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 claim | Drivers with PCP or HP taken out between 6th April 2007 and 1st November 2024 |
| How to start | Complain to your lender yourself, or instruct a specialist lawyer to do it on your behalf |
| Cost | You can claim for free, but some firms and claims managers charge a percentage of any compensation |
| How long | No fixed timescale. The current FCA redress scheme is paused, and many claims may not be resolved until 2027 |
| Where to begin | A free, no-obligation assessment of your agreement with Stormcatcher |
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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.
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.
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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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Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 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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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.
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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.
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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