top of the rental, if the vehicle is kept past the end date without agreement.
Late return, days 8–14	150% of the daily rate
Late return, days 15–21	200% of the daily rate
Late return, day 22 onward	300% of the daily rate

Fines, charges and paperwork that arrive after the event

Charge	Amount	When it applies
Speeding fine — admin	£40 + VAT	We're the registered keeper, so notices come to us. The fee covers transferring it to you; the fine itself is separate and yours.
Parking fine — admin	£40 + VAT
Unpaid congestion charge — admin	£40 + VAT
Unpaid toll — admin	£40 + VAT
Foreign travel (VE103B)	£40 + VAT	The document proving you're allowed to take a hired vehicle abroad. Ask before you travel, not after.

Payments

Charge	Amount	When it applies
Late payment notification	£50 + VAT	Charged when a payment is missed and we have to chase it.
Late payment	£50 + VAT

What isn't on this list

Your monthly rental, your mileage allowance and your excess mileage rate are all set out on your own agreement, because they vary by vehicle and term. The upfront costs — first month's rental, the documentation fee and the refundable deposit — are shown on every term page before you apply.

Fair wear and tear

Vehicles are inspected on return against the BVRLA fair wear and tear standard, which is an independent industry benchmark rather than anything we wrote. It allows for a vehicle that has been used. Scratches, scuffs and honest wear are expected; damage is not.

Tyres

Tyres worn out through normal use are covered and replaced at our cost. Punctures, kerb damage, and tyres ruined by a pothole are down to the driver — as is any tyre worn unevenly through a fault that wasn't reported.

If you think a charge is wrong

Tell us. Ring 0333 772 1886 or email support@drivesubscribe.com and we'll go through it with you. If we still can't agree, our complaints procedure sets out what happens next, and as a BVRLA member we're bound by their independent conciliation service.

FAQs: Common questions

What fees can I be charged on a short term lease?

Everything we can charge is listed on this page, and it comes from Annex 1 of your vehicle agreement. The ones most likely to apply are a missed service (£500 + VAT), an aborted delivery or collection (£180 + VAT), a £40 + VAT administration fee on any fine or toll notice we have to transfer to you, and late return charged at 100–300% of the daily rate depending how late. Most customers pay none of them.

Is there a charge for returning a lease car dirty?

Only if it needs more than a normal clean: £30 + VAT for a light valet, £75 for medium, £150 for heavy. A wash the day before collection usually avoids it entirely, and it also makes the vehicle easier to inspect fairly.

What happens if I return a lease vehicle late?

You're charged the daily rate on top of the rental, and it escalates: 100% of the daily rate for the first week, 150% for the second, 200% for the third, and 300% from day 22. Tell us before the end date and we'll usually just extend the agreement instead, which is far cheaper.

Who pays a speeding ticket or congestion charge on a lease car?

You do — the fine itself is always the driver's. Because we're the registered keeper the notice comes to us first, and there's a £40 + VAT administration fee for transferring it to you. Paying congestion and clean air charges on time avoids the whole thing. The exception to this is when we are unable to make representation to the issuing authority. In these cases we simply pay the fine and recharge this to you, along with the admin fee.

What does it cost to take a lease car abroad?

£40 + VAT for the VE103B, the document that proves you're entitled to take a hired vehicle out of the country. Ask us before you travel — without it you can be turned back or fined at the border.