Top tips for 2026 service, maintenance and repair budgets
Fleet Assist has identified cost, workshop capacity and evolving technologies as the key factors for fleets to consider when planning service, maintenance and repair budgets.
It has now shared its best practice advice for leasing, rental and salary sacrifice fleets ahead of 2026.
Garry Winckley, Fleet Assist business development director, said: “The UK fleet sector has navigated another challenging yet transitional year in 2025, with certain indicators, such as reduced repair cycle times and improved use of predictive technologies, showing signs of progress.
“However, the broader picture of SMR aftersales remains a critical balance between balancing costs, downtime, and compliance across a range of vehicles.”
Eight-point plan
It has now developed an eight-point plan for the latest BVRLA Leasing Outlook report to support network management:
- Prepare for labour and parts costs to increase on more ADAS-related elements
- Review work direction to ensure smooth workflow and measure regularly
- Factor in reduced BEV average invoice values
- Educate drivers around routine service maintenance and repair and promote a ‘scheduled SMR event’
- Ensure SMR networks have access to a cross-section of repairers
- Consider indirect costs such as vehicle downtime, driver disruption and compliance
- Invest in predictive maintenance tools to reduce unplanned downtime
- Include SMR in risk reviews when looking to onboard new OEMs and models onto the fleet.
Winckley concluded:
“Those fleets that focus on managing these key forces effectively rather than just headline total SMR spend in isolation will be well positioned to successfully navigate 2026.”
