Driver FAQs
Below, we have a list of the most common questions asked by our drivers.
We've placed the questions into categories so that it's easier for
you to find exactly what you're looking for.
In the event that we do not answer your question please submit
your question and we'll get back to you as quickly as possible.
General Questions
Vehicle Maintenance
Breakdowns and Accidents
Penalty Notices
New Car Orders
End of Contract Procedures
The fitment of an in-car
hands-free kit for a mobile phone is not a problem, remembering
that any remedial work required to return the vehicle to it’s
original condition will be charged to you or your organisation
at the end of your hire period. |
| I want to fit a tow-bar to my vehicle. Is this okay? |
The fitment of a tow-bar to our vehicle is normally acceptable,
as long as you adhere to the following conditions. Firstly, the
vehicle maximum towing weight must not be exceeded at any time,
and secondly, any remedial work to return the vehicle to its original
condition at the end of your hire will be borne by you or your
organisation.
|
| I have been involved in a road traffic accident, and my car requires repair. What should I do? |
| Repairs to your vehicle will be carried out following authorisation
by your insurers. Where we provide your organisation with Accident Services, you should simply contact us on 0800 9172712, and we will provide you with direct assistance. In the event that Accident Services, are not included in your contract, you should contact your insurers direct and obtain the necessary claims paperwork from them.
|
| I have been involved in an accident, and I need a relief vehicle. What should I do? |
| If we provide you with Accident Services cover, you are entitled
to a free of charge Grade A vehicle for the duration of your repairs.
Alternatively, we can arrange a temporary relief vehicle on your behalf. Simply call us on 0141 352 5200, and our Maintenance Department will arrange a relief vehicle on your behalf. Please note that this may be chargeable, so you may wish to contact your employer first.
|
| My vehicle has been stolen. What should I do? |
| You should contact the police and then let us know. You should
also advise the person within your organisation that is responsible
for your fleet, and they will advise you what to do next.
|
| My vehicle has been vandalised, what should I do? |
| You should advise the police of the incident, and then notify
your insurers to make arrangements to have the vehicle repaired.
|
| I’ve changed address. Who do I tell? |
| You should contact our Administration Department or your Sales
Executive to advise us of your new address. This will ensure that
essential information does not get lost.
|
| I have a vehicle on contract with you and I want to end the contract early. What should I do? |
| Initially, you should contact the person within your own organisation
who has responsibility for the operation of your vehicles. They
will then contact us regarding the early termination of your vehicle
lease, and we will calculate any costs that are involved.
|
| My vehicle is due off contract shortly and I’ve got some dents and scratches on the car. What should I do? |
| Arnold Clark Vehicle Management subscribe to the BVRLA Fair Wear
and Tear Guide. As such, we expect you to return your vehicle
to us in a condition which befits its age and mileage. This generally means that minor dents and surface scratches would be regarded as wear and tear, but scratches that have penetrated metal and larger dents would need to be repaired through your insurers or at your organisations cost.
|
| My vehicle is due off contract shortly but I want to extend the contract. What do I do? |
| You should initially contact your own organisation. Before extending
a vehicle, we require a formal application from a person in authority,
so that we can prepare the appropriate quotation, and subsequent
contract paperwork.
|
| My vehicle is due off contract shortly, and I am interested in buying it. Who do I contact? |
| We are always happy to provide quotations to drivers for the
purchase of their existing contract vehicles. If you are interested,
you should contact the Sales Executive who deals with your organisation
or complete our online Buy
My Car form.
|
| My vehicle is due off contract shortly. Who do I contact about ordering a new one? |
| We would normally write to your organisation several months
in advance of your contract end date. So, initially, you should
contact the person within your own organisation who has responsibility
for transport matters. It may then be that we can provide you with information directly, or it may be that we provide information to your organisation, who in turn pass it on to you.
|
| I want to take my car out of the country for a while. What is the procedure? |
| You should write or email us, detailing your Vehicle Registration
Number, Your Name, Address and Travel Dates. Please give us at least 7 days notice. We will then forward a letter of authorisation to you, along with an official VE103 Certificate, which you must have to take a leased vehicle out of the country. Please note that this form cannot be faxed, you must have the original document. We will ask you to ensure that you obtain some form of repatriation insurance, to ensure that if the vehicle is immobilised, it is returned to the UK mainland. AA, RAC, Caravan Club and your own insurers can provide such foreign travel cover. If you need to contact us, you should ask for the Fleet Administration Department on 0141 332 2626.
|
| What happens if I have to pay for some repairs while I am on holiday abroad? |
| On return to the UK, simply write to us, detailing your registration
number and enclose a copy of the repairers invoice (which should
be made out to Arnold Clark Vehicle Management). We will then re-imburse
you at the exchange rate prevailing on the day we receive your
letter.
|
| I’m part way through my contract term and my mileage is a lot higher than I originally expected. Should I do anything about this? |
| You should initially make contact with the person responsible
for the operation of your fleet within your organisation. Your
contract will have excess and rebate charges which will be applied
if your mileage is at variance with the contract mileage. If your mileage is exceptionally different from the contracted mileage, it would definitely be advisable to contact us to re-calculate the rental for the correct term and mileage.
|
| My vehicle is due off contract shortly and my mileage is a bit less than expected. What will happen? |
| Your contract will have excess and rebate charges which will
be applied if your mileage is at variance with the contract mileage.
If your vehicle mileage is lower than the contracted mileage,
then a mileage rebate will be raised as part of the termination
process. The mileage rebate will be detailed in the termination
invoice raised to your organisation.
|
| I’ve been told I require an MoT Inspection, what do I do? |
| You should contact your normal servicing and repairs garage
and arrange an appointment with them to have the MoT inspection
carried out. It is essential that this inspection is carried out
in time, as it is illegal to drive a vehicle that is over three
years of age without a valid MoT certificate. In addition, it
will not be possible to re-tax your vehicle without a valid certificate.
Once your garage have completed the inspection and passed the vehicle, the MoT certificate should be sent to :- Fleet Administration Arnold Clark Vehicle Management 163 St Georges Road Glasgow G3 6LB.
|
| I want to order a new vehicle and I’ve seen one at a local dealer. Can I order it with them? |
| Possibly. Our end rentals to you are calculated taking into
account agreed levels of dealer discounts on vehicles. If you
advise us that you have seen the particular car that you are looking
for at a local dealer, we are quite happy to approach that dealer
regarding its purchase. If we can agree a discount then we will purchase the car, but if we cannot obtain the same level of discount as we could through our normal supply chain, then we would have to look elsewhere.
|
| I’ve ordered a new vehicle, but it won’t be ready before my current vehicle is due off contract. What do I do? |
| If you have placed an order with us for a new vehicle, which
will not be available until after your existing vehicle has expired,
we would normally extend your current lease on an informal day
to day basis. We would continue to tax, MoT and maintain the vehicle.
It is your responsibility to insure the vehicle.There may be some
exceptions to this general rule, so you should always contact
your Sales Executive.
|
| I’ve placed an order with you for a new vehicle and I want to change the colour. What should I do? |
| You should initially contact the person responsible for vehicle
ordering within your organisation. They should notify the Sales
Executive who deals with your account in writing as soon as possible.
If the vehicle order is caught early enough, there should be no
problem, but on occasion a change of colour may result in additional
costs.
|
| I’ve placed an order with you for a new vehicle, and I would like to add a few extras. Who should I contact? |
| You should initially contact the person responsible for vehicle
ordering within your organisation.Any changes to an order from
your organisation must come through agreed channels.
|
| My vehicle has a mechanical fault and I need a relief vehicle. What should I do? |
| Assuming you have relief vehicle cover as part of your contract:- If your vehicle is being booked into an Arnold Clark outlet, you will be entitled to a free relief vehicle for the duration of the mechanical repair. You should contact the Car Rental Department at the branch concerned. If your vehicle is being maintained outwith the Arnold Clark retail group, you would normally be entitled to a mechanical relief vehicle after a given period of time e.g. 24 hours, or 48 hours. If you know that your vehicle is going to be off the road for more than the initial pause period, you should contact our Fleet Maintenance Department as soon as possible, and they will make the booking on your behalf. They can be contacted on 0141 352 5200. Please remember that we may be able to get you a courtesy vehicle from your repairer, but these tend to be restricted to service day repairs.
|
| My vehicle has been stolen and I need a relief vehicle. What should I do? |
| Initially, you should contact the person who is responsible
for the operation of your fleet within your organisation. They
may have made arrangements for just this eventuality. Alternatively,
a relief vehicle in the event of theft may be included in your
contract. If this is the case, contact our Fleet Maintenance Department
on 0141 352 5200, and they will arrange a relief vehicle on your
behalf.
|
| Can my fast-fit operator carry out other repairs in addition to tyres and exhausts? |
| No. Our agreements with fast-fit operators are strictly for
tyres and exhausts. In extreme situations, we may allow certain
other repairs to be carried out, but we would normally insist
that these repairs are carried out by approved franchise dealers.
|
| I am having some reliability issues with my contract vehicle. How do I get help? |
| If you are having persistent problems with your vehicle, and
you are unhappy with how the problem is being handled by your
garage, please contact our Fleet Maintenance Department on 0141
352 5200. We will be delighted to assist you, and take the matter
up on your behalf with the garage, or with the vehicle manufacturer.
|
| I have had to pay for a repair myself. How do I claim re-imbursement? |
| You should ensure that the garage make the repair invoice out
to Arnold Clark Vehicle Management, and send us a copy along with
a covering letter. We require your registration number, and a
brief explanation of the circumstances. Where you have incurred an expense while travelling abroad, we will re-imburse you at the exchange rate prevailing at the time we receive your letter.
|
| I need a tyre for my vehicle. Where do I go? |
| We have national accounts with several major fast-fit operators
throughout the United Kingdom. Alternatively, our own Clark-Fit
centres are conveniently located within our own service and repair
centres. Call us on 0141 352 5200 to find your nearest location.
We have national accounts with Motorway Tyres, Kwik-Fit and Associated Tyre Services. Kwik-Fit: 0800 425262 Associated Tyres: 0800 750850
|
| I need an exhaust for my vehicle. Where do I go? |
| We have national accounts with several major fast-fit operators
throughout the United Kingdom. Alternatively, our own Clark-Fit
centres are conveniently located within our own service and repair
centres. Call us on 0141 352 5200 to find your nearest location.
We have national accounts with Motorway Tyres, Kwik-Fit and Associated Tyre Services. Kwik-Fit: 0800 425262 Associated Tyres: 0800 750850
|
| I think my tyres may need replacing. Can you tell me the legal tyre tread limit? |
| Currently, the minimum legal tread depth across the full width
of a tyre is 1.6mm.
Our practice is to replace tyres once they are on or under 2mm
tread depth.
|
| My vehicle has a mechanical fault. Where should I take it? |
| On delivery of your vehicle, we will have asked you to let us
know the garage that you wish to use for servicing and repairs,
so that we can arrange an account for you. An account would normally
take around 6 weeks to open, and once open, you simply contact
your nominated service outlet and make arrangements directly with
them.
|
| My vehicle is due a service. What do I do? |
| Contact our Service-Direct
department on 0845 6014074 and they will take your details and
make arrangements for you. Alternatively, you may complete an
online booking form.
|
| My windscreen has been damaged. How do I get it repaired? |
| We have arranged a national windscreen replacement service through
Autoglass. You can contact them direct on 0800 363636. Unless
specifically instructed otherwise by your organisation, we would
normally accept glass charges and then recharge them back to your
organisation, so that you can claim them through your insurers.
|
| The garage that normally carries out my servicing and repairs has changed franchise. Can I still use them? |
| We find that it is better in the long run to have vehicles maintained
a approved manufacturer repair centres. Consequently, we would
ask that you make alternative arrangements. This protects your
vehicle warranty, and even if your vehicle has exceeded it’s
initial warranty period, it is still possible to pursue post-warranty
claims, as long as a vehicle has been properly serviced and maintained
by a franchise dealer.
|
| The garage that normally carries out my servicing and repairs has been taken over by someone else. Can I keep using it? |
| As long as the franchise has not changed, there would normally
be no problem with a change of garage owner. It may be that we
would need to re-negotiate terms with the garage, but we would
advise you in writing if these negotiations were unsuccessful
and advise you of other dealers in the area.
|
| The garage that normally carries out my servicing and repairs have now closed. What should I do? |
| You should locate another garage in your immediate vicinity
who holds the franchise for your vehicle. You can find this information
through local telephone directories, or alternatively, you may
contact us for assistance. Once we have received your new garage
nomination, we will open an account with them on your behalf.
This may take up to 6 weeks, but once open, you should make contact
with them and book your vehicle in.
|
| There is a small servicing garage that I would like to use. It doesn’t have a new vehicle franchise of any kind. Is this okay? |
| Unfortunately, no. Many manufacturers these days place strict
controls on who can service and maintain their vehicles. Failure
to comply with these instructions would invalidate the warranty,
so we must ensure that vehicles are serviced by an appropriate
franchise dealer. Even if your vehicle has exceeded it’s
initial warranty period, it is still possible to pursue post-warranty
claims, as long as a vehicle has been properly serviced and maintained
by a franchise dealer.
|
| What do I do if my car breaks down? |
| In the first instance, you should check the emergency assistance
cover you are entitled to through your vehicle manufacturer. You
may find this information on your windscreen, or in your manufacturers
handbook. You can also visit our Manufacturer
Emergency Numbers page. Remember that Arnold Clark Vehicle Management operate our own 24 Hour Emergency Hotline. If in doubt, or if your manufacturer emergency cover has expired, you should call us on 0141 332 2622.
|
| My tax disc has expired and I haven’t received a new one, what should I do? |
| You should immediately contact our Fleet Administration Department
on 0141 332 2626. Vehicle Excise renewals are normally carried
out well in advance, and it is unusual for a vehicle to be omitted.
Remember, if a vehicle is over three years of age, we would require
a valid MoT certificate before we can re-tax it.
|
| I’ve heard that the manufacturer of my vehicle is recalling some cars for a safety inspection. What should I do? |
| If a vehicle is to be formally recalled by a manufacturer, we
will receive a recall notice. This notice will then be despatched
to your organisation with a covering letter. So initially, you
should simply wait. It can take some time for recall notices to
be processed by the manufacturer.
|
| I think I’ve been travelling over the speed limit and triggered a roadside camera. What do I do now? |
| If you trigger a roadside camera, we will receive notification
from the appropriate authority. We will then pass your organisations
details onto the authority, who will contact your organisation
direct. In the event that any of these tickets have not been paid quickly enough, we may receive a charge from the authority, in which case, we will be obliged to pay it. It will then be recharged with the addition of an administration fee.It is recommended that any payments are made direct by you, to avoid any increased charges.
|
| I’ve received a parking ticket for my contract vehicle. What do I do with it? |
| Any parking tickets incurred while driving our lease vehicle
must be paid by you.In the event of a parking ticket not being
paid quickly enough, we will receive notification from the appropriate
authority. We will pass your organisation details onto the authority,
and if necessary pay any fine. This fine will then be recharged
with the addition of an administration fee. It is recommended that any payments are made direct by you, to avoid any increased charges.
|
| How do I know how much benefit in kind I will pay for my contract hire vehicle? |
| Benefit in kind taxation is calculated as a percentage of the
Retail Price of the vehicle. This percentage is based upon the
Carbon Dioxide emissions of a car. The higher the emissions, the
higher the rate of tax that you will pay, up to a maximum of 35%
of the Retail Price. Diesel vehicles attract a further penalty
of 3% due to other harmful emissions (up to a maximum of 35% total).
Check out our Pocket Tax pages for more information.
|
| I’ve received a speeding fine while driving my contract vehicle. What do I do with it? |
| Any speeding tickets received while driving our lease vehicle
must be paid by you. In the event of any of a speeding ticket
not been paid quickly enough, you will receive notification from
the appropriate authority direct.
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