P VAN VALUES
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Lighting up in your van could lose you pounds
A SMELL INSIDE a van will tell a buyer if it has been driven by a smoker, and, if it fails the nostril test, chances are it will fall in retail value.
The ban on smoking in public places, which includes company-owned CVs, has meant buyers can tell between those who have ignored the law and those who haven't.
And the potential to reduce value, says BCA, "is warning businesses who have failed to follow the letter of the law they might have to pay out more than just a fine".
Tim Naylor, a spokesman for BOA. says: "Presentation is one of the strongest price factors in the used car market, and it becomes even more important when used vehicle values are under pressure, as they are at the moment. "Buyers have their pick of a huge range of used cars and vans, and any vehicle that is below par in terms of its condition may well be passed over. Professional buyers always favour cars that are in the best possible condition, and will pay the most for them," he says.
Presentation is not just about how it looks, he says, but how it smells. "As well as the potential fine if caught smoking in a work vehicle which is classed as a public place the loss of value should be another good reason for businesses to make sure employees avoid lighting up in company vans," he says. "Any vehicle that has been heavily smoked in will undoubtedly be at a disadvantage."