Mis-Sold Car Finance Claim

Legal advice and assistance for claiming mis-sold car finance
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A mis-sold car finance claim is how you recover compensation when your vehicle finance was arranged unfairly. This could be when the commission was hidden from you or the interest rate was inflated without your knowledge, for example.

If you have already established that your car finance agreement was mis-sold, this page helps you navigate making a claim, what the process involves and how expert automotive lawyers like Stormcatcher can help.

Making a mis-sold car finance claim at a glance

Who can claimDrivers with PCP or HP taken out between 6th April 2007 and 1st November 2024
How to startComplain to your lender yourself, or instruct a specialist lawyer to do it on your behalf
CostYou can claim for free, but some firms and claims managers charge a percentage of any compensation
How longNo fixed timescale. The current FCA redress scheme is paused, and many claims may not be resolved until 2027
Where to beginA free, no-obligation assessment of your agreement with Stormcatcher
Call For Free Initial Consultation & Legal Advice

How do I make a mis-sold car finance claim?

Making a mis-sold car finance claim starts with a complaint to the lender who provided the finance. You’ll need to set out why you believe the agreement to be unfair. You can choose to do this two ways, either by yourself or by instructing an experienced automotive law firm like Stormcatcher to do it for you.

If you decide to do it yourself, you’ll need all the paperwork relating to your agreement. If you can’t find it, ask your lender or dealer, or check your credit file to see when the agreement started and ended, and how much was paid. You’ll then need to register your complaint with the lender and wait for their response under the FCA redress scheme.

Dealing with negotiations, navigating legal jargon and taking the time to work through the process isn’t for everyone. That’s why many people choose Stormcatcher. We can review your agreement, build the complaint and lead the negotiations on your behalf.

Whichever option you choose, the current FCA redress scheme is paused following legal challenges. This means any compensation may not be paid until 2027 at the earliest. However, registering your claim now means that once the scheme reopens, you’ll already be in a position to progress.

If you are still confirming whether your car finance agreement qualifies, our mis-sold car finance agreement guide explains what to check.

The strongest claims are those backed with evidence. The more information you can provide, the easier it is to prove your agreement was unfair. Look for the interest rate, any mentions of commission and details of the lender. This can all support your claim.

You won’t need every document to start the process, but having essential paperwork to hand can help your claim move much faster once the scheme is live again.

For a case review and advice
Book a 1 hour Consultation with the Civil Fraud Lawyer
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Conference will be via Zoom & Terms and conditions apply.

Can I make a mis-sold car finance claim for free?

Yes. You can complain directly to your lender at no cost, and if you are unhappy with the outcome, you can escalate it to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The FCA is keen to stress that you are not obliged to pay for a service to claim compensation unless you choose a specialist law firm to manage the case for you.

At present, there is no “mis-sold car finance claim gov uk” route as many have assumed. The official, free routes are your lender, and if you are unhappy, the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Many choose companies like Stormcatcher when they prefer to utilise industry experts with specialist experience in automotive law. This helps you to avoid navigating the process alone and ensures your claim is carefully assessed by those experienced in the sector.

How long does a mis-sold car finance claim take?

There is no fixed timescale. This is because the FCA redress scheme is currently paused while legal challenges are heard. A decision is not expected until late 2026, meaning many drivers may not see a resolution until 2027. Straightforward cases where the lender accepts liability are likely to move much faster than those being challenged. Our mis-sold car finance page is regularly updated with the latest FCA news relating to the redress scheme.

How far back can I claim?

You can make mis-sold car finance claims on agreements taken out between 6th April 2007 and 1st November 2024. You’ll only be able to do this if commission was payable to the dealer or broker. It does not matter if the agreement has since ended or the car has been fully paid for. What matters is that the agreement was in place during this period. Agreements outside of this window may still be valid for compensation, but this will be decided on a case-by-case basis rather than as part of a wider scheme.

What Our Customers Are Saying

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Lorraine Ballantine
September 8, 2026
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Exceptional Support During the Most Stressful Consumer Dispute I Have Ever Faced There are very few occasions in life when you genuinely feel that someone has stood beside you through a difficult situation and helped you achieve the right outcome. My experience with Philip Harmer and Antonia at Stormcatcher Law was one of those occasions. I approached Stormcatcher after what had already become an exhausting and highly stressful dispute involving a faulty £82,850 motorhome with a Dealer based in Cannock. By that point, I had spent months dealing with repeated faults, unsuccessful repair attempts, cancelled trips, endless correspondence and increasing frustration. What should have been an exciting purchase had turned into one of the most draining experiences I have ever faced as a consumer. From ourfirst conversation, Philip gave me something I had been missing for a very long time: confidence that somebody was actually listening, understood the situation and had a clear plan for how to deal with it. Throughout the dispute, Philip and Antonia were professional, patient, supportive and wonderfully persistent. No matter how many setbacks occurred, they remained calm and focused. When I felt frustrated, they remained measured. When deadlines were missed and arrangements failed, they kept moving the matter forward. When the process became emotionally draining, they gave me confidence that I was not fighting the battle alone. What impressed me most was the balance they struck between legal expertise and genuine human support. I was never made to feel like just another file. The advice was always clear, practical and honest. Expectations were managed properly and communication was excellent throughout. By the time Stormcatcher became involved, the dispute had generated a huge amount of evidence, correspondence and history. Philip took the time to understand every aspect of it and never lost sight of the key objective: achieving the right outcome. After months of resistance, delays, missed commitments and legal arguments, Stormcatcher ultimately secured repayment of the full £82,850 purchase price and brought a dispute that had lasted almost a year to a successful conclusion. The financial result was obviously important, but what meant even more to me was the sense of relief that came from finally bringing the matter to an end. After living with the stress of the dispute for so long, I cannot adequately describe how grateful I was to have someone in my corner who was prepared to keep going until it was resolved. I would like to personally thank Philip Harmer and Antonia at Stormcatcher Law for their hard work, professionalism, patience and determination. If you are facing a difficult consumer dispute and need solicitors who genuinely care about achieving the right outcome for their client, I would recommend Stormcatcher Law without hesitation. I am incredibly grateful for everything they did for me. They helped me bring a very difficult chapter to a close, and that is something I will never forget. Thank you, Philip and Antonia.
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Dale Tierney
September 6, 2026
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I first spoke to Phil when I was a couple days out from submitting to court, and thankfully I did. Although I possibly could have still won he pointed out a few issues and told me to take the case forward in a different direction a stronger direction (alot stronger) than it originally was. With his and Antonia's advice along the way the case seemed to grow from strength to strength. After months had gone by, I won my case and I am fully paid up. your reassurance and guidance helped me get to this position so thank you. Highly recommend.
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Emma Nott-Macaire
August 26, 2026
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I’ve been dealing with a very stressful and complicated situation with my car and Antonia has been incredibly helpful today. She has been completely transparent, honest and incredibly knowledgeable. She has taken the time to understand the situation, clearly explain my options and give me practical guidance on the next steps, without making me feel pressured or trying to sell me anything. Antonia has been so generous with her time and advice and when you’re already dealing with a stressful and expensive situation, having someone who is genuinely willing to help and give straightforward, impartial advice makes such a difference. Thank you so much, Antonia, for all your help and support so far. It has made a difficult situation feel much more manageable. I would absolutely recommend Stormcatcher Law to anyone who needs honest, knowledgeable and genuinely helpful advice.
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Susan
August 14, 2026
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If your vehicle is not as described or not fit for purpose then I highly recommend you contact Stormcatcher Law. Fees are transparent from the outset (not high) and the service is professional. The initial video call with Philip for a fixed fee was worth its weight in gold to us. For some people I can see that this is all they need. The no-win no-fee alternative company would have cost us thousands more in fees and they don’t have the motivation to get anything more than a basic settlement. Philip must be one of the most experienced people in the field of automotive consumer law. If he thinks you have a case, he uses his clearly extensive knowledge to produce an argument that a dealer will ultimately find impossible to ignore. In our case (against a large motorhome dealer in Newark), Philip wrote numerous letters to the dealer detailing the legal precedents supporting the rejection of our motorhome. We bought our motorhome new in 2025 and the engine failed (oil pump failure) at more than the 6 month window meaning the burden of proof that the fault was existing at time of sale lay with us. As Fiat had agreed the fault was covered by the warranty AND that the repair had not been carried out in ‘a timely manner and without significant inconvenience’ Philip was able to construct a solid legal argument as to why we were entitled to reject the motorhome under the consumer rights act and receive a refund. The motorhome dealer refused to accept our legal grounds for rejection for a number of months but Philip pursued them confidently and consistently ultimately winning for us without the need to actually go before a judge. Even when the initial offer came in, Philip was confident we could achieve more for pecuniary losses and compensation - He doesn’t give up easily. However he respected and supported our decision to take the money and run! Philip was clear to us at the outset that he cannot represent clients in court but I get the impression most of his cases are resolved outside of court. We initially thought our only hope was the Motor Industry Ombudsman but now think they gave us lazy advice and this process would likely take months/years longer to resolve. The legal cover with our motorhome insurance policy couldn’t work out if we had a case or not! This situation had been incredibly stressful for us and had gone on for months before Philip quite literally took the load off us - we cannot thank Philip and Antonia enough. Prior to us engaging Stormcatcher, there was no hope of achieving any resolution. In desperation we had even written a begging letter to ask the dealer to make us an offer to take the broken motorhome off our hands but they declined. Of course the sum we ultimately got was far in excess of what we would have accepted at that point had it been offered. At point of settlement we were towards one year after breakdown and the vehicle is still not repaired due to lack of parts. Our vehicle was based on a Fiat Ducato. It is difficult to convey the gratitude we feel towards Stormcatcher Law. They genuinely seemed to care and wanted us to win. They are absolutely not a faceless legal firm.
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G9
August 7, 2026
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After watching some of Phil's videos on youtube I started the frustrating and downright pisstake that is trying to get a finance unwound on a faulty car. Whilst I have not yet solved this issue, the advice given in the videos was very helpful in getting the process started. I then called in to stormcatcher to get some further advice as I had hit a brick wall with the finance company. Phil took time out to speak with me personally and was very sympathetic, assuring and gave very helpful succinct advice for going forward. Such a kind hearted person. Its not often you find a company with such kind and helpful staff that actually know what they're talking about too! If you need help with car finance issues don't hesitate to contact them. Thanks again Phil, what a godsend.
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Emily White (Emily Lily)
July 30, 2026
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I had to call for some advice regarding the Consumer Rights Act, and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I had the pleasure of speaking with Antonia, who was incredibly kind, patient, and understanding. As a new mum with a serious case of “baby brain,” I wasn’t explaining everything as clearly as I would have liked, but she never made me feel rushed or silly. She took the time to listen, understood my situation completely, and explained everything in a way that was easy to understand. It’s rare to come across someone who is not only knowledgeable but also genuinely compassionate. Antonia was an absolute credit to the firm, and her warmth made what was a stressful situation so much easier to navigate. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone looking for professional legal advice with a truly human touch. Thank you again, Antonia!
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Hawton House
July 26, 2026
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Antonia and Philip were amazing in helping me deal with my legal issues. I came to them with quite a complex situation regarding Car Finance and my Consumer rights and dealing with my insurance company. They went above and beyond to help me and Philip took the time to explain to me what was happening and why, explaining the process and making sure I understood what needed to be done. I feel like they took the time to understand me and my situation and genuinely wanted to help. My experience was filled with humility, understanding and every thing I was told would be done, was done in a timely manner, I was kept updated throughout the process. I could not recommend Stormcatcher enough!
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Lorna Starr
July 20, 2026
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My son and I are having a nightmare with a second hand dealer in the Uxbridge area. After less than a month and following an inspection it turns out that the Audi A3 we brought need either an engine rebuild or a new engine. We decided to reject the car only to be told that the dealer was not going to accept our rejection for various reasons not least because they believe we tampered with the engine! Apparently Service is tampering as is having the car inspected to work out why it burning oil at a rate of knots! Spoke to Antonia who was very reassuring and offered advice without any hard sell. Hoping the dealer will see sense before we have to go via small claims
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Why choose Stormcatcher for your mis-sold car finance claim?

Stormcatcher is a specialist automotive law firm authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, the same body that created and oversees the existing redress scheme. For anyone wanting a regulated, accountable process rather than an unregulated claims manager, it’s a distinction that matters.

Our team is led by Philip Harmer, a lawyer and arbitrator with extensive motor trade experience. He led the Mercedes-Benz Retail Group finance and insurance division; it’s this expertise that helps us understand how car finance works and where it can go wrong. As an FCA-regulated firm, we give straight, honest assessments of your prospects before you commit to anything, then handle the paperwork, deadlines and negotiations for you.

To start your mis-sold car finance claim, call our team on 0333 700 7676 for a free, no-obligation assessment, or complete an online enquiry form and our team will be in touch.

Contact Stormcatcher Law for Expert Legal Advice

Mis-sold car finance claim FAQs

Ideally, your finance agreement, or its details, such as the lender, the start date and the type of finance. If you cannot locate this paperwork, ask your lender or check your credit file for evidence of the agreement.

Your lender must respond once the redress scheme opens. If you accept their offer, you are paid the agreed amount. The FCA estimates the average payout to be around £830, but actual amounts can vary significantly. If your case does not get resolved to your liking, you can escalate it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

No. You can claim yourself for free through your lender, and if needed, the Financial Ombudsman Service. A law firm is helpful as it takes the workload from you, conducts negotiations on your behalf and tackles the issues you may find time-consuming or complicated.

Philip Harmer

About Philip Harmer

Philip studied consumer finance during his master’s degree and led the Finance and Insurance division for Mercedes-Benz Retail Group. His deep understanding of compliance processes, combined with Stormcatcher’s FCA authorisation, allows him to advise on HP, PCP, and insurance mis-selling with authority. He has acted against most major finance providers and is known for securing strong outcomes in complex finance disputes.

He regularly advises on car finance complaints, finance-related vehicle defects, and ombudsman referrals.

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