William Hill has implemented a new end of contract damage recharge policy, in conjunction with Zenith, which has seen a 38% reduction in end of damage contract charges.

Where the damage is due to driver fault, the driver is charged £100 for logging a claim, or the cost of the repair if this is less than £100. If the driver fails to report damage and it is returned at the end of contract with damage they are charged £200.

William Hill has also introduced ad hoc visits from BCA inspectors, who select a random sample of vehicles each month and if a driver is found with damage they have to pay a penalty.

The charging structure has been designed to both reduce the incidence of damage and to encourage employees to report it before end of contract, as a higher penalty is due if the damage goes unreported.

The new policy has seen a significant reduction in end of contract damage charges of 38% since the policy was implemented, as drivers are much more likely to report damage when it occurs, so that it can be repaired straight away.

It also makes employees consider how they drive and look after their car to avoid damage occurring.

A reduction in end of contract damage has the added benefit of helping maintain the company image and safety, helping to ensure that employees are not driving damaged cars or scratched cars.

End of contract damage charges are assessed in accordance with the BVRLA’s fair wear and tear guidelines.

Andy Potter, fleet manager for William Hill, said: “The new policy has improved awareness amongst employees of the need to look after their cars.

“They know that they will be penalised for damage outside of fair wear and tear, and incur higher charges if they do not report damage before it is returned.

“We have implemented the new policy following advice from Zenith and it has been even more successful at reducing charges than we anticipated, with a substantial decrease in charges within the first 12 months.”
 

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