Can I Return My Lease Within 30 Days Without Being Charged in Los Angeles?
Many people in Los Angeles and across California lease cars instead of buying them to lower monthly payments while driving better and newer vehicles. But when you realize that your nice, new leased car has been in the shop instead of on the road, you may wonder whether you’ve been stuck with a lemon and what you should do about it.
In many cases, a consumer will want to return a leased car because it has turned out to be a “lemon.” A lemon is a vehicle with a significant defect covered by the manufacturer’s original warranty that persists despite the manufacturer’s multiple repair attempts. The California Lemon Law allows consumers who have leased or purchased lemons to demand that manufacturers buy back their defective vehicles.
At The Barry Law Firm, we have focused exclusively on pursuing California Lemon Law claims since 2010. Our attorneys have extensive experience holding large auto manufacturers accountable. We’ve helped thousands of Californians return their faulty vehicles and get a refund for the money they’ve sunk into them.
While the Lemon Law covers leased vehicles just like purchased ones, there are issues to think through before returning a leased vehicle. Contact us today for a FAST & FREE consultation if you think you have leased a lemon. We can help you through the entire process of pursuing a Lemon Law claim for your leased vehicle – and we’ll do it all at no cost to you.
What Is a Leased Vehicle?
When you lease a vehicle, you make monthly payments to use it for a set period, typically two to four years, without assuming ownership. At the end of the lease term, you return the car to the dealership – or buy it if your lease includes a purchase option.
The primary advantage of leasing a vehicle is that your monthly payments will usually be lower than they would be if you were purchasing the car. This allows some people to drive nicer cars than they may be able to buy. Leases also appeal to those who prefer to drive the latest models since the arrangement lets them trade for new vehicles every few years.
Can I Return a New Leased Car Within 30 Days?
If you decide after driving a leased car for a few weeks that it isn’t the right car for you, you generally cannot simply return it and cancel the lease. California doesn’t have a “cooling-off” period allowing you to cancel a car lease within 30 days. Some dealerships may offer return policies or a grace period for returning a leased car, but this is at their discretion and not a legal requirement.
As always, you should carefully read and understand all terms of your lease contract before signing. You are legally bound once the contract has been finalized.
Will I Be Penalized for Returning a Lease Within 30 Days?
Your lease agreement likely spells out early termination charges that you must pay if you end the lease early. These fees can be very expensive.
Failing to meet your financial obligations under a lease contract may also negatively affect your credit score. This can make it more difficult to qualify for a future car loan or lease or lead to higher interest rates on loans that are available.
What If My Leased Car Is a Lemon?
While changing your mind typically isn’t a valid reason for returning a leased car without penalties, that doesn’t mean you will be stuck with a lemon. You may have options to return a defective vehicle.
If your leased vehicle qualifies as a lemon under California law, a Lemon Law attorney from The Barry Law Firm can help. We’ll explain how to return a leased car to the manufacturer and demand that they refund your costs and losses.
California law says a motor vehicle leased in the state is a lemon if:
- It has a substantial defect that affects the vehicle’s safety, use, or value.
- The defect is covered by the manufacturer’s original warranty issued at the time of the lease and the warranty was in force when the lessee first sought repairs.
- The defect has not been resolved despite a reasonable number of repair attempts by the vehicle’s manufacturer – typically through an authorized dealership or service center.
However, a Lemon Law claim does not cover problems caused by neglect, misuse, abuse, unauthorized repairs, after-market parts, or alterations of the vehicle.
Should I Return a Lemon Within 30 Days of Leasing It?
If you can show that the vehicle you leased is a lemon, you can start a Lemon Law claim. However, you can’t simply return a car you suspect is a lemon and stop making payments. There is a complex legal process to follow first.
For a Lemon Law claim, you must allow the manufacturer a reasonable number of attempts to repair your vehicle’s defect. What’s considered a “reasonable number” of repair attempts can vary from case to case:
- Defects posing a significant danger – Two or more attempts to fix the problem are typically considered reasonable under California law.
- Less severe issues – The manufacturer may be entitled to more than two attempts to repair the problem.
- Out of service for an extended period – In certain circumstances, a vehicle may automatically qualify as a lemon if it is out of service for an inordinate amount of time.
The California lemon lawyers at The Barry Law Firm can help you determine whether your leased vehicle qualifies as a lemon. If it does, we can begin promptly to seek a full lemon car buyback refund for you.
You don’t have to start your claim within 30 days, although you do have limited time to act. It takes time to build a Lemon Law claim, so it’s critical to contact an attorney as soon as possible so you can get the process started.
What Can I Get Out of a Lemon Law Claim?
So what happens when you return a leased car that qualifies as a lemon? California’s Lemon Law allows lessees to demand that the manufacturer buy back the lemon and compensate them for the costs and losses they have suffered because of the faulty vehicle.
Through a Lemon Law claim, you may pursue compensation for:
- The vehicle’s lease price, including any upfront or down payment, security deposit, acquisition fee, and monthly payments made
- Your collateral costs, including repayment of sales or use taxes, license fees, registration fees, and other official fees
- Your incidental costs due to the vehicle’s failure, including repairs, towing, and alternative transportation, such as rentals, ride sharing, or public transportation
- Your attorneys’ fees and court costs, which the California Lemon Law says the manufacturer must cover in a successful claim
However, California’s Lemon Law allows the vehicle manufacturer to deduct a “usage fee” or “mileage offset.” The amount is based on the miles driven before the initial attempt to have the problem that led to the Lemon Law claim corrected.
A Lemon Law attorney serving Los Angeles can help you calculate the value of your losses so you can pursue reimbursement of every cent the manufacturer owes you.
How Can a Lemon Law Attorney Help Me with a Leased Lemon?
As your California Lemon Law attorneys, the team at The Barry Law Firm will take care of everything that’s required at each step in the Lemon Law claims process.
A Lemon Law claim is a document-heavy legal filing. Our attorneys will first help you assemble records documenting that your leased vehicle is a lemon and what owning this defective vehicle has cost you. This may include:
- Your lease agreement and the manufacturer’s original warranty
- Repair orders and invoices to document the defect and your repair attempts
- Receipts, bank statements, and credit card records of your collateral and incidental costs
- Correspondence with your authorized dealership or service center and the manufacturer
We’ll then file your claim according to legal requirements and advocate for you when your vehicle’s manufacturer inevitably resists making fair restitution to you. If the manufacturer won’t offer a proper buyback payment, we will be prepared to present a strong and persuasive case in court demanding that the manufacturer make things right and pay you what you’re owed.
And we’ll do all this without ever charging you anything. The manufacturer must pay all attorney fees and costs after a successful claim, and we never charge our clients – no matter the outcome of the case.
Contact The Barry Law Firm Today
Contact The Barry Law Firm in Los Angeles today to discuss returning a leased vehicle as part of a California Lemon Law claim. We can help you demand a refund of what you have spent on your faulty leased vehicle at no cost to you. Call now to learn more!
