Contracts Guide 8/9 — Receive the Car Back and Close the Contract

At return: document the condition with photos, record odometer and fuel so differences are computed automatically, add any new damage, and settle the remainder to close the contract as completed.

📄 Contracts Guide Series — Part 8 of 9  ·  Stage: Closing  ·  Full series index

What you will learn

  • Document the car's condition at return and compare it with handover.
  • Compute extra-kilometre and extra-hour differences automatically.
  • Settle the remainder and complete the contract.

Step 1: Open the return window

After handover, the contract page shows a “Receive car” button. Press it when the car comes back:

Car return window: photo documentation, odometer, fuel and extra-hours fee

Step 2: Document the return condition

  1. Car photos at return (up to 30) and a video — from the same angles you shot at handover for easy comparison.
  2. Actual return date & time.
  3. Extra-hours fee: enable this switch if the customer returned late and you want the delay charged.
  4. Odometer: enter the return reading (the handover reading is shown for comparison). If the customer exceeded the allowed kilometres, the system charges the excess per the car's rate.
  5. Fuel level: record the return percentage — a drop below handover level is your basis to charge the fuel difference.
  6. Car damages: record any new damage not documented at handover via “add car damages”.

Then “Save” — the contract moves to “received” and the return condition appears on the e-contract opposite the handover condition.

Step 3: Settle and complete

Open the “Finance” tab: review the remainder after any differences (kilometres, fuel, delay, damage), and record the final payment. After settlement, complete the contract — it moves to “completed” at the end of the timeline, and the car becomes bookable again immediately.

Common mistakes

  • Return with no photos: return photos are the second half of the comparison — without them you lose proof of new damage.
  • Unrecorded odometer or fuel: without them the system cannot compute kilometre or fuel differences, and you lose earned fees.
  • Leaving the contract open after return: complete it after settlement so your reports stay clean and the car shows as available.