Maintaining Your Minibus

What is a maintenance agreement?

A Maintenance Agreement - a Service, Maintenance & Tyres package also known simply as 'Maintenance' or ‘SMT’ - is a service which covers a variety of costs associated with keeping a minibus in roadworthy condition, in exchange for a fixed monthly cost that is combined with your minibus lease agreement.

For example, when a minibus inevitably needs new tyres, your institution only needs to arrange an appointment to get the replacements fitted to the minibus. The full cost will be covered by the maintenance agreement provider to whom the monthly price is paid.

Why does a minibus need a maintenance agreement?

Your new minibus must be regularly serviced and maintained in accordance with the Manufacturer’s recommendations. This is a requirement under the terms and conditions of your finance agreement to ensure that the minibus remains reliable and roadworthy which is important for the safety of your staff, your students, other road users and pedestrians.

Maintaining a minibus can be expensive, and it is important to budget for the cost of repairs and replacements, as well as for any unexpected expenses such as a puncture which could lead to a new set of tyres. Our maintenance agreements cover:

Routine servicing
Maintenance not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty (subject to fair wear and tear)
MOTs
Replacement tyres (subject to Fair Wear & Tear guidelines)
Punctures

Please ask us for further information about what is and what isn’t included.

Having a maintenance agreement for your minibus not only removes the risk of receiving expensive, unwanted bills, it also enables easy budgeting for your school by spreading the cost of repairs and replacements over the term of the finance agreement.

Plus, there’s the convenience of having access to a dedicated booking team who will make all of the arrangements for your service and repair using a national network of approved garages offering the highest standards.

What if your minibus exceeds the total contract mileage?

If your minibus exceeds the total contracted mileage, the funder may:

a) continue to provide the service and charge you for the excess mileage as determined in your contract agreement or

b) decide not to continue to provide the service which will result in you paying for any subsequent servicing and repairs.

Please note that it may be possible to reschedule your contract if your mileage requirements change, but you will need to request this and agree to any changes at least 6 months before the end of the contract to cover additional miles.