Short-term vehicle specialists since 2007 · FCA registered

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Short-term car leasing, four different ways

Subscriptions, flexible leases, fixed short-term contracts and long-term hire. They solve different problems and cost different amounts. This page explains which is which so you can pick properly.

In short

Short-term car leasing covers any agreement to use a car for roughly 1 to 24 months, rather than the 24 to 48 months of conventional leasing. It comes in four forms: a car subscription (all-inclusive, rolling monthly after a short minimum term), a flexible lease (short minimum term, then notice), a fixed short-term lease (a set number of months at a lower rate), and long-term car hire (daily rental stretched over months). Maintenance, servicing, road tax, warranty and breakdown cover are included across all four; you supply insurance and fuel.

Choose properly

The four options, compared honestly

The right answer depends almost entirely on one question: how confident are you about how long you need the car?

Comparison of short-term car options. Prices are indicative and subject to status, availability and a written quotation.
Car subscriptionFlexible leaseFixed short-term leaseLong-term car hire
Typical minimum termFrom 1 monthFrom 1 month3–24 months, fixed1 month
What happens afterRolls on, 5 working days' noticeRolls on, 5 working days' noticeEnds on the agreed dateRolls, renewed periodically
Keep it how long?Until 3 years oldUntil 3 years oldTo the end dateOpen-ended
Relative monthly costHighestMiddleLowestHigh
Initial paymentUsually 1 month1–2 months1–3 monthsUsually none
Maintenance includedYesYesOptionalYes
Road tax includedYesYesYesYes
Insurance includedNoNoNoSometimes
Can you exit early?Yes, 5 working days' noticeYes, 5 working days' noticeNot without a settlementYes
Best whenPlans may changeProbably 6+ monthsYou know the end dateVery short or uncertain

Car services

Pick your route

Car Subscriptions

One payment covers everything but insurance and fuel. Short minimum term, then month to month. The lowest-commitment way to have a car.

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Car Subscriptions

Flexible Car Leasing

A three month minimum then a rolling agreement with notice. Cheaper than a subscription, far easier to leave than a fixed lease.

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Flexible Car Leasing

Short-Term Car Leasing

Fixed contracts from 3 to 24 months at the lowest monthly rate of the four. The default choice when your dates are known.

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Short-Term Car Leasing

Long-Term Car Hire

Rental extended across months instead of days. Simplest to arrange, usually the most expensive per month beyond a few weeks.

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Long-Term Car Hire

Electric Car Subscriptions

Test whether an EV genuinely works for your mileage and charging setup before committing to one for three years.

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Electric Car Subscriptions

Subscription vs Leasing

A direct head-to-head on cost, flexibility, tax treatment and who each one actually suits.

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Subscription vs Leasing

By term

Popular contract lengths

Two terms account for most of what we supply. Both have dedicated pages with current pricing context.

6 Month Car Lease

Our single most requested term. Long enough to be materially cheaper than rental, short enough to cover a contract, a relocation or a gap between cars.

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6 Month Car Lease

12 Month Car Lease

The best monthly rate in short-term leasing. Spreads depreciation over twice as many payments as a 6 month deal, so the per-month figure drops noticeably.

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12 Month Car Lease

By brand

Browse by manufacturer

Straight to the brands we supply most often on short contracts.

Answers

Frequently asked questions

A subscription has a short minimum term and then rolls month to month with a notice period, so you can hand the car back or swap it when your circumstances change. A short-term lease is a fixed contract for an agreed number of months. The subscription costs more per month because you are paying for the flexibility; the lease is cheaper because you are committing.

Our agreements start at one month on selected vehicles and run to 24 months. The most commonly taken terms are 6 and 12 months. Conventional leasing starts at around 24 months and typically runs to 48, which is a different product for a different need.

Per month, yes. A short-term agreement spreads the vehicle's depreciation over fewer payments, so the monthly figure is higher than a 48 month contract on the same car. What you get back is the ability to stop. If there is any real chance your circumstances will change inside three years, the higher monthly cost is usually cheaper than exiting a long contract early.

Yes. Personal contract hire is available across our range, quoted including VAT. Business users are quoted excluding VAT and may be able to reclaim part of it.

Short-term agreements are usually quoted per month rather than per year — commonly 833, 1,000, 1,500 or 2,000 miles per month. Higher allowances are available and are priced into the monthly figure. Excess mileage is charged at a pence-per-mile rate quoted up front.

Next step

Get a written quote on any car in our fleet

Tell us what you need and when you need it. We will come back with real availability and a written quote — usually the same working day.