Slater and Gordon are the car finance claims experts
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An estimated 95% of vehicle finance agreements from April 2007 to the present day included commission payments.
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We’ve already helped tens of thousands of drivers like you - no win no fee.
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We were the lead law firm behind the historic £193 million VW emissions settlement.
In just minutes, find your finance agreements and you could claim back cash owed to you.
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What are motor finance commission claims?
Many vehicle finance agreements included commission arrangements between lenders and brokers or dealerships. Commission payments are not unlawful in themselves. However, consumers should be provided with clear information about arrangements that may influence the finance products offered to them.
Following concerns about historic disclosure practices, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) investigated commission arrangements used in the motor finance market. The FCA's redress scheme applies to certain regulated motor finance agreements entered into between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024.
When entering into a motor finance agreement, consumers should be given sufficient information to make an informed decision about the product they choose. Where important information about commission arrangements was not adequately disclosed, consumers may have grounds to seek compensation.
If you entered into a PCP or HP agreement between April 2007 and November 2024, you may wish to check whether your agreement falls within the scope of the FCA's redress scheme or whether you may have grounds to pursue a claim.
What is the process?
You don’t need to use a law firm to pursue a complaint. You may choose to contact your lender directly or complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) free of charge.
Alternatively, you can instruct Slater and Gordon to assist you.
We operate on a No Win No Fee basis. There’s no upfront cost to join. If your claim is successful, we will charge a pre-agreed fee as set out in your agreement with us. If your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t pay our fee.
What is the FCA redress scheme?
Following its investigation into historic motor finance commission arrangements, the FCA consulted on an industry-wide consumer redress scheme.
The FCA has now announced the scheme, which is intended to compensate eligible consumers where regulatory failures relating to commission disclosure are identified. Eligibility, compensation and timing will depend on the scope of the scheme and individual circumstances.
We continue to monitor developments and will keep clients updated as further information becomes available.
Can I make a car finance claim?
If you entered into a motor finance agreement and were not provided with clear information about commission arrangements connected to that agreement, you may have grounds to pursue a claim.
Factors that may be relevant include:
- The type of finance agreement.
- When the agreement was entered into.
- Whether commission was paid.
- Whether commission arrangements were adequately disclosed.
- Whether the disclosure provided allowed you to make an informed decision.
Each case will depend on its individual circumstances.
Do I need a solicitor?
No.
You can contact your lender directly or complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service at no cost.
Some consumers choose to instruct a solicitor because they would prefer professional assistance with locating agreements, assessing eligibility, preparing complaints and managing communications with lenders.
Whether you pursue a claim yourself or instruct a representative is entirely your choice.
How can Slater and Gordon help?
If you choose to instruct us, we can:
- Help locate historic finance agreements.
- Review available information about those agreements.
- Assess whether your circumstances may fall within the scope of a claim.
- Prepare and submit complaints where appropriate.
- Keep you informed about developments relating to the FCA redress scheme.
- Manage communications with lenders on your behalf.
How do I know if my agreement may be affected?
You may wish to investigate further if:
- You entered into a motor finance agreement before 1 November 2024.
- The agreement was arranged through a dealership or broker.
- You were unaware that commission may have been paid.
- You do not recall receiving clear information about commission arrangements.
These factors alone do not determine whether compensation will be payable, but they may indicate that further investigation is worthwhile.
How much mis-sold car finance compensation could I receive?
The amount of compensation, if any, will depend on the individual circumstances of your agreement and any redress methodology ultimately applied.
Compensation is not guaranteed, and the amount payable may vary significantly between consumers.
If you believe your agreement may be affected, you can check whether it falls within the scope of a potential claim.
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Our expert team are highly specialised in all areas of collective actions. We are a specialist consumer law firm and are SRA and FCA regulated.
Mis-sold car finance: Frequently asked questions
Do I need paperwork to make a car finance claim?
No, you don’t need to have kept any paperwork relating to your finance agreements to pursue a car finance claim.
Instead, you can find the details of any finance agreements you took out between April 2007 and November 2024 using our car finance claim tool.
Our specialist search tools may help identify historic agreements, reducing the need for you to locate old paperwork yourself.
Is car finance compensation guaranteed?
Unfortunately, we’re not able to guarantee that your claim will result in car finance compensation
When you contact us, we can review the information available and assess whether you may have grounds to pursue a claim.
The FCA has established eligibility criteria for its redress scheme and whether an agreement falls within its scope will depend on the final scheme rules and the circumstances of the agreement.
To learn if you could be eligible for car finance compensation, submit your details in our car finance claim checker tool here.
Can I claim if my agreement is over six years old?
Yes, you can. It can be difficult to locate agreements older than six years as lenders aren’t obligated to keep records for longer than this.
This can make older agreements more difficult to locate if you no longer hold the relevant information yourself.
However, our systems may assist in identifying historic agreements, even where documentation is no longer readily available.
To find your agreements, enter your details in our claim tool here with no obligation.
Won’t my lender send me a refund automatically under the FCA’s mis-sold car finance redress scheme?
The FCA's redress scheme is intended to provide compensation to eligible consumers whose agreements fall within the scope of the scheme. Lenders will be responsible for identifying eligible customers in accordance with the scheme requirements.
However, some consumers may still wish to seek advice regarding their position.
If your contact details have changed, you may wish to ensure that lenders have up-to-date information where possible. The availability of records may vary, particularly for older agreements. Consumers may therefore wish to take steps to understand whether they may be eligible for compensation.
How can a mis-sold car finance lawyer help me with my claim?
Many consumers choose to obtain legal support when pursuing a claim relating to car finance.
A solicitor may be able to assist in locating historic agreements, preparing claim documentation and keeping you informed of relevant legal and regulatory developments.
A solicitor can also assist with communications relating to your claim and help you understand the options available to you throughout the process.
How can using a law firm to claim mis-sold car finance rather than handling the claim myself benefit me?
To make a claim yourself, you’ll need to:
- Find your old car finance agreements and identify the lenders (this can be tricky if you’ve had multiple agreements or they are older than six years)
- Submit a formal letter of complaint to your lender
- Keep up to date with relevant legal and regulatory developments
- Monitor your claim’s progress and keep up communication with your lenders to avoid missing any deadlines, as this could impact your outcome
It is entirely possible to make your own mis-sold car finance claim (or claims), but you need to be sure you’re happy to commit the time and effort it will take in the long term.
By instructing a solicitor to handle your claim, you may prefer to have aspects of the process managed on your behalf.
We can assist with identifying relevant agreements, preparing claim documentation and managing communications relating to your claim. This can help ensure your claim is progressed with the benefit of specialist legal support.
How do I check if I was mis-sold car finance?
Understanding whether your car finance loan was mis-sold can be tricky, and it can be difficult to know where to start.
At Slater and Gordon, we believe consumers should have access to information and support to help them understand whether they may have grounds to bring a claim.
Our enquiry process is designed to help identify relevant agreements and assess whether you may have grounds to pursue a claim.
Get started today - find your agreements here.
Which finance companies are being investigated for mis-sold car finance?
The FCA's investigation examined historic motor finance commission arrangements involving a range of lenders and brokers across the UK.
If you previously entered into a vehicle finance agreement and believe relevant information was not properly disclosed, you may wish to explore whether you have grounds to pursue a claim.
We can consider claims involving a range of vehicle types. However, consumers should be aware that the FCA's current redress scheme relates specifically to motor finance agreements that fall within its scope.
If you have previously financed your vehicle and you believe you have been mis-sold an agreement for the non-disclosure of commissions received by the dealership, or you were inadequately informed of the hidden costs and interest rates, you could be eligible to receive compensation. It is worth getting in touch and finding out if you’re eligible.
We are happy to take on all complaints relating to vans, caravans, motorbikes, boats, planes or any other motor vehicles, but please note that the ongoing FCA investigation is in relation to cars only. The other categories of motor vehicle complaints will be explored with the Regulator moving forward.
How long does a mis-sold car finance claim take?
The time taken to resolve a car finance claim will vary depending on the circumstances of the case and the process through which it is pursued.