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Simple Process
Making a claim is simple. With just a few details you can start your application.
No Win, No Fee
You are only charged after the claim has been won and you have your refund!
We are a claims management company and receive payments from our partnered firms for our services. You do not need to use a claims management company to make your complaint to your lender or the Financial Ombudsman for free.
Car Finance Compensation Calculator
Compensation for a mis-sold car finance claim is generally aimed at covering the financial disadvantage caused by the mis-selling, particularly in cases involving Discretionary Commission Arrangements (DCAs). However, a recent Court of Appeal ruling has opened the door for claims involving hidden commissions in general, which could increase eligibility for compensation in many cases. More information on how this is calculated can be found here.
No Win, No Fee
You are only charged after the claim has been won and you have your refund! The success fee is calculated as a percentage of the total compensation you receive. If our claims partner is not able to obtain an offer, you will not be charged. You can read more about fees here.
If you cancel your agreement or break your agreement before the end of the process, you may be charged a cancellation fee.
Close Brothers Claims
The motor finance industry has been under intense legal and regulatory scrutiny recently. In particular, the FCA and UK courts have examined whether lenders, including Close Brothers, mis-sold car finance by failing to disclose or properly structure commission payments to dealers (especially under “discretionary commission arrangements”, or DCAs).
In early 2025, Close Brothers set aside £165 million to cover potential compensation, legal and complaint-handling costs related to hidden commission claims. The Guardian
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The Supreme Court recently delivered a decision (1 August 2025) in the consolidated motor finance commission cases: it overturned much of a Court of Appeal ruling that dealers owed fiduciary duties to customers regarding commission structures. However, in one instance (Johnson’s case), a commission equal to 55% of the total cost of credit was found to create an unfair relationship, and compensation was awarded. Tees Law
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The FCA has proposed a redress scheme, estimating that the cost to industry could lie between £9 billion and £18 billion. This is mainly due to discretionary commission arrangements. Reuters
Because Close Brothers is one of the lenders most exposed to motor finance, many customers who took out HP or PCP agreements through them might be affected. Even though the Supreme Court decision reduced the scale of liability in some respects, there are still pathways for valid claims—particularly where commissions were improperly disclosed or where customers were not made aware of how interest rates were influenced by dealers’ commissions.
Martin Lewis
“£13 billion could be paid out over car mis-selling.” “This is enormous... we're talking about systematic, mass scale mis-selling” [1]
BBC
"Motorists who bought cars on finance could share in billions" [2]
MoneySavingExpert
“This could lead to billions of pounds of overcharged interest paid back to millions of people.” [3]
Was My Close Brothers Loan Mis-sold?
Your Close Brothers car finance may have been mis-sold if the agreement was unaffordable, unclear, or your agreement included a Discretionary Commission Arrangement (DCA). If any of the following apply to your experience, you could have a valid claim. Click below to find out if you are unsure if you were affected by any of these, and claims professionals will investigate:
The interest rate or repayments were higher because the dealer received a commission that wasn’t disclosed
Courts (including the recent Supreme Court decision) have ruled that certain commission arrangements, especially DCAs, can create unfairness when hidden.
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You were not told the dealer had discretion to set or vary your interest rate based on commission
Lack of transparency is central to many claims. If you weren’t informed, this strengthens your case.
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The finance was unaffordable, or no proper affordability checks were carried out
Under FCA rules, lenders must assess affordability. Mis-selling often arises when this is neglected.
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The terms and conditions were rushed, unclear, or hidden in the finance agreement
If contract terms were opaque, especially around commission or interest. This is often key in successful claims.
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You felt pressured into accepting a finance package without being offered alternatives
The law expects fairness and choice. Pressure tactics or failing to explain options like HP vs PCP can amount to mis-selling.
If any of these points sound familiar, you may have been mis-sold your Close Brothers loan and could be owed compensation.
Be aware, there are statutory deadlines, known as limitation periods, that apply to mis-selling claims.
FAQs
Why Use The Claims Guide
Expertise with complex claims: Our specialist partners understand the nuances of car finance compensation and handle the paperwork, evidence gathering and negotiations for you, reducing stress and guesswork.
Maximise potential redress: Independent experts argue that the FCA scheme’s average payout (~£700 per agreement) may undervalue some cases. We can assess whether taking your case outside the scheme could lead to a higher settlement.
Multiple agreements managed together: If you’ve had several hire‑purchase or PCP loans, ensure every eligible agreement is included, so you don’t miss out on compensation.
No‑win, no‑fee service: You only pay if we secure compensation, so there’s no upfront cost or financial risk.
Stay informed: Experts will monitor FCA updates and court rulings, keeping your claim compliant and on track while you focus on other things.
Latest update on when car finance claims are being paid out
Because of the scale of redress that is owed to customers, the FCA has confirmed that it is still consulting on eligibility rules, how claims will be processed, funding arrangements, etc. A formal consultation will begin in October 2025, where the FCA will gather feedback. Because of the complexity of setting up a fair and transparent process, compensation payments are not expected until 2026. However, consumers can still register their claim in the meantime.
How long do Car Finance claims normally take?
The rules state that a lender has 8 weeks to reply to a complaint; however, sometimes they go over this deadline. If the lender concedes they were at fault, they will pay out shortly after. If the complaint needs to go to the Financial Ombudsman because the car finance lender is disputing it, the case could take anywhere between 12 to 18 months to conclude. Some people are lucky and get a claim accepted and their refund paid after only a couple of months. Others take over a year.
Lenders currently have an extension for hidden commissions claims, granted by the FCA, so these may take longer than usual.
What types of car finance claims can I make?
You can potentially make a car finance claim for Unaffordable lending practices, if the broker was on a Discretionary Commission Arrangement or for Hidden Commissions. More information can be found in our post explaining the different types of car finance claims.
How much could I get refunded from a car finance claim?
The compensation you may be entitled to depends on key factors, including the loan amount, interest rate, finance agreement date, and loan duration.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) highlighted in their report, "Our Work on Motor Finance – Final Findings" (March 2019), that a typical motor finance agreement of £10,000 under a Discretionary Commission Arrangement (DCA) led to consumers being overcharged by around £1,100 per agreement.
This figure was revised to £950 in August 2025, and then to £700 when they formally announced their proposed scheme in October 2025. Some industry insiders believe this figure is too low, and CMCs will likely pursue a higher amount of redress for their customers.
As most people will have multiple car finance agreements, the average refund per claimant would likely be thousands.
How many people were affected by Discretionary Commission Arrangements?
The FCA previously told MPs that there were 14.6 million discretionary commission
arrangement agreements between 2007 and 2020. That is over half (around 56.4%) of all UK car finance agreements in that time period.
In terms of hidden commissions in general, this would add to the borrowers affected.
How do I know if I can claim?
Mis-selling often occurs when details of the agreement aren’t clearly explained or proper affordability checks aren’t conducted. In terms of car finance, it can also be because the broker was incentivised by DCAs. If any apply to you, you can file a complaint. Whether your agreement is ongoing or paid off, you can still claim. To find out if you can claim, click the Check button below.
Why Use The Claims Guide For My Claim?
Make It Easy - Claiming a refund can be a daunting task. Our partner claims that handlers make it easy and ensure everything you need is included, so you don't have to spend much time on it.
Professional - Each claim is different, and specific circumstances that are relevant to the claim should be explained by a professional. The Financial Ombudsman has previously been unable to progress some complaints that involved a “template” or “standard letter”.
How much will I receive if my Car Finance Claim is successful?
Compensation for a mis-sold car finance claim is generally aimed at covering the financial disadvantage caused by the mis-selling, particularly in cases involving Discretionary Commission Arrangements (DCAs). Compensation for loans with a DCA arrangement is based on the extra you paid compared to if you were given a more competitive rate, plus 8% statutory interest. The FCA estimates this will average £700 per claim. For more information and an estimate of the value of your claim, click here.
How much will I receive if my Unaffordable Lending Claim is successful?
If you successfully claim a refund from a lender, you can claim back the interest and charges on your loans, plus 8% statutory interest. For more information on how this is calculated, click here.
How much will I receive if my Hidden Commissions Claim is successful?
If you successfully claim a refund for hidden commissions, you can generally claim back the commission paid to the broker, plus, typically, 8% statutory interest. In some more serious cases, you may receive more. These circumstances are explained here.
How much will I be charged?
All claims on this website are on a no-win no no-fee basis, meaning you won't pay a thing unless you win compensation. You will have the right to cancel the agreement within 14 days with no penalty. If you cancel after 14 days, you may be charged for work done up until the time of cancellation.
We use multiple partners to ensure we are able to offer claims against all types of lenders, from whom we receive payments. The exact fee structure will depend on which lender you are claiming against, as this decides which of our partners is most suitable for your claim. A breakdown of our fee structure can be seen here. The fees for Diesel Emissions Claims are calculated differently due to it being a group action lawsuit.
How Do I Submit My Claim?
Simply complete the online application form by clicking on the blue button below. This is the first stage of your complaint to your lender, where you could receive compensation. For more information on the process, please click here.