Anyone know what happens if you don’t return a car after the lease has ended? My lease return date was MArch 8 and no phone call from the leasing company to this day. Is it assumed I am purchasing the car if I don’t return after a certain amount of time?
Probably the repo man will come and take it away.
The car is not your property if you didn’t buy it. I suppose you could be charged with theft.
Read the fine print in the lease you signed. Returning the car is YOUR responsibility, not theirs. There WILL be penalties to be paid, you can bet on that. You might slip through the cracks for several months, but sooner or later the hammer will fall…Chances are, you will be charged at the daily rental car rate. Again, read your lease…
I’m not a lawyer and I’ve never leased a car, so no personal experience. My take on it is you don’t own the car. If you continue to drive it at least you must continue to make the monthly payment to the leasing company.
Just because you don’t get a phone call doesn’t negate the contract you have signed and are a legal party to. Dig out the contract and read it.
I recommend calling the leasing company, have the vin and/or contract number and ask what your options are; price to buy the car, or where to turn it in. Many people who have leased spend some money on cleaning up the car to reduce charges at turn in time.
If you want to risk issues being reported on your credit report and legal consequences just keep the car, do nothing and see what happens.
Make mine another vote to READ THE CONTRACT! NOW! THIS MINUTE!
By not returning the vehicle you are automatically subjecting yourself to charges that, depending on the fine print, could stagger your imagination. They’re not calling you because they have no need…you’re running up huge expenses on a car that they own…in the end they’ll get your bank account, your firstborn, AND the car. They know this.
If you think you’re getting this ride for free you’re making a SERIOUS mistake.