Frequently asked questions

The solidarity programmes are programmes developed by Groupe Renault’s Corporate and Social Responsibility management team. They aim at addressing social challenges through an innovative entrepreneurial approach. Within these programmes, sustainable and inclusive business projects and programmes are being developed as part of Renault's commitment to providing mobility for all.

With the Renault solidarity programme, we are providing innovative solutions to facilitate access to vehicles for people without the financial means to pay for their running costs but who need them in order to look for, find or keep a job.

With our range of fair and sustainable products, we provide luggage items and accessories made from recovered or recycled materials. These items are produced in workshops that promote worker integration and empowerment.

With Renault’s solidarity investment company, we invest in mobility projects that have a powerful social impact on a national and international scale.

The programmes were launched in July 2012.

The Renault solidarity programmes draw inspiration from the concept of social business, devised by Professor Muhammad Yunus (Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2006). According to him, a social business is designed to resolve a social problem in an entrepreneurial way. The operating principle involves no loss and no dividend payments, and any profits are reinvested to maximise the social impact.

The Renault solidarity programme has two solidarity offers:

• Servicing and repair: with labour and spare parts charged at cost price, you’ll benefit from a 30 to 50% discount depending on the type of work; the availability of the offer depends on the eligibility of the vehicle and on the participating network. ;
• Access to a New Vehicle : this offer gives access to a new vehicle (Sandero or Kangoo) by taking out a long-term hire contract with the option to purchase associated with a microcredit; the person leasing the vehicle pays a monthly instalment for the duration of the contract and can either purchase the car or return it at the end of the contract.

The applicant is assisted in the process by a partner adviser:

The adviser assesses the need, eligibility (means) and link between the applicant's career plan and their need for car transport. If the programme suits the applicant's situation, the partner adviser will direct the applicant:

• For the servicing/repair offer: at the nearest Renault solidarity garage
• For the long-term hire with the option to purchase: at the Club Mobilité, who will help the applicant put together their funding application and assist in discussions with the financial institution and garage.

The applicant is not assisted in the process by a partner adviser:

They may submit a request online via the registration form. They will then be contacted by a Renault solidarity volunteer who fulfils the same role as a partner adviser (see above).

Please note: prior registration is required to access the programme; the applicant may not contact a Renault garage directly.

Renault solidarity offers are not low-cost offers.

• The low-cost offer is available to everyone, and the service provided is different from the traditional offer, in order to provide low prices.
• Renault solidarity offers are subject to a means test, and the services are the same as for any other customer but with particularly low rates.

Eligibility is delegated to the partner advisers and is approved subject to a means test. Some of them approve this eligibility based on income, others based on the CAF (Family Allowance Fund) or the amount of the unemployment benefit. Regardless of the criterion used, each situation is reviewed to assess whether the applicant’s situation justifies giving access to the programme.

Since the programme started, nearly 18,000 people have been assisted by the programme, and 2,500 have benefited from one of the solidarity offers.

• The Renault solidarity garages are all well-equipped to work on Renault and Dacia vehicles.
• Some of them can also work on other vehicle makes.
• Staff at the Renault garages are qualified and receive regular training.
• They use appropriate, high-performance tools.
• They use genuine parts certified as compliant and guaranteed by the manufacturer. They comply with the manufacturer’s recommendations and therefore guarantee quality and safety.
• Work comes with a 1-year warranty for parts and labour.
• The beneficiaries receive the same service as a regular customer but with more attractive financial conditions.
• Invoicing is subject to a scale of charges established by the manufacturer, which ensures transparency.
• Regarding servicing and repair work, the garage can always refuse to work on a car if it is beyond its level of expertise, has high mileage and/or is poorly maintained.

• By having your car checked and serviced regularly, you can avoid mechanical failures and the risk of an accident:
  • Scenario 1: changing a timing belt can prevent an engine from becoming damaged.
  • Scenario 2: replacing the brake pads with original parts ensures optimal braking, especially for an emergency stop where an extra few metres of stopping distance can change everything.

• If the problem is obvious and can be identified just by looking at the vehicle, the quote is not charged.
• However, the quotation might be charged if it the problem is more complex (loss of power, engine overheating, etc.), and may have several causes. In this case, a methodical diagnosis is needed and requires checks, the use of specific equipment and a qualified professional’s time.
• If the quote has to be paid for, it is deducted from the repair work if the customer decides to have the work carried out at that garage.

If a car breaks down, the owner looks for the best way of getting the car towed to the nearest garage. They can contact their insurance company to see whether or not their policy will cover the cost. The Renault solidarity garage may, depending on the case, provide a solution (repair on-site, arrange for a tow truck, send a technician out, etc.) which will be invoiced to the client. Due to the range of situations that may occur (long distances, accessibility, type of breakdown), the Renault solidarity programme has not established a preferential pricing structure for car towing.

• Generally, the beneficiary sticks to the Renault solidarity garage initially chosen.
• We would prefer the beneficiary go back to the Renault solidarity garage that carried out the initial work.
• Each new job must be subject to a request approved by a partner adviser or a Renault solidarity volunteer.

Yes, but the number of Renault solidarity garages that can repair other makes of car is more limited.

Yes, as the garage takes full responsibility. Depending on the nature of the work, the skills needed and the equipment available, the garage may decide not to carry out the work.

Beyond these criteria, servicing and repair costs are often very high. They can even exceed the value of the vehicle.

In these situations, the Renault solidarity team suggests looking into a long-term hire offer with the option to purchase.

• An old vehicle with high mileage can cost more to run than a new car.
• The higher the mileage and older it is, the more this observation is accurate.
• A new vehicle is reliable and safe.
• It is guaranteed for an extended period, avoiding any risk of high mechanical costs.
• Maintenance costs are lower.

• With this offer, you can access a new vehicle on long-term hire with an option to purchase.
• The vehicle is financed by microcredit, taken out with partner financial institutions. This microcredit is paid in full to Renault as an initial contribution (first instalment).
• For the duration of the contract, the person leasing the vehicle pays a monthly instalment which includes the repayment of the microcredit, paid to the financial institution, and the vehicle lease payment, paid to Renault.
• At the end of the contract, it is possible to purchase the car or return it to the Renault solidarity garage.

• The financing for this scheme is made up of a larger first instalment, monthly instalments and a final option to purchase.
• The people who are given access to the Renault solidarity programme rarely have personal funds to pay for this larger first instalment.
• To overcome this, the Renault solidarity programme has developed partnerships with microcredit financial institutions, so that people can gain access to funding for this first larger instalment.

The term long-term hire with the option to purchase is a generic term covering two offers:

• The hire with the option to purchase for individuals (the amounts include tax).
• The lease for professionals (the amounts generally exclude tax).

The term chosen, long-term hire with the option to purchase (in this case, minimum contract of 24 months), above all avoids possible confusion with short-term hire (minimum contract of 1 day).

The Renault solidarity programme provides a limited choice of vehicles at affordable prices so that as many people as possible can access new vehicles. The choice of vehicles offered under this scheme is determined by financing through a microcredit, which sets a maximum amount on the vehicle's price.

These vehicles guarantee reliability, safety and peace of mind and therefore provide a sustainable mobility solution.

Yes. However, you should be aware that if the car is returned, the garage may charge a fee for repairing it, as it must be able to resell it.

Definitely. The amount required for the option to purchase is established when the contract is signed. This amount can be financed through personal funds, through microcredit or through credit with terms and monthly instalments to be agreed with the financial lending institution.

This is also possible if the person is still eligible for the Renault solidarity programme.

• People who need their own mode of transport in order to look for, find or keep a job but who don’t have the financial means to support the use of a car at regular prices
• L’éligibilité est accordée sous conditions de ressources.
• Ces personnes peuvent se trouver dans différentes situations :
  • Eligibility is granted subject to a means test.
  • Such people may find themselves in different situations:
  • Registered at the Job Centre (Pôle emploi).
  • Temporary worker.
  • An employee on a fixed-term contract (CDD) or permanent contract (CDI)
  • Person insured by French agricultural social security (ressortissant agricole).
  • Micro-entrepreneur.
  • In training.
  • Any other potential situation to be considered.

• They are stakeholders from the employment and social sectors (Pôle emploi (the Job Centre), Les Restos du Cœur (a charity providing food to the needy), Fonds d’action social du travail temporaire (a social action fund helping temporary workers), etc.).
• They provide various services, including mobility solutions.
• As part of the Renault solidarity programme, they help beneficiaries in financial difficulty remain or become mobile, enabling them to access or keep their jobs.
• They identify the beneficiaries, assess their situation and refer them, where appropriate, to the Renault solidarity programme.
• The Renault solidarity programme has many partner advisers throughout the country.
• If a stakeholder from the social or employment sector wants to become a Renault solidarity programme partner adviser, they simply need to complete an online application form.

• Most of them are employees (outside work hours) or retirees from the Renault Group who want to become personally involved in running this support programme.
• They use their professionalism and listening skills to advise and assist those interested in one of the offers.

• They are, first and foremost, Renault garages.
• They joined the programme voluntarily : they believe in the programme and want to get involved and help.
• They carry out the service requested, with the same quality expected by any other customer, but at a cost tailored to the beneficiaries’ situation.
• There are Renault solidarity garages in almost every French département.
• If a Renault garage wants to become a Renault solidarity garage, it simply needs to complete an online application form.

Club Mobilité is a social enterprise, co-founded by the partners of the Renault Solidarity Vehicle Access offer (Action Tank Business and Poverty, ADIE (microcredit financial institution), FASTT (social action fund helping temporary workers), Fédération Nationale des Caisses d’Epargne), Pôle emploi (the Job Centre) and Renault). Its role is to coordinate the programme and assist beneficiaries with all registration procedures.

• It organises the programme.
• It sets up and runs the networks of partner advisers and Renault solidarity garages.
• It develops the offers and proposes them to these networks.
• It contributes financially to reducing costs for the beneficiaries.
• This offer is financially attractive and accessible to those facing financial hardship.

• For the beneficiary
  • Greater mobility for finding or keeping a job
  • Benefiting, without stigma, from quality service at a preferential rate (reliability/safety)
  • Engaging in a secure transaction
• For the partner adviser
  • Expanding their service offer by incorporating innovative schemes
  • Engaging in a secure transaction
• For the volunteers
  • Personal satisfaction from helping applicants in their search for mobility
• For the Renault solidarity garage
  • Personal satisfaction from helping to reduce poverty
  • Expanding their customer portfolio
  • Being more visible in local action.
• For Club Mobilité
  • Helping to implement a large-scale programme aimed at supporting social and professional integration
• For Groupe Renault
  • Launching a unifying project for its network
  • Innovating and responding to the needs of new customers
  • Developing pride in belonging to the Group amongst its workers

• No. This is a voluntary scheme, and they must choose to participate because they believe in it. It requires a personal commitment from the person in charge of the garage.
• However, national coverage would help the project develop and have a significant social impact.

• No. By proposing the Renault solidarity offer, the manufacturer and the Renault solidarity garages relinquish their margin.
• Renault and the Renault solidarity garages do not receive any subsidies for this programme.

• No. The partners benefit from a complementary offer to propose to their beneficiaries.
• Similarly, Renault does not receive any financial contribution from the partner advisers.

• Renault does not communicate directly about this programme, but it responds to journalists’ requests if the journalists contact the company to do a report.
• Renault provides the Solidarity Programme partner advisers with a “communication kit”. They can pass on information about this programme through their networks (meetings, website, newsletters, Facebook, etc.).

To find out more information about how your personal data is processed, please visit the “Legal Notice” page.

• APV: Après-vente (After sales)
• CAF: Caisse d’allocations familiales (Family Allowance Fund)
• FAQ: Frequently asked questions
• GRS: garages Renault solidaires (Renault solidarity garages)
• HT: Hors Taxes (excluding tax)
• QF: Quotient familial (Family quota)
• TTC: Toutes Taxes Comprises (all taxes included)