FCA redress scheme · 2007–2024 car finance

Were you overcharged on your car finance?

Between 2007 and 2024, most car finance deals paid the dealer a commission you were never properly told about — often inflating your interest rate. The FCA has confirmed an industry-wide redress scheme worth an estimated £7.5 billion.

You can claim for free yourself — directly to your lender, the Financial Ombudsman, or through the FCA scheme. If you'd rather we handle it, here's how we help.

SRA-regulated solicitors
No win, no fee
Every agreement checked

Check my agreements — free

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Did you take out car finance (PCP or HP) between 2007 and 2024?

Yes

Not sure — check for me

How many vehicles did you finance in that period?

One

Two or three

Four or more

Free check · no obligation · fees only ever apply if you choose to instruct us and receive compensation

Scheme status July 2026

Where the FCA scheme stands: final rules were confirmed on 30 March 2026, covering agreements from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024 — around 12.1 million agreements, with an average estimated payout of roughly £830 each (individual amounts vary widely). The scheme is currently under legal challenge, with parts suspended by the Upper Tribunal in July 2026 and a decision expected later this year. You can still complain to your lender now — complaints already logged are expected to be dealt with sooner once the scheme proceeds.

What is an undisclosed commission claim?

When you took out car finance at a dealership, the lender almost always paid the dealer a commission — and before 2021, many deals used “discretionary commission arrangements” that let the dealer increase your interest rate to increase their own commission. If that arrangement wasn’t properly disclosed, you were denied the chance to negotiate or shop around — and you may be owed redress: broadly, a refund reflecting the commission and the extra interest, plus interest on top.

You took out PCP or HP car finance between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024
The finance was arranged through a dealer or broker — most was
No paperwork needed — lenders are required to hold the records
Every agreement counts — several vehicles can mean several payouts

Your options — including the free ones

You do not need a solicitor or claims company to get redress. Here are both routes, side by side, so you can choose.

Do it yourself — free

Complain directly to your lender at no cost
Escalate unresolved complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service — free
The FCA redress scheme itself is free for consumers to use

Instruct us — no win, no fee

We trace every agreement across every lender — useful when records are missing or you had several vehicles
We lodge the complaints and manage the whole process
We check redress offers against the FCA’s methodology and challenge short ones

Our fee is a percentage of your compensation within the caps set by our regulator, agreed in writing before we start. Nothing is payable if you receive no redress.

How it works

Free agreement check

Tell us the vehicles and rough dates — we identify your lenders and request the commission records they’re required to hold.

Claims lodged

We lodge complaints with every relevant lender now, so your cases are in the queue to be resolved at the earliest stage the scheme allows.

Redress

When offers arrive we check the calculations against the FCA’s methodology — and challenge them where they’re short.

What clients are saying

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"Legal Advisor handled my housing disrepair case from start to finish. I received £4,200 in compensation and didn't pay a penny upfront."

Sarah M.

Housing Disrepair Client

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"Professional, compassionate, and incredibly effective. My claim was settled for significantly more than I expected."

Priya K.

Personal Injury Client

FAQ

What is an undisclosed commission claim?

When you took out PCP or HP car finance at a dealership, the lender almost always paid the dealer a hidden commission — and before 2021, many deals used "discretionary commission arrangements" that let the dealer increase your interest rate to increase their own payout. If that wasn't disclosed to you, you were overcharged, and you may be owed redress.

Do I need a solicitor to claim, and what does it cost?

You can complain directly to your lender for free, and you can take an unresolved complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free. The FCA's redress scheme itself is also free for consumers to use. Instructing us is a choice about convenience and thoroughness — particularly where you had several agreements across different lenders. If you instruct us, our fee is a percentage of your compensation within the caps set by our regulator, agreed in writing before we start, and nothing is payable if you receive no redress.

How much could I receive?

The FCA estimates an average of around £830 per agreement, but the range is wide depending on the loan size, interest rate, commission model and how long the agreement ran. Multiple agreements mean multiple potential payouts. We'll give you a realistic view once we've traced your specific agreements — not a headline figure designed to get you to sign up.

When will I actually be paid?

The FCA's Motor Finance Consumer Redress Scheme is currently subject to legal challenge, with parts suspended by the Upper Tribunal since July 2026 and a court decision expected later in the year. The FCA's stated intention is for most redress to be paid across 2026–2027, with people who have already complained dealt with first — which is why lodging complaints now still makes sense. We'll keep you updated as the position changes.

I don't have any paperwork. Is that a problem?

No. Lenders are required to hold the agreement and commission records and we request them directly. A rough idea of the vehicle, dealer or approximate year is enough to start tracing your agreements.

My car finance was years ago — am I out of time?

The scheme covers agreements from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024, including long-finished ones. Consumers who aren't contacted by their lender are expected to have until 31 August 2027 to complain under the scheme rules, though timings remain subject to the legal challenge — another reason to register your complaint early rather than wait.

What Happens After You Contact Us

Tell us the vehicles and rough dates
We identify your lenders and request the commission records they’re required to hold.
Every relevant agreement is traced
This is useful when records are missing or you had several vehicles.
Claims are lodged
We lodge complaints with every relevant lender now.
Your cases enter the queue
Your cases are in the queue to be resolved at the earliest stage the scheme allows.
Offers are checked
When offers arrive we check the calculations against the FCA’s methodology.
Short offers are challenged
We challenge redress offers where they’re short.

Common questions

What does it cost to use Legal Advisor?

Nothing upfront. We act on a no win, no fee basis across all our services: if the claim succeeds, our fee is an agreed percentage of your compensation, confirmed in writing before we start. If it fails, you pay us nothing. The only exception is criminal defence, where we explain all funding options — including legal aid — at your first consultation.

Will I have to go to court?

Very unlikely. The overwhelming majority of our cases settle through negotiation or formal pre-action procedures without a court hearing. We prepare every case as if it will go to court — and that preparation is usually exactly what produces a settlement. If court proceedings are ever genuinely necessary, we handle them and prepare you fully at every stage.

How long will my case take?

It varies by service and the specific facts of your case. Housing disrepair and tenancy deposit claims often resolve in weeks to a few months. Industrial deafness and criminal injury claims typically take longer due to the medical evidence required. We give you a realistic timeline at the free assessment — not a vague estimate designed to get you started.

Who will be handling my case?

Your case is handled by Malone & White Solicitors Ltd, trading as Legal Advisor — a firm authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 659436). You'll have a named point of contact throughout, and you can verify our SRA registration at any time on the SRA's public register.

What protections do I have as a client?

As a client of an SRA-regulated firm you have formal legal protections: the right to a written fee agreement before work starts, the right to complain to us first through our complaints procedure, and the right to escalate to the Legal Ombudsman if you remain unsatisfied — all at no cost to you. Our fee arrangements are always confirmed in writing before any work begins.

How do I start?

Use the form at the top of this page for a free, no-obligation assessment, or call us directly on 01204 939470. We'll tell you honestly whether you have a case, what it's likely to be worth, and what the process involves — before you commit to anything.

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