What Is a Car Finance Commission Claim?

What Is a Car Finance Commission Claim? Explained Simply

Have you ever financed a car through a dealership and wondered if you were offered a fair deal?

If your car finance agreement—like a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or Hire Purchase (HP)—was signed between 2007 and January 2021, there’s a chance it included a hidden commission, and you could be owed £500–£2,000 or more.

In this post, we break down everything you need to know about car finance commission claims in plain, simple language.

  • What a car finance commission claim is
  • How hidden commissions worked
  • Why the FCA banned them
  • How to check if you’re eligible
  • How PCP Recovery helps you get your money back

What Is a Car Finance Commission Claim?

A car finance commission claim is a type of compensation claim you can make if you took out a finance agreement where a car dealer or broker secretly earned commission by inflating your interest rate—without telling you.

This is now considered a form of financial mis-selling.

These commission-based interest increases were often part of something called a Discretionary Commission Arrangement (DCA)—which was widespread from 2007 to 2021 and later banned by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Why Were Commissions a Problem?

Let’s say you financed a £10,000 car with a 4-year PCP agreement.

  • The lender gave the dealer a base rate of 6% APR
  • But the dealer increased your rate to 10% APR
  • That 4% difference was paid to the dealer as commission
  • You weren’t told this even happened

You ended up paying more per month—not because of your credit score, but because the dealer wanted a bigger payout.

This is what made the agreement unfair and the commission undisclosed.

Why Car Finance Commission Deals Were Banned

In January 2021, the FCA banned the use of DCAs in car finance. Their review found:

  • Brokers had incentives to inflate interest rates
  • Customers were not informed of the commissions
  • These practices lacked transparency and hurt consumers

The result? Customers overpaid for years—and now have the right to reclaim overcharged interest.

Signs You May Have Been Mis-Sold

You may have a valid car finance commission claim if:

  • Your finance deal was signed between 2007 and Jan 2021
  • It was a PCP or HP agreement arranged at a dealership
  • You were not informed about any commissions
  • Your APR seemed high or unexplained
  • You were told “this is the best rate available” without options

How Much Could You Claim Back?

The refund depends on how much extra interest you paid. This is money you shouldn’t have paid—and you can claim it back with interest.

How the Claims Process Works (Step by Step)

At PCP Recovery, we’ve made the process simple.

Step 1: Free Eligibility Check

Use our Free Claim Checker to see if your agreement is eligible. No paperwork required.

Step 2: We Locate Your Agreement

Even if you’ve lost the documents or no longer have the car, we’ll retrieve your agreement from the lender.

Step 3: We Audit the Agreement

Our finance experts check for signs of mis-selling, inflated interest, and hidden commissions.

Step 4: We Submit the Complaint

We prepare a formal claim and send it to the lender or work with our solicitor partners if needed.

Step 5: You Receive Compensation

If your claim is successful, you’ll receive a refund—minus our fee. It’s no win, no fee.

Case Study: Jason’s £1,460 Commission Refund

“I bought my car in 2014 with dealer-arranged PCP. I didn’t think much about the interest rate until I saw an ad about mis-sold finance. PCP Recovery helped me find the original agreement, proved the dealer increased the APR for commission, and I got £1,460 back in less than 10 weeks. Brilliant service.”

Tools We Use to Help You

At PCP Recovery, we use:

  • Lender databases to retrieve finance agreements
  • FCA-aligned auditing tools to compare base vs charged APR
  • Commission flagging systems to spot likely DCAs
  • Solicitor partnerships for legally complex cases

We don’t just guess—we use real tools, experience, and FCA-compliant processes.

Final Thoughts

Car finance commission claims aren’t complicated—but they are important.

You may have been misled, overcharged, and unaware of it until now. Thanks to the FCA’s intervention and specialist claim services like PCP Recovery, you now have a clear path to justice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is a hidden car finance commission?
A: It’s when a dealer or broker earns extra commission by secretly raising your interest rate, without your knowledge.

Q: Can I claim if I’ve already paid off the agreement?
A: Yes. If the agreement was active anytime between 2007–2021, you're eligible to claim—even if it’s settled.

Q: I don’t have any paperwork. Can I still claim?
A: Yes! We retrieve your documents from the lender using basic information like your name, address, or vehicle details.

Q: Will this affect my credit score?
A: No. This is a compensation claim, not a loan or new credit application.

Q: What if my dealer is no longer in business?
A: We still file the complaint with the finance lender, not the dealership.

Q: How long does it take to get my refund?
A: Most claims take between 6–12 weeks, depending on the lender's response.

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Note: Your personal information will be handled with the utmost care in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Our legal team, operating under the trading name of PCP Recovery, may contact you regarding potential claim opportunities using the contact information you have provided. You may opt out of receiving further communications from us at any time by emailing info@pcprecovery.co.uk.

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Claim up to £5,318.25* per agreement .

By pressing the “Submit and Verify My Claim” button, I confirm that I have had a vehicle on finance and that I was not aware of any commission payment being made to the dealer. I have read and agree to PCP Recovery’s terms and conditions and Privacy Policy.

I understand that in order to verify my eligibility a soft credit check will be performed through our provider, Valid8 Ltd or Valifi Ltd, which will not affect my credit score. I consent to PCP Recovery Solicitors sending a Letter of Complaint to the lenders to determine if my agreements were mis-sold and to present my claim. PCP Recovery has been provided with a copy of your electronic signature which will be applied to the Terms and Conditions and Letter of Authority. You also consent for your electronic signature being used on a Financial Ombudsman Service complaint form, if necessary.

Claim up to £5,318.25* per agreement .

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