Crossleys Accident Repair has paid tribute to the support received from Lex Autolease during the coronavirus crisis.

The UK’s largest vehicle leasing company suspended monthly vehicle rental payments for three months, helping the business, which has five garages and operates a fleet of more than 100 vehicles that serve as courtesy cars for customers, negotiate its way through the pandemic.  

Lockdown saw Crossleys face an overnight reduction in workload as the commercial clients and insurance companies it predominantly works with temporarily closed. There were also fewer vehicles on the road in need of servicing and repairs.

Crossleys says that the payment holiday enabled it to keep three of its five sites open for emergency servicing, to help keep key workers moving during the height of the pandemic.

The team has been offering free servicing and valeting to NHS staff, including collection and delivery of their vehicles, as a token of appreciation for their efforts in the fight against Covid-19.

Martin Cross, director at Crossleys Accident and Repair Garage, said: “The payment holiday on our vehicle leases has meant we could stay open, maintaining a high standard of service for those who need it most, without worrying about our overheads. The support has been second to none.”

The leasing industry vowed to help fleets at the start of the lockdown, telling Fleet News that they were working with fleet decision-makers to extend car and van contracts, where necessary, and mitigate potential charges incurred during the lockdown.

Lex Autolease was among those offering tailored solutions and advice to help customers manage their fleets from the start of the pandemic.

Since March, the business has granted payment holidays to more than 3,000 customers, from small fleets to those with hundreds of vehicles, and is now helping fleet decision makers adapt and future-proof their policies ready for a post-lockdown world.

Emma Atkinson, regional relationship manager for SME and business banking at Lex Autolease, said: “We have been working with our customers and supporting them in many different ways, to help relieve some of the pressure.

“Lex Autolease has a critical role to play in this when it comes to keeping the country’s businesses moving.

“We’ve got a strong relationship with Crossleys, and it’s great to know that the help we’ve provided recently has made a real difference not just to them, but also to the key workers in the communities they operate in.”

Crossleys Accident and Repair has banked with Lloyds Bank since 1998 and Lex Autolease has been Crossleys’ fleet provider since 2016.

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