What inspectors actually charge for
Under the BVRLA standard, normal light wear is accepted; damage is not. Common chargeable items are kerbed alloys, stains and burns in upholstery, missing items like boot floors and load covers, and smoke damage. A deep clean removes the ones that are cleaning issues rather than damage — and there are more of those than people assume.
Why cleaning changes the outcome
Two reasons. Interior marks that look like permanent staining are very often just ground-in dirt that comes out with a proper seat and carpet shampoo. And on the outside, a hand polish and wax reduces how obvious light swirls and water marks look, which affects how an inspector reads the car overall.
Give yourself a few days
The value in booking early is the information. If we find a kerbed wheel or a cracked trim, you still have time to decide whether to sort it or accept the charge. Booked the morning of collection, you have no options left.
Company cars and salary sacrifice
The same applies to company and salary-sacrifice vehicles, where recharges often land on the driver. It is the cheapest insurance available against an end-of-contract invoice.
Frequently asked
When should I book before handback?+
Three to five days before collection is ideal — enough time to act on anything we flag.
Will a valet remove all charges?+
No — genuine damage such as kerbed alloys or dents is chargeable whatever we do. What a valet removes is everything that was only ever dirt, which is often the bigger part of the list.
Can you remove smoke smell before an inspection?+
A deep interior clean removes the source in most cases. Heavy long-term smoke damage is treated as damage by inspectors and may not fully clear.
Do you clean under the boot floor?+
Yes. The boot well and spare wheel area are checked on inspection, so they are part of the job.