About the BVRLA What We Do Established in 1967, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association is the UK trade body for companies engaged in the rental and leasing of cars and commercial vehicles. The BVRLA’s 850+ members operate a combined fleet of around 4.5 million cars, vans and trucks. BVRLA members buy nearly half of all new vehicles sold in the UK, supporting around 317,000 jobs and contributing nearly £25bn to the economy each year. By consulting with government and maintaining industry standards, the BVRLA helps its members deliver safe, sustainable and affordable road transport to millions of consumers and businesses. Our Committee of Management BVRLA Chairman Simon Oliphant hitachi capital corporation BVRLA Vice Chairman Matt Dyer leaseplan uk BVRLA Honorary Treasurer Brian Back BVRLA Honorary Life President Freddie Aldous BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney Nina Bell avis budget group uk Contact Us Tim Buchan zenith Peter Cakebread marshall leasing BVRLA Benoit Dilly arval uk River Lodge Peter Grime miles & miles Badminton Court David Hosking tusker Amersham Jon Lawes hitachi capital vehicle solutions Buckinghamshire HP7 0DD Tim Porter lex autolease David Rowlands hertz uk Tel 01494 434747 Khaled Shahbo enterprise rent-a-car Fax 01494 434499 Gary Smith europcar group uk Email [email protected] Brian Swallow enterprise rent-a-car Web www.bvrla.co.uk PUBLICATION DESIGN: STEVEN PRIZEMAN ([email protected]) Contents 2016 in Numbers A snapshot of our activities 4 over the past year presented in vital statistics Achievements in 2016 We’ve been doing a lot of work Member Survey Results What did you say about us for our members and the industry 6 24 in our 2016 survey? – here are our 10 highlights Opportunities in 2017 In the Spotlight: Where others see problems and Media Highlights 2016 7 challenges, we see potential for 25 A year of getting across the better business for our members vital industry messages Chairman’s Comment Events in 2017 Simon Oliphant gives his We have a host of events planned 8 assessment of a tumultuous 26 for our 50th anniversay year – get year in politics and finance your diary out and take a look Training & Development Chief Executive’s Comment Making the industry better by Gerry Keaney details the improving the skills of its people 11 BVRLA’s work in 2016 28 is at the heart of what we do Leasing Broker Products & Services Committee Report Forms, guides to vehicle 14 Mike Potter reveals the success 29 standards, security measures, of the audit programme mileage information and more… Rental Committee Report Brian Swallow explains the BVRLA’s Membership Listing: 16 Dart Charge achievement and 30 Corporate Members our gathering of car rental facts Leasing & Fleet Management Membership Listing: Committee Report 18 David Hosking sets out the 32 Leasing Broker and case for the company car Rental Broker Members Commercial Vehicle Committee Report Membership Listing: 20 Jon Lawes says HGV return 34 Associate Members standards are clearer than ever Research & Statistics The BVRLA is a powerhouse of Who We Are The BVRLA team and industry information – see the 22 35 how to get in touch with us range of data we gather 3 2016 in Numbers Member Representation Status & Credibility Number of audits Number of carried out as part 134 new members 439 of the BVRLA’s governance programme Communications Number of with government consumers helped and members 404 1,195 by the BVRLA’s about compliance Conciliation Service and BVRLA Codes Member representatives Number of followers 96 on BVRLA 2,018 of @BVRLA on Twitter committees Members of Communications the BVRLA 2,290 178 with government LinkedIn Group Number of government Total events groups in which we 26 held in 2016 25 represent the industry 4 ANNUAL REVIEW 2016 Advice & Information Member Services Visits to the Records in the BVRLA’s setting up BVRLA’s Vehicle 18,011 a rental company 30,605,265 Mileage Database advice page Growth in the Members attended number of BVRLA conferences +4.5% page views of 851 and forums bvrla.co.uk New and Searches made using updated 24 832,819 RISC in 2016 fact sheets Guests at BVRLA member 962 the 2016 602 staff trained and Annual Dinner developed in 2016 Number of legal Number of VE103B 4,835 queries handled 90,952 certificates issued to in 2016 members in 2016 4 5 Achievements in 2016 Audit Programme CRM Fair Wear & Tear Guide Following the introduction of July 2016 saw the BVRLA’s The Industry Fair Wear & the BVRLA’s new compliance new customer relationship Tear Standard for Drivers and programme in 2015, our management (CRM) system Operators of Contract Hire, Rented auditors have conducted close go live. It is already helping and Leased Vehicles over 3.5 to 500 audits this year for us to streamline our business Tonnes was updated. The HGV new and existing members. processes and communicate Fair Wear & Tear Guide, as it is The programme has raised more proactively with members, commonly known, was unveiled standards across the rental contacting them with relevant at the Commercial Vehicle and leasing broker sectors. information only. Show at the Birmingham NEC. It Members have been quick to provides HGV operators with clear give their feedback, praising the guidance on acceptable standards auditors for making the process when returning a leased HGV. simple, providing constructive Dart Charge criticism and identifying areas The BVRLA secured a new, for potential growth. simplified process for members Grey Fleet handling Penalty Charge Using government figures Notices (PCNs) imposed for and real fleet data, the BVRLA Car Rental Confidence non-payment of the fee for and the Energy Saving Trust Our industry continues to work using the Dartford Crossing. produced a detailed analysis of with the Competition & Now, all transfer of liability the grey fleet and its impact on Markets Authority (CMA) and requests can be completed carbon emissions, air quality the European Commission within 72 hours as long as and costs. This gave members to tackle consumer concerns members provide the correct a much clearer view of the regarding car rental. In October, information, and members can scale and scope of grey fleet Which? Magazine noted that also make representations in use in both the private and “improvements have been made bulk using a spreadsheet. public sectors. since the CMA’s review”. The CMA moved its investigation into its second stage, looking Training at car rental brokers and The year saw an upturn in intermediaries. The CMA training and development held workshops with rental among BVRLA members – a brokers and representatives situation clearly connected with from the BVRLA that resulted the association’s record level in recommendations being of membership. This growth provided to brokers to help with has been driven by continued transparency on their websites. interest in the City & Guilds Rental Operator Skills Certificate and the IMI Accreditation among Technical Service Advisers. Conciliation Service Events Since becoming an approved The BVRLA ran a total of 26 Alternative Dispute Resolution events for members and Workplace Charging provider in October 2015, colleagues in the fleet rental Following extensive lobbying the BVRLA’s Conciliation and leasing industry in 2016 by the BVRLA, the government Service has helped more than – an increase on previous years. announced a £35m funding 1,195 individuals with their From market intelligence and package to support the ultra complaints, resolving all within legal updates at our Forums, to low emission vehicle market. 30 days. Some 56% of rental socialising at our Golf Day and This included £7.5m for and 76% of leasing complaints Annual Dinner, we have been businesses to be given a grant to have been resolved in favour of active and accessible. install electric vehicle charging the member. points at their offices. 6 Opportunities in 2017 Air quality Business car taxation Road Traffic Offences The BVRLA will be working The government has pledged to and Private Parking closely with the Department ‘close loopholes’ in its current The BVRLA is looking to for Environment, Food & Rural tax regime, but as we have seen overhaul the legislation Affairs (Defra) on its proposals with HM Revenue & Customs’ surrounding road traffic for clean air zones. We want approach to salary sacrifice offences and private parking. to ensure that a national schemes, company cars can framework is introduced to often get caught in the crossfire. In many cases the legislation for provide guidance to cities across the various traffic offences does the UK considering bringing in In April 2017, the still-to-be- not recognise the modern world low emission zones. finalised Finance Bill will come we live in and requires members into force, a new Vehicle Excise to post reams of paper to Such a framework should Duty system will take effect, demonstrate that a vehicle is on provide consistency (an identical and we may see the result of the hire or lease. The BVRLA will be standard across zones), certainty government’s consultations into working with the government (in terms of the permanence ultra low emission vehicle tax to try and remove these or fixed-term nature of such bands in the company car tax administrative burdens and zones), give sufficient notice scheme. The BVRLA has been ensure a simple, harmonised of their introduction (so fleet hard at work trying to promote electronic approach is in place operators can make vehicle the strides being made in these so that the person committing purchase decisions without areas by members, and this the offence is held to account unnecessary financial penalties), work will continue in 2017. and has a right to appeal. and provide confidence to the aftermarket. Meetings have been planned with HM Treasury, HMRC, the Department for Transport, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, the Brexit Department for Environment, Following the vote to leave the Food & Rural Affairs, and European Union, one of the the Office for Low Emission major hurdles for the industry Vehicles, as well as certain select looking ahead will be the threats committee chairs and staff.