Tesla Personal Contract Hire in the UK: what to check before you sign

Who this guide is for

This guide is for the United Kingdom. It explains terms and lists questions to ask. It does not tell you what to choose, and it is not financial advice. We quote no prices, rentals, rates or mileage figures, because they change and depend on your credit and your quote. It uses MoneyHelper’s guide to Personal Contract Hire, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association’s (BVRLA) page on fair wear and tear, and Tesla UK’s own pages, all read on October 28, 2026. We did not read the Financial Conduct Authority’s consumer pages or a Tesla hire agreement: your own contract is what counts.

What PCH is

MoneyHelper, from the Money and Pensions Service, describes Personal Contract Hire as a way to rent a car for a few years without the intention of buying it. You agree a contract length and make fixed monthly payments, and you also pay an upfront fee and most running costs, like insurance and fuel. MoneyHelper says there usually won’t be an option to buy the car, and that you return it to the dealer when the contract ends. It calls the dealer the car’s owner.

What Tesla UK shows

Tesla UK’s configurator offers a menu of payment methods. For private buyers it lists Cash, Personal Contract Hire, PCP and Hire Purchase. For business buyers it lists Cash, Business Contract Hire, PCP and Hire Purchase. The configurator shows a monthly figure alongside an advance payment, a term and an annual mileage. We do not quote them: they depend on the car and on the moment you look, and they are illustrations, not your quote.

Tesla UK’s ordering page says that, depending on your location, you can lease, buy with financing or buy outright. It also says you pay a one-time order fee, that this fee is usually not refundable, and it lists exceptions on that page. Read those for your payment method before you order. We did not find a Tesla UK support page that explains its hire product, so the agreement you are offered is the document to read.

Where charges arise

MoneyHelper sets out the places where costs can come from. They are worth asking about one by one.

The upfront payment. MoneyHelper says you make a larger payment at the start. It warns that some dealers offer low monthly payments with a big deposit, and suggests working out exactly what you will pay in total.

The monthly payment. MoneyHelper says it is based on the value of the car, the upfront fee, the mileage allowance and the length of the contract. A longer contract can lower the monthly cost, but the car loses value over time.

Mileage. You are set a yearly limit. MoneyHelper says you can negotiate it, that a higher allowance means higher monthly payments, and that going over it usually brings a penalty, so check your contract. See your contract for the allowance and the charge for extra miles.

Running costs. MoneyHelper says that, although the dealer owns the car, you are responsible for insurance, fuel, servicing and any parking or speeding tickets, and that you are usually responsible for repairs and maintenance unless your agreement includes them. See your contract to find out what is included.

Damage and fair wear and tear

MoneyHelper says most dealers expect some wear and tear by the end of the lease but charge for damage beyond it, and that you should know what they will look for when you hand the car back. It adds that even scratches on hubcaps or from pets can be seen as damage by dealers.

The BVRLA publishes a Fair Wear and Tear Guide, which it describes as an industry-wide standard that defines fair wear and tear on vehicles returned at the end of a lease. It says fair wear and tear occurs when normal usage causes deterioration, and it is not to be confused with damage from a specific event or series of events, such as impact, inappropriate stowing of items, harsh treatment or negligent acts. The BVRLA’s guides are copyrighted and sold to its members, so we do not reproduce them. The question to ask is which standard your funder applies, and where you can read it.

Ending early

MoneyHelper says that if you need to hand the car back early, you will likely need to pay a termination fee that can be a large penalty, and that you are tied into the deal for the whole contract. It says to check your contract before you start to see whether ending early is an option and what it would cost. If you struggle to keep up with payments, it says to speak to your car finance company.

If your delivery date moves

Tesla UK’s delivery page says vehicle availability varies with production, logistics and timely completion of your delivery tasks, and lists financing among the details to confirm in your Tesla Account. It also says payment must be made before you take delivery and that credit cards are not accepted for final payment.

We found no Tesla UK page saying what a delayed date does to a hire quote. That is the kind of question to put to your advisor in writing: how do my quote and terms apply if the date changes? For why dates move, see why the Tesla delivery date keeps changing.

Questions to ask before you sign

These are our questions, not MoneyHelper’s, the BVRLA’s or Tesla’s:

• What is the total of the upfront payment and all monthly payments over the whole term?
• What is the yearly mileage allowance, and what is charged per extra mile?
• What does the contract say about wear and tear, and which standard does the funder use?
• Who is responsible for servicing, repairs and tyres?
• What does ending early cost, and is it possible at all?
• What happens to my quote and terms if the delivery date changes?
• Who do I contact if I have a problem during the contract?

Before you order: 7 checks

1. The exact payment method on your order: Personal Contract Hire, PCP or Hire Purchase are different agreements.
2. The quote in writing, with the upfront payment, term and mileage.
3. The date in writing, and what happens to the quote if it moves.
4. What is included: servicing, insurance, roadside help.
5. The end-of-contract rules: return process, condition standard, charges.
6. Insurance quotes for the exact version.
7. Screenshots of Tesla’s page and your order, today. Offers change.

For how leasing compares with buying, see lease or buy a Tesla, which is for the United States, and for how offers work see how Tesla promotions work.

On delivery day: 7 checks

TSL Check is the iPhone app we make for Tesla deliveries. It walks you around the car area by area, with a photo and a note for each point. The seven that matter most:

1. Walk around in daylight: panel gaps, paint, glass.
2. Check the wheels and tyres against your order.
3. Check the seats, the roof and both boots.
4. Check the charge port and the cable you ordered.
5. Check the screen, cameras and the driver-assistance features on the order.
6. Check the keys and the app pairing.
7. Ask the advisor to record anything wrong before you sign. See what to expect at a Tesla delivery center.

Why record the car on day one

At the end of a hire agreement, the funder looks at the car’s condition against its standard. Recording the car when you take it makes it easier to tell what was there from the start. TSL Check gives you a report with photos and notes that you can keep with your hire paperwork (how it works). It keeps your photos on your iPhone and does not touch your contract or payments.

Why you can trust this guide

We make TSL Check, BD Check and RVN Check. We sell no cars and arrange no finance, and nothing here depends on your choice. We quote no prices; everything cited comes from the pages named above, dated October 28, 2026. This is not financial advice. For your own case, ask the funder to explain each term and consider independent guidance such as MoneyHelper.

Whatever you find at delivery, ask the advisor to record it before you sign, and keep a copy.