EUROPE'S largest fleet has established a new end-of-contract vehicle inspection service to protect its residual values.

Motability Finance Limited has appointed RAC Business Services to manage inspections of its end-of-contract vehicles. Inspectors will assess up to 70,000 vehicles a year under the contract to keep a tight watch over the disposal value of vehicles and the effect of fair wear and tear costs.

MFL is the business arm of disabled charity Motability, and runs a fleet of about 370,000 vehicles. RAC inspectors will examine MFL vehicles at the end of their Motability lives and before they are sold as secondhand cars, compiling reports on any damage that needs to be repaired or paid for by drivers. The inspectors will compile the reports on hand-held computers programmed with a bespoke damage assessment system.