PCP Claims: Claim For Mis-Sold Car Finance
Did you purchase a car on finance before 28 January 2021? If so, you could be owed thousands in compensation. Enter your vehicle registration number to see if you are eligible for compensation.
With 9 out of 10 UK consumers opting to pay for new and used cars on finance, it’s estimated hundreds of thousands of people could have been mis-sold car finance. If you took out car finance before 28 Jan 2021, you could be eligible for thousands of pounds in compensation.
What are mis-sold car finance PCP claims?
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has recently launched an investigation into hidden commissions charged on finance packages for new and used vehicles before 28 January 2021. It comes amid concerns from consumers that their vehicle finance contract was made more expensive as their dealer stood to earn a hefty commission by charging a higher interest rate.
This practice was known as a ‘discretionary commission arrangement’ (DCA), and saw brokers and car dealers earn hefty commissions by increasing a customer’s interest rate. The higher your interest rate was, the more commission they earned. DCAs were banned in January 2021 by the FCA in a bid to protect consumers, who were often unaware of the commission or that the interest rate they were being given was not a fixed price.
Unfortunately, before the practice was banned, DCAs were relatively common, with as many as 40% of car finance deals affected. This means thousands of vehicle owners across the UK could have been mis-sold car finance, paying far more than they should have been doing over an extended period of time.
At Slater and Gordon, we’re working hard to ensure those who have been affected receive the compensation they deserve. To speak to a member of our specialist car finance team, get in touch today and find out how much you could be owed.
Can I make a car finance claim?
For many people, it can be difficult to know if you’ve been mis-sold car finance. You may have been entirely unaware of the commission hidden in your contract, or the additional costs that may have been associated with your agreement. The FCA has said that you may have been affected by hidden commission if:
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You bought a car under a finance scheme (such as a hire purchase or personal contract purchase) before 28 January 2021
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You have become aware of a discretionary commission arrangement between your lender and broker
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You were not aware of the commission being made to the dealership at the time of purchase
- You were not made aware of the additional costs you could incur through your finance agreements, such as charges and damages
If you have been affected by any or all of the above, or you feel that you were pressured into taking out car finance with your dealership, you could be eligible to claim compensation for mis-sold car finance.
As many as 40% of car finance deals made before 28 January 2021 could have included hidden commissions. Find out if you’re eligible for a mis-sold car finance refund.
What are the most common types of mis-sold car finance?
Undisclosed or hidden commission
As a result of the FCA’s investigation, it has been revealed that as many as 40% of vehicle owners who took out car finance before January 2021 could have unknowingly signed up to agreements including discretionary commission agreements (DCAs). Brokers and lenders have a duty to inform their customers of all fees that form a part of the agreement, which includes any commission payments brokers may receive. If you were not informed, it means you’ve likely been mis-sold car finance and you could be entitled to compensation.
Inflated prices and interest rates
Prior to the FCA banning DCAs in January 2021, some brokers were offered larger commission payments if they signed customers up for loans with higher interest rates. The result was the many people were paying more interest than they should have been, often over a period of many years. This could have left some people out of pocket by thousands of pounds.
Sales people pressured you into a finance agreement
While hire purchase (HP) and personal contract purchase (PCP) agreements are quite popular options for purchasing a new vehicle, they are not always the right option for everyone. Sales people should fully explain the detail of any agreement that is offered, as well as ensuring you are aware of alternative options and have the opportunity to consider the right solution for you. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and some people feel pressured into agreeing to a contract that may not be suitable for them.
Failure to conduct affordability checks
Where checks are not carried out properly, customers can find themselves stuck in unaffordable loan agreements for years, causing undue stress and financial issues.
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Finance companies mis-selling car finance
The FCA’s investigation is currently underway, and is predicated to continue until September 2024. This means that finance companies responsible for mis-selling car finance are still being revealed, however some of the lenders under investigation include:
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Black Horse
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Lloyds Banking Group
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Santander
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Close Brothers
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Barclays Finance
This list is by no means extensive, so if you are concerned about finance you may have received from a different lender, it is always best to check. You can check your vehicle using the form below.
Think you have been mis-sold on your car finance agreement? Check your eligibility now for a refund.
The process of claiming compensation for mis-sold car finance
It can seem like a daunting undertaking to start a claims process for mis-sold car finance, especially if you believe that you could have been mis-sold more than one car before January 2021. However, it doesn’t need to be complicated.
At Slater and Gordon, we’re working hard to ensure that everyone affected by the mis-sold car finance scandal has the opportunity to claim the compensation they deserve, without the headache. We make the process straight-forward – simply enter your registration number to find out if you’re eligible. We’ll let you know whether you’ve been mis-sold car finance, and begin negotiations for your refund with your lender.
How is the amount of compensation calculated
The amount of compensation you receive for your mis-sold car finance will be dependent on a number of different factors, including:
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The difference in the interest rate you should have been charged, and the one you ultimately were
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How long you’ve been making re-payments on your loan (as this will determine how much money you’ve put into the loan to date)
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The value of the loan you took out (the higher the value, the more interest you will have been charged)
For some, this could amount of thousands of pounds. It’s also worth remembering that if you’ve taken out multiple finance agreements before 28 January 2021, you could be eligible to make more than one claim.
Why choose Slater and Gordon for your car finance claim?
If you’re looking to make a car finance claim for compensation, our experts are here to help. Slater and Gordon was the chosen law firm representing the majority of claimants in the recent £193 million VW settlement in England and Wales. You can be rest assured that your claim is in safe hands with our collective action specialists.
At Slater and Gordon, we know that banks and financial institutions are not above the law. By joining our car finance group action, you’ll have the chance to hold these large corporations accountable for their actions. Check to see if you are eligible to make a claim here.
Did You Purchase a Car on Finance Before January 2021? Find out if you qualify to claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible to make a car finance claim?
Only people who took out finance on a vehicle between 2010 and 2021 are able to make a claim. To find out if your vehicle may have been affected, enter your registration number above.
Are all types of vehicle financing eligible to make a claim?
You should be eligible if:
• your car finance was a personal contract purchase (PCP) (which is a bit like a loan to help you buy the car); or
• a hire purchase agreement (which is where you pay off the value of the car in monthly instalments).
You probably won’t be eligible if you were just leasing a vehicle.
How do I sign up to make a car finance claim?
All we need you to do to be included within our claim is fill out the information shown at the top of this page. We’ll do the rest for you.
Is it likely we’ll win?
We believe that there is a high likelihood many people will be paid out for this claim, otherwise we would not choose to pursue the claim.
How much compensation will I get?
The amount of compensation you receive will depend on several factors including the amount of finance taken out and the interest rates charged. However, Slater and Gordon will work tirelessly to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
Am I affected by the car finance scandal?
If you took finance out to purchase a car between 2010 and 2021, you may be eligible to make a claim.
Is it hard to register a claim?
No – Slater and Gordon are experts, so we do the hard work for you. Simply fill out your information in the forms above and we’ll contact you if you need to do anything else.
Can I claim for multiple finance agreements?
Yes, you can register as many finance agreements as you took out from 2010 to 2021.
How long will the claim take?
The length of time it takes to finalise a claim can vary. However, we’ll work hard to ensure you get the compensation you deserve and will keep you updated throughout the process.
How much will I be charged?
We operate on a no win-no fee basis which means there is nothing for you to pay if you aren’t successful in the claim. If you are successful, we’ll take a pre-agreed percentage as our fee.
Why choose Slater and Gordon?
Slater and Gordon’s specialist collective actions team are experts in this field. We recently helped more than 70,000 claimants in England and Wales to secure a settlement payment of £193 million winning more compensation than any other law firm in the UK.
News
UK car finance: ‘millions of drivers could get payout’ as watchdog investigates
Car finance misconduct probe could lead to compensation payouts
Watchdog to investigate compensation over car loans
Enquiries
To contact Slater & Gordon UK please use the details below
carfinanceclaims@slatergordon.co.uk
0330 107 6472