If your business is looking for a comprehensive, fixed cost motoring package where full usage of a new vehicle is important but ownership is not, then you should consider contract hire.
This is essentially an operating lease, which enables you to drive a new vehicle of your choice on a “fully inclusive” basis. Maintenance can be included as part of the contract, leaving you with only fuel and insurance to consider as extras. As you are hiring the vehicle as opposed to buying it, at the end of the contract you simply hand the vehicle back, leaving you with no disposal worries (subject to mileage and condition).
Contract Hire is also an extremely tax efficient method of funding a business vehicle, as rentals may be offset against taxable profits. For cars with a retail price of up to £12,000, full tax relief is available. However, where a car has a retail price in excess of this sum, tax relief is restricted in accordance with the following formula known as “half the excess rule” although full relief may be claimed on any maintenance element of the rental:
Disallowed percentage of rental = 1/2 (Vehicle cost - 12,000)*100/ Vehicle Cost
Additionally, if your business is registered for VAT, 100% of the VAT payable on the finance element of the rentals may be recovered where the vehicle is either a van or a car used solely for business purposes. Where the vehicle is a car used for business and private mileage, then only 50% of the VAT payable on the finance may be recovered.