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What is short term car leasing?

A guide explaining what short term car leasing involves, the pros and cons and the deals available.

Our short term lease deals make choosing your next vehicle easy. With more flexibility, shorter contract lengths and maintenance included, you’re just a few clicks away from a brand-new car.

Sometimes a two, three or four-year agreement is longer than necessary, and you may only need a short term lease to fill a gap for a few months. Leasing Options is here to help with a range of short term contracts that allow a fixed rate of payment over terms as little as just three months. All short term contracts come with maintenance and your new car could be delivered in as little as three days!

How long is a short term car lease?

We can offer shorter lease terms from terms as short as one month for both business and personal customers, allowing you to drive a brand-new car for the amount of time you need it, offering great flexibility whatever your circumstances. 

Who is short term car leasing for?

Short term leasing can appeal for both personal circumstances and business reasons. 

Similarly, there are a few business reasons why you might choose a short term lease:

Personal short term leasing

There are a number of reasons why short term leasing might be suitable for individuals on a personal contract:

  • Temporary requirement for a car to fill a short gap (personal circumstances/work situation)
  • Waiting for a new car to be delivered
  • Low credit rating so wants to build trust and credit rating
  • Can’t decide on long term choice of car and want to ‘try before you buy’

Business short term leasing

Short term leasing might be suitable for businesses and businesspeople/workers:

  • Short, fixed term contract of work
  • The business uses a ‘bank’ of temporary staff
  • The work is ‘seasonal’ and has different requirements for vehicle use  

Can I ask for a specific car?

Yes. There is a wide selection available for short term leases. Contact our team to discuss your options.

What’s the cheapest short term car lease?    

The cheapest short term lease options are for small manual hatchbacks. The pricing can change on the available cars for short term leasing (when you’re in a short term lease the price will remain fixed). An example of the sort of car you can see at the cheaper end of the spectrum would be something like a Fiat 500 or Ford Fiesta.

Can I lease an electric car for a short term?

With our short term leasing you can lease any sort of car from a small hatchback to a big executive saloon. Amongst the available vehicles there are some electrically powered cars. Not all available cars are listed in our pricing so make sure to call us if something you need isn't listed.

I have bad credit; can I still get a short term lease?

If you have bad credit, short term leasing may be an option for you. The acceptance criteria for short term leasing is lower than normal leasing over a two, three or four-year contract. Due to this, short term leasing is a good option for someone looking to improve their credit before taking out a longer lease.

Benefits of short term car leasing

There are a number of benefits to short term leasing:

  • Ability to have flexible contracts
  • Enables you to change your car frequently
  • If you don’t like long term commitments – this is ideal
  • Agreed fixed monthly affordable price
  • Quick turnaround from ordering to receiving the car
  • Minimal maintenance costs

Considerations of short term car leasing

If you are considering a short term car leasing deal, there are several factors to think about:

  • If you need a car for six months or less – this is the contract for you
  • If you want a new car but time is running out before you return your old one – don’t rush into a new lease/contract – take a short term deal so you have chance to look at your options
  • A short term car lease is the perfect ‘stop gap’

If you’re a business, the short term contract is ideal if:

  • You have no credit history
  • Need to provide a car for a temporary member of staff
  • Need a car to help an employee facilitate a short contract/ work trip away

Ultimately the key benefit of short term leasing is flexibility. 

Drive a brand-new car of your choice for just one to six months with one of our short term leasing deals.

If you want to hire an electric car for one to six months, get in touch and we’ll help you find a great deal.

Car Leasing FAQs

Can anyone else drive my vehicle?

We believe in providing flexibility for our customers, which means our vehicles can be driven by a wide range of people:

  • Business users
    Company employees, employee’s spouses, partners and immediate family (children, siblings, parents etc.), as long as they meet the driver-eligibility criteria.
  • Personal users
    The driver, their spouse or partner and immediate family (children, siblings, parents etc.), as long as they meet the driver-eligibility criteria.

Below is the Fuel & Go driver-eligibility criteria:

  • All drivers must be aged between 21-70.
  • They must be in possession of a full UK/EU driving licence that has been valid for at least 12 months.
  • Drivers must not have more than two own-fault claims in the past 24 months.
  • Anyone using the vehicle cannot have more than 6 points on their driving licence.
  • They must not have received a driving ban in the past 60 months.
  • Drivers must not have been advised to stop driving by a medical professional or the DVLA due to a medical condition.

What do you get with the Fuel & Go package?

Our Fuel & Go leasing service ensures you get all the cover you need for your leased vehicle. The key benefits of the package include:

  • Guaranteed Maintenance & Breakdown – access to a 48 hour relief vehicle if it can no longer be driven, or is left by the roadside.
  • Shortfall Protection – Help with finance arrangements if the vehicle is written off.
  • Accident Management – All accident claims are processed by a dedicated team.
  • Own Damage Protection – Repair cost related to accident, fire, theft and more are covered.
  • Glass Protection – Body glass and windscreen are covered.
  • MID updates – Regular and complete Motor Insurance Database updates.

All you have to do is add fuel and enjoy making the most of your leased vehicle.

What isn’t included in the Fuel & Go package?

At the moment Arval, the funder for our Fuel & Go package, doesn’t cover for personal injury for the named driver. Any passengers would be covered under ‘third party’ within the policy. Personal belongings are also not covered within the policy

What are the pros and cons of leasing vs buying?

Not only does leasing offer great flexibility and peace of mind, you won't be left with a vehicle facing negative equity when your contract is up. What's more, due to the financial flexibility, leasing often means you can drive a newer or higher spec car than you would have been able to afford if paying outright..

If you settle the contract early, you will be required to pay a termination fee.

If you exceed your agreed annual mileage allowance, you will be required to pay an excess-mileage fee.

At the end of your contract, you will be required to pay for any damage to the vehicle, with the exception of "fair wear-and-tear".

To learn more about the benefits of leasing, our guides section has more indepth articles.

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