Businesses that run commercial vehicles with van insurance have been warned they could face problems when selling fleet models if drivers have been smoking in them.
According to British Car Auctions (BCA), an interior which has been subjected to cigarette smoke will not be attractive to potential buyers as presentation is "one of the top factors influencing the price" of used vehicles.
Van insurance owners have been warned that people are unwilling to buy a vehicle where the interior "smells like an ashtray".
Tim Naylor, BCA PR manager, said that refraining from smoking inside the van will "eliminate the risk of discolouring and leaving scorch marks in the ashtray or on upholstery".
Recent figures released found that Volkswagen is the leading favourite for commercial vehicle firms, selling a total of 332,000 vans in 2008, which represents 15 per cent of the European market share.
