What is it?

The Leasing option for UK customers is normally set up by our partners as a "temporary transit" is a tax and customs free program that allow anyone living outside European Union to rent a brand new car during his stay in Europe. It's concept although close to the classic car rental process, allows the customer to benefit from a new vehicle (Left Hand drive only) from a from a renown French car maker during their stay in Europe for a period of between 21 days (14 days with Renault) and 6 months. With this said, we must always bear in mind that ANY/ALL VEHICLES ARE UNDER REQUEST and we must wait for the car maker to confirm its availability before payment is taken. Also it is worth knowing that the Availability Lists provided only provide an indicator of what vehicles will be or not be possible to be provided during the desired period specified by our customers.

The concept behind short-term leasing, or "purchase-repurchase," is simple:

• In France, the purchase tax on a slightly used car is much less than on a new vehicle. By leasing new vehicles to tourists at cheap rates, French car companies create a supply of almost-new, reduced-VAT cars that can be sold to European citizens and rental firms at highly competitive prices. This allows our customer to save money, because short-term leases aren't subject to VAT, which typically ranges from 16 to 21 percent for car rentals. The result is a win-win-win situation for everyone involved including the customer, that also has the opportunity to buy the vehicle in the end of the lease.

In order to be able to qualify for this "rental option", our customers must fulfill the following conditions:

• Hold a valid driving license.
• Live outside the European Union.
• Have spent less than 180 days in European Union countries over the 12 past months.
• MUST BE A TOURIST and not have a permanent residence and/or professional activity inside European Union.
• Booking with a minimum of 3 weeks advance until pick-up date.
• Minimum Period of "Lease" of 15 days with Renault and 21 days with Peugeot, 

When qualified our customers will get a vehicle with a special French license red "T" plate. This allows our customers free movement through Europe in a brand new car that "belongs to them" while having the following benefits:

• Economic package tax-free and guaranteed without extra charge.
• Unlimited mileage.
• No young driver fees.

A multi-risk insurance directly with the supplier covering:

• Driver civil liability.
• Vehicle fire damage.
• Theft (requires police report).
• Glass damage.
• All accident damaging the vehicle, including acts of vandalism (requires police report).
• Legal fees.
• Driver warranty.
• Towing of the vehicle.

24/7 Roadside Assistance for:

• Breakdowns and accidents.
• Vehicle theft, attempted theft or vandalism.
• Finding emergency solutions to enable the customers to continue their journey.

While booking the car for our customer, we can add accessories. The price of each accessory depends on the vehicle chosen and will be stated on the Red Book. The request for an accessory must appear on the "Additional Special Request" field so that Leasing department can then add it to the supplier order form. Please do not forget to add the cost of those extras to the "One Way Fee" field in addition to any pre-existing fees.

Please note that extras cannot be added to the car order after the confirmation from supplier is obtained.

By confirming a booking the customer is now engaged to provide all documents required for a Tax Free Registration at least three weeks before the delivery date. If this isn't respected, a cancellation fee of up to 800€ charged by the manufacturer may apply. 

All delivery locations mentioned at the time of the booking are final. Our customer may change the return location by contacting the return location of his choice at least 4 working days prior to the return date scheduled originally (subject to fees being applied).

Although the vehicle is registered in France, the driver must comply with the rules of conduct and local laws of driving in each country crossed and authorized by the contract, including additional equipment (snow tires, chains and other safety equipment). These items should be acquired by the driver. 

Regarding Snow Tires as stated before, the suppliers will not provide them (apart from Renault in certain models at Geneva &Lyon - see Renault Eurodrive info). As our customers now "own" the vehicle during the booked period, they are responsible for meeting all legal requirements in each country. With this said, in order to equip the vehicle with those tires, our customer can do it at his expense, nevertheless the customer will always have to return the car with the original tires provided in the vehicle.

Should our customer like to take advantage of the buy-back program at the end of the lease, the customer needs to contact the supplier directly with a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the scheduled returning date, in order to receive a commercial buy-back personalized proposal from the supplier, thus benefiting from a discount ranging from 25% to 30% or 15% on hybrid engines ( based of the price of the current new vehicle in France). When this is the case, the customer will have to pay VAT for Metropolitan France and/or local taxes in place for other countries of registration. All accessories are the property of the customer who may at this stage opt to keep them or not.

What happens at Pick-up?

Prior to departure, all the information about the supplier's (delivery center is provided on the location handbook, along with the supplier's travel book containing all relevant information about the leasing process), final contract & Auto Europe's voucher, will be sent to the customer by Danijela directly once all is confirmed by the vehicle supplier and all the required signatures & documents are provided by the customer. 

When our customers provide an arrival flight number upon booking stage, once they arrive at the confirmed collection location at the specified time booked, they will either have a representative waiting for them with a shuttle, or a number to contact upon arrival. Please note, in the case the provided flight number is changed or the arrival times are changed, the customer needs to inform our supplier's delivery center directly to make new collection arrangements.

When our customers do not provide an arrival flight number, then the customer will need to directly contact the booked supplier's delivery center at least 4 working days before their arrival to arrange or change the collection time. Warning: For appointments without flight details, you must arrive within 30minutes of the scheduled collection time. If there is a change of flight or an appointment schedule, you must inform the delivery center.

Only the main driver can collect and drive the booked vehicle,  it may be possible that a spouse/partner or direct family member ( Descendants or Parents) can also collect and drive, nevertheless this must always be confirmed first with the supplier and it will be very likely that a special authority letter and proof of residence with the main driver are requested. No one else besides the main driver of the contract and "the spouse" (in the broadest sense, including partners or civil partners subject to presentation of evidence of this union) will be allowed to drive the vehicle. The vehicle cannot be used for any professional purposes.

The customer will be required to present his Passport (+ any visiting visa) alongside all the final contract documentation and the Auto Europe's voucher previously sent via e-mail, alongside the national and international driving licenses which should be present with the main driver at all times.

"T" Red License Plate

The customer will be provided with a "T" registered vehicle, where "T" stands for temporary transit. This is a special registration in a French series, which allows temporary driving of new cars for tourism purchase in mainland France, by individuals that are staying occasionally in Mainland France and the European Union.

The registration number and the month & year, indicating when this regime expires, are reproduced in white characters on the red background of each registration plate. A vehicle registered like this is allowed to drive temporarily exempt from taxes. This "T "registration is intended solely for new vehicles for private tourist use, purchased in Mainland France. 

Observation : It should be noted that all of the vehicles provided are exclusively "left-hand drive" .

What happens at Drop-off?

Our customer will need to call the booked drop-off center to make an appointment with your return center at least 4 working days in advance. The drop-off center will wait for the customer 30 minutes maximum beyond the time booked. The vehicle must be returned to the place indicated on our customer's contract. In the eventuality that our customer needs to return to another drop-off center, this needs to be informed directly by our customer to the supplier and a fee will be charged locally.

Should our customer require to change the booked drop-off center, the customer must contact the supplier directly to arrange this 5 working days prior to the scheduled date and pay any additional fees if/when accepted by the supplier due to this change.

At the end of the contract our customer will have to return at the supplier's drop-off center:

• The vehicle registration certificate.
• The 2 keys to the vehicle.
• User manual.
• SD card of the GPS.
• The European accident report.
• The vehicle maintenance booklet.
• The insurance certificate.
• The safety kit (normally safety vest and triangle).

All/Any items that are not returned by the customer will be debited from his CC or bank account.

The representative of the supplier's return center will ask the customer to sign a duplicate copy of the vehicle receipt (French-English) stating the vehicle's mileage and any returned or missing items. The customer will be provided a copy of this document for his keeping.

At the end of their contract, the client may keep the vehicle definitively. In order to become the definitive owner, the client must contact the maker in order to pay the balance due. If this option is to be taken, the customer must inform the manufacturer directly with at least 15 days notice prior to the end of the contract.

Additional Drivers

Additional Drivers can be added without a fee as long as it obeys with the following relation to the named person on lease:

• Their spouse or partner, 
• Direct descendants (children)
• Direct ascendants (parents). 

Whilst crossing borders, the main driver must be driving. 

The term spouse is understood in the broadest sense and may apply to a cohabiting partner or civil partner when proof is provided.

Please note: with PSA (Peugeot/Citroen/DS) a friend is permitted to drive as long as the primary lessee is present in the car at all times. With Renault this is not the case and it must be a spouse or direct descendant.

Can the customer extend the rental after the vehicle is confirmed?

Cancellation Fees

RENAULT

All cancellation taking place until 21 days before the delivery date: 52.50€ of cancellation fees
All cancellation taking place between 21 days or less before the delivery date: 800 Euros VAT Free will be charged by the maker. 50% (400€) will be deducted from the customer's next order of a Renault/Dacia vehicle

***Free cancellations are back for all orders placed by September 30th 2021, for pickups through to December 31st 2021.***

All modification received less than 24 working days before the delivery date will be charged 300 Euros VAT Free by the maker (subject to acceptance by the manufacturer).

PEUGEOT

All cancellation taking place until 21 days before the delivery date: 50 € cancellation fees. 

All cancellation taking place between 21 days or less before the delivery date: 300 Euros VAT Free will be charged by the maker if the vehicle is not yet registered.

All cancellation of a registered vehicle: 800 Euros VAT Free will be charged by the maker

All name changes on the contract: a 50 € fee will apply

Abandoned vehicle:

- If the vehicle is abandoned in the same city as the delivery center:

• the client will be charged all expenses engaged for repatriating the car plus annex fees (parking, storage, etc.), charged by Peugeot Open Europe

If the vehicle is abandoned in a city other than the delivery center:

• other than the annex fees, the client will be charged 400 € if the vehicle is abandoned in France and 600 € if the vehicle is abandoned in another country

CITROËN

All cancellation taking place until 21 days before the delivery date: 50 € cancellation fees.

All cancellation taking place between 21 days or less before the delivery date: 300 Euros VAT Free will be charged by the maker if the vehicle is not yet registered.

All cancellation of a registered vehicle: 800 Euros VAT Free will be charged by the maker

All name changes on the contract: a 50 € fee will apply

Abandoned vehicle:

- If the vehicle is abandoned in the same city as the delivery center:

• the client will be charged all expenses engaged for repatriating the car plus annex fees (parking, storage, etc.), charged by Citroën Champ de Mars

If the vehicle is abandoned in a city other than the delivery center:

• other than the annex fees, the client will be charged 400 € if the vehicle is abandoned in France and 600 € if the vehicle is abandoned in another country

DS Automobiles

All cancellation taking place until 21 days before the delivery date: 50 € cancellation fees.

All cancellation taking place between 21 days or less before the delivery date: 300 Euros VAT Free will be charged by the maker if the vehicle is not yet registered.

All cancellation of a registered vehicle: 800 Euros VAT Free will be charged by the maker

All name changes on the contract: a 50 € fee will apply

Abandoned vehicle:

- If the vehicle is abandoned in the same city as the delivery center:

• the client will be charged all expenses engaged for repatriating the car plus annex fees (parking, storage, etc.), charged by DS Automobiles

If the vehicle is abandoned in a city other than the delivery center:

• other than the annex fees, the client will be charged 400 € if the vehicle is abandoned in France and 600 € if the vehicle is abandoned in another country

Regarding Cancellations you can also see Training in CHAOS. 

Portugal Law

Temporary transit vehicles may only travel in Portugal for a maximum of 90 days.

Customers who take delivery of their vehicles in Portugal and return them to Portugal cannot have a contract of more than 90 days.

To be driven in Portugal, vehicles in Temporary Transit need a customs document "Guia de Circulação".

The Pick-up location/ delivery centre is responsible for making the customs document for the "car owner". The customs document is registered directly in a platform only accessible to the Authorities.

For customers who take delivery outside Portugal, they can only travel in Portugal for a maximum of 90 days and must also go to a customs office as soon as they arrive in Portugal and request the document or else contact the delivery centers of Porto or Lisbon who can take care of the steps for the customers.

If a law enforcement officer stops the vehicle and notices that he does not have the customs document, he will ask the driver to go to a Customs office to make the document "Guia de Circulação" within 48 hours and a fine may be applied on the spot.