Vehicle condition report app for hire and rental
A consistent, timestamped check-out and check-in condition report — the before-and-after baseline that settles most hire disputes, built into the hire rather than bolted on.
Part of Complys Self-Drive Hire. 30-day free trial, no card required, when the platform launches.
Most disagreements in vehicle hire come down to one question: what condition was the vehicle in when it went out, and what condition did it come back in? A vehicle condition report app answers that with a consistent, timestamped record at both ends of the hire — not a hurried walk-round and a few photos that may or may not be found later.
In Complys the condition report isn't a standalone app bolted on; it's the check-out and check-in steps of the hire's evidence chain, tied to the same hirer, agreement and vehicle. The record you capture at hand-over is the exact baseline you inspect against on return.
The hire evidence chain
From licence check to signed handover to return condition, Complys keeps the evidence of every hire connected to the vehicle, hirer and agreement. This page covers one link in that chain.
- Hirer identity & document captureIn the first release
- DVLA licence & share-code checksIn the first release
- Rental agreement & e-signatureIn the first release
- Check-out condition & photographsIn the first release
- Deposits & paymentsLaunching next
- Return / check-in conditionIn the first release
- Damage capture & photo evidenceIn the first release
- Structured damage comparison & disputesLaunching next
- Fines / PCN administration & liability transferPlanned
- Evidence pack exportIn the first release
- Tamper-evident audit trailIn the first release
The check-out condition report
At hand-over, Complys guides staff through a consistent inspection so nothing is skipped under time pressure. Existing damage is recorded against a vehicle diagram, the required photographs are captured with a timestamp, and fuel and mileage out are logged — all against this specific hire.
Because the sequence is the same every time, a new member of staff produces the same defensible record as your most experienced one, and there's no argument later about whether a mark was already there when the vehicle left.
- • Guided walk-round with a vehicle diagram
- • Existing damage marked by location and severity
- • Required, timestamped photographs (and video where you want it)
- • Fuel and mileage out
- • Captured against the hirer, agreement and vehicle — one record
The check-in condition report
On return, the process mirrors the hand-over: photograph the vehicle, complete the same inspection, and record fuel and mileage in. The return record is captured against the same hire, so the two ends line up naturally rather than being two loose sets of photos you have to match by hand.
New damage stands out because you're inspecting against a known baseline, not trying to remember what the vehicle looked like a week ago.
Why timestamped photos, and what the guidance says
UK government consumer guidance encourages hirers to keep records of a vehicle's condition before and after hire to help resolve damage disputes. The government confirmed in January 2026 that it did not intend to mandate digitally timestamped photo or video evidence — so this is best practice and a strong commercial protection, not a statutory requirement.
Complys treats it that way: it makes the before-and-after evidence excellent and easy to produce, without ever presenting it as something the law forces you to do. Good evidence is simply the cheapest way to avoid losing a damage argument.
One record, not an app full of orphan photos
A condition-report app that just stores photos leaves you to reconnect them to the right hire, hirer and agreement when a dispute lands. Complys keeps the condition report inside the hire from the start, so the check-out and check-in evidence sits next to the licence check, the signed agreement and any charges — and the whole thing exports as one evidence pack.
What’s ready, honestly
Complys Self-Drive is launching. Here is exactly where the capabilities on this page stand — labelled at the feature level, never marketed as available before they ship.
Record the vehicle's condition and the required photographs before the vehicle is handed over. Included in Complys Self-Drive from launch.
Record the vehicle's condition and photographs on return, mirroring the check-out. Included in Complys Self-Drive from launch.
Frequently asked questions
What does the condition report capture?
At check-out: a guided walk-round, existing damage marked on a vehicle diagram, required timestamped photographs, and fuel and mileage out. At check-in: the same inspection plus fuel and mileage in — all recorded against the specific hire.
Is it a separate app?
No. It's the check-out and check-in steps of Complys Self-Drive Hire, tied to the same hirer, agreement and vehicle. That's the point — the condition evidence isn't a loose set of photos you have to match up later.
Are before-and-after photos legally required?
No. UK guidance encourages keeping before/after condition records to resolve disputes, and the government confirmed in January 2026 it did not intend to mandate timestamped photo/video evidence. Complys makes the evidence thorough and easy without presenting it as a legal requirement.
Does it work on a phone at the counter or forecourt?
Yes — the inspection is mobile-friendly so staff can complete the walk-round and capture photos on a phone or tablet at hand-over and on return.
How does it help with a disputed charge?
You inspect the returned vehicle against a known, timestamped baseline rather than from memory, so genuinely new damage is clear. The check-out and check-in records export together as part of the hire's evidence pack.
Is the condition report available at launch?
Yes. Check-out and check-in condition reports, with required photographs, are part of the first release of Complys Self-Drive Hire.
What's the difference between this and the damage inspection app?
The condition report is the structured inspection at each end of the hire. Damage capture — logging specific damage with photo evidence — is part of it; the structured out-vs-in comparison and dispute workflow is launching next. See the damage inspection page for the detail.
Explore the rest of the hire evidence chain
- Self-Drive Hire software → — the full evidence-chain platform
- Vehicle damage inspection app → — capture and compare damage
- Free vehicle handover form → — the paper version you can use today
- Driving licence check software → — the step before hand-over
See the evidence chain in action
Book a demo or register your interest, and we’ll set you up as soon as Complys Self-Drive launches.