Frequently Asked Questions
Get the latest updates on car finance, industry changes, and expert viewpoints.
What is a commission claim on vehicle finance?
A commission claim on vehicle finance is when you seek compensation because your car dealer or broker received a hidden commission from the lender without telling you. In many cases, dealers were able to increase the interest rate on your finance agreement to earn a bigger commission, which meant you paid more than you should have. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has since ruled this practice unfair, so if you had a PCP or HP agreement between 2007 and 2024, you may be entitled to claim back the extra costs.
How common were DCA's on vehicle finance?
Discretionary Commission Arrangements (DCAs) were very common in vehicle finance, with the Financial Conduct Authority estimating that around 40% of agreements involved them. Under a DCA, dealers could increase the interest rate on a finance deal to earn themselves a bigger commission, often without the customer knowing. This practice affected millions of agreements and is at the centre of today's mis-sold car finance claims.
Why might I have a claim?
You might have a claim if your car finance agreement included a hidden commission or unfair interest rate that wasn't explained to you. In many cases, dealers increased the rate to earn themselves a bigger commission, which meant you paid more than you should have. If this happened on a PCP, HP, or similar finance deal taken out between 2007 and 2024, you could be entitled to compensation.
What about Lease or Rentals?
Most mis-sold car finance claims apply to PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) and HP (Hire Purchase) agreements, as these are where hidden commissions were most common. Traditional lease or rental agreements (where you never own the car and just pay to use it) are generally not included, because commission-linked interest rates weren't usually part of those deals. However, if a lease was structured more like a finance agreement and involved hidden fees or undisclosed commissions, there may still be grounds for a claim.
How long will my claim take?
The FCA scheme is currently now on hold, but they have confirmed that lenders won’t be able to postpone responding to complaints forever. If you’ve already complained, brilliant, you don’t need to do anything. If you’re already using a CMC, again you can sit safe in the knowledge that, when everything picks up again, so will your claim. But if you’ve done nothing, you’ve now got some more time to do something. Mis-sold Expert is here for you. Check with us if you’re eligible to make a claim and when everything starts moving again you can rest easy knowing that you’ve got a team of experts working on your case to make sure you get the best deal possible. For more information on the FCA scheme and the legal challenges click here. https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/car-finance-complaints
What types of finance could a claim apply to?
A claim can apply to most types of car finance, including Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreements, Hire Purchase (HP) agreements, Conditional Sale agreements, and, in some cases, lease or other vehicle finance deals taken out between 2007 and 2024. These are the agreements where hidden commissions were not disclosed.
The claim process explained
The FCA has introduced a free consumer redress scheme. Complaints can still be submitted now, but responses may be delayed. The scheme is currently being implemented by lenders and responses to complaints that have already been submitted were expected to begin from July onwards.
However, due to legal challenges on the parameters of the redress scheme, further delays are expected. Whilst it is unclear when any Tribunal decision will be made, the FCA has advised lenders to prepare to be ready to respond to complaints from mid-November 2026. https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/legal-challenges-motor-finance-compensation-scheme-update-firms-consumers
A commission claim on vehicle finance is when you seek compensation because your car dealer or broker received a hidden commission from the lender without telling you. In many cases, dealers were able to increase the interest rate on your finance agreement to earn a bigger commission, which meant you paid more than you should have. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has since ruled this practice unfair, so if you had a PCP or HP agreement between 2007 and 2024, you may be entitled to claim back the extra costs.
