Expert Consumer Lawyers
Helping you challenge unfair finance agreements
We help UK clients pursue refunds for mis-sold finance agreements through a No-Win, No-Fee arrangement. Contact us to find out whether your agreement may be unfair.
Expert Legal Team
UK-Wide Service
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ
You do not need to use a claims management company or solicitors; you can complain directly to your lender or to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge or redress may be available for free via the FCA's proposed consumer redress scheme.
As seen on
Important Update - March 2026
Following the Supreme Court's ruling on 1 August 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has now released its consultation paper — CP25/27 - Motor Finance Consumer Redress Scheme. This paper sets out how a potential nationwide compensation scheme could operate for customers who took out car-finance agreements involving undisclosed Discretionary Commission Arrangements (DCAs).
As of March 2026, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is in the final stages of reviewing motor finance complaints, including Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreements, specifically regarding hidden Discretionary Commission Arrangements (DCAs).
Current Position (March 2026 Update)
- Pause on Complaints: The FCA has implemented a pause on the requirement for firms to provide final responses to motor finance complaints involving commission, which is now set to lift on 31 May 2026.
- Redress Scheme: The FCA is establishing a potential industry-wide consumer redress scheme for affected customers, with final rules for this scheme expected soon.
- Compensation: Early projections for the redress scheme suggest an average compensation of around £700 per agreement, depending on individual circumstances.
- Scope: The investigation covers PCP and Hire Purchase agreements taken out between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024.
Key Details for Consumers
- No Need to Wait: Consumers can still submit complaints to lenders or the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) now.
- Extended Deadlines: 29 July 2026, or 15 months from the final response, whichever is later.
Our Fees
We act on a No Win, No Fee basis.
If your case succeeds, our fee is between 15% to 30% plus VAT.
If your claim is successful, our fees will be deducted from the compensation recovered. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be required to pay our fees.
You have the right to cancel this agreement within 14 days without charge. If you cancel after the 14-day cooling-off period, reasonable fees may apply for work already undertaken.
Full details of our fees and terms will be provided before you proceed.
Example:
If you are awarded £700* in compensation, our fee would be £210 + VAT (£42) = £252, leaving you £448.
Important Legal Disclaimer
Eligibility depends on your individual circumstances and the terms of your agreement. While commissions are not unlawful per se, unusually high or unexplained commissions may be unfair. Any figures shown are for illustrative purposes only. FCA timelines and scheme rules may change. This page provides general information and does not constitute legal advice.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has indicated that consumers making a car finance complaint may receive on average £700* in compensation, although actual outcomes vary depending on individual circumstances. You can read more directly on the FCA website here.
Other issues such as balloon payments, affordability concerns or hidden charges are not included in the FCA's redress scheme. In some cases, these types of complaints may not succeed. In very limited situations, other legal routes might be available, but these are uncommon and success is uncertain.
You do not need to use a claims management company or solicitors to pursue a complaint regarding motor finance commission arrangements. Consumers are entitled to submit complaints directly to their lender and, if necessary, to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), free of charge.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is currently consulting on a potential redress scheme for certain motor finance commission complaints. During this consultation period, lenders have been granted an extension and are not required to issue final responses to eligible complaints until 31 May 2026. This temporary pause does not prevent consumers from submitting complaints during this time.
If you wish to raise a concern about our service or conduct, you can contact the SRA at sra.org.uk.
Find Out If You Have a Claim - Contact Us Today!
If you believe your car finance agreement involved unfair charges or hidden commissions, our team is here to help. We'll review your case, explain your options clearly, and guide you every step of the way.
Use our free check today to see if you have any agreements.
Please note that our free agreement check does not guarantee that your claim will succeed. Eligibility depends on your individual circumstances and the terms of your agreement.
Our Comprehensive Range of Legal Expertise
Discretionary Commission Claims
We review car-finance agreements for evidence of unfair practices associated with Discretionary Commission Arrangements (DCAs). A DCA occurs where a broker can adjust a customer's interest rate to receive a higher commission from the lender. The Financial Conduct Authority prohibited DCAs in between 2007-2024.
Other Car Finance Related Concerns
Following the Supreme Court ruling of 1 August 2025, while non-discretionary (fixed-fee) commission claims are more limited in certain contexts, borrowers may still pursue case-specific 'unfair relationship' claims under the Consumer Credit Act where factors such as high commission or inadequate disclosure are relevant. These issues are not part of the FCA's redress process and may not result in compensation. In some situations, they can only be challenged through separate legal routes and outcomes are uncertain. If you believe you were misled about your finance agreement, our team can review the documents and advise whether there may be grounds for further action.
Important: Claims relating to balloon payments, hidden charges or other non‑DCA issues are not covered by the FCA's redress scheme. Eligibility depends on individual circumstances and may require separate legal action. Outcomes cannot be guaranteed. Please refer to our full disclaimer below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our services
Our primary area of expertise is in Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) claims and wider motor finance disputes. We assist clients who believe they may have been misled, pressured, or charged hidden fees in connection with their car finance agreements. If you think this might apply to you, we can review your circumstances and advise whether you may be eligible to bring a claim. We may also advise on other consumer and financial services disputes where appropriate
A Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) claim may arise if the terms of your finance agreement were unclear, or if important information was not properly explained to you at the time you entered into the agreement. Issues can include undisclosed commissions, unexpected charges, or terms that may have created an unfair relationship under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Where this applies, you may have the right to bring a claim, and we can review your circumstances to advise whether it is appropriate to proceed.
You may have grounds to bring a motor finance claim if, during the finance process, you were given unclear or misleading information, placed under undue pressure, or not told about certain charges or commissions. We can help by locating and reviewing your agreement, checking the details, and advising you on whether your circumstances meet the criteria for a potential claim. Every case depends on its individual facts and the supporting evidence.
We operate transparently under the highest regulatory standards.
If your claim is resolved through a redress scheme:
Our fees comply with Solicitors Regulation Authority rules and are capped accordingly. We will deduct between 15% and 30% plus VAT from the amount recovered.
For example: If you receive £700 in compensation, our fee would be £210 plus VAT (£42) = £252, leaving you £448.
If you do not recover any compensation under the scheme, you will not pay us anything.
If your claim goes to court and succeeds:
We cap our deductions for our fees and expenses - they will never be more than 30% plus VAT of what you win.
If your claim does not succeed:
You don't pay us for the work we've done. If the claim is issued at court, we arrange insurance to cover expenses and costs. If you lose, you don't pay the insurance premium. You only pay the premium if you win.
If your claim is successful, our fees will be deducted from the compensation recovered. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be required to pay our fees.
You have the right to cancel this agreement within 14 days without charge. If you cancel after the 14-day cooling-off period, reasonable fees may apply for work already undertaken.
Full details of our fees and terms will be provided before you proceed.
Once your complaint has been submitted to your lender, they typically have 8 weeks to respond. However, under the pause imposed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) while they investigate motor finance complaints, lenders are not required to respond to motor finance commission complaints until after 31 May 2026.
The Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates financial service providers including your lender, published on 7 October 2025 a consultation paper on a proposed redress scheme relating to the unfairness caused by lenders paying undisclosed commission. Timelines may change if the FCA extends or alters the pause. We will update you as soon as we have further information.
Compensation is not guaranteed and depends on the outcome of the FCA's review.
We take all concerns seriously. If you are unhappy with our service, please first raise your concern with the person handling your case, or contact our senior management team. We will review your complaint in line with our internal complaints procedure and aim to resolve it promptly.
If you remain dissatisfied, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, who deals with complaints about poor service.
- You must normally bring your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving our final response.
- Your complaint must also usually be made within one year of the problem happening or one year of you becoming aware of the issue.
The Legal Ombudsman has discretion to extend these time limits in exceptional circumstances.
Legal Ombudsman contact details:
- Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
- Telephone: 0300 555 0333
- Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
- Address: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
If your concern relates to professional conduct (for example, dishonesty, misuse of money, or discrimination), you can also raise it directly with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) at www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems.
We will always try to resolve complaints ourselves first, but you can go to the Legal Ombudsman if you're not satisfied. Our full complaints procedure is available on our website: locksleylaw.co.uk/complaints-procedure.