What to check before you sign a car lease in Cyprus

Two leases can advertise the same monthly figure and cost very different amounts over three years. The difference is almost always in clauses nobody reads until they matter. Ask about each of these before you sign, and get the answers in writing.

The mileage cap and what exceeding it costs

Establish the annual allowance and the per-kilometre charge above it. Then ask the question people skip: is the allowance assessed annually or only at the end of the agreement? Annual assessment means a heavy year cannot be balanced out by a light one.

End-of-term condition

Every lease has a standard for acceptable wear, and the gap between "fair wear and tear" and "damage" is where disputes happen. Ask for the written standard, not a verbal reassurance. Ask specifically about kerbed alloys, windscreen chips and interior marks — the three that generate most end-of-term charges.

Who insures it, and what is the excess

If insurance is bundled, find out the excess and whether it differs for different kinds of claim. A low monthly payment attached to a high excess has simply moved the cost to the moment you can least choose to avoid it.

Servicing: included, or scheduled only

"Servicing included" often means scheduled servicing only. Wear items — brakes, tyres, wipers, batteries — may sit outside it. Get the boundary in writing.

Early termination

Ask what happens if you leave the island, change jobs, or simply want out in year two. Some agreements allow transfer to another driver; some charge a defined settlement; some are effectively immovable. This clause is worth more attention than the monthly payment, because it governs your options when something changes.

What happens at the end

Is there an option to purchase, and is the price fixed now or determined later? A figure set at signing is something you can evaluate. A figure set at the end is not.

Get the quote itemised

Ask for the monthly payment broken into its parts. A provider who will itemise is one you can compare against another. A provider who will not is asking you to compare a single number against a single number, which tells you nothing.