Santander Car Finance Claim: PCP & Hire Purchase Mis-Selling

About Santander Consumer Finance

Santander UK plc is a major British high-street bank and one of the largest consumer lenders in the UK. Through its consumer finance division, Santander provided car finance to hundreds of thousands of UK customers through dealership networks. Like many major lenders during this period, Santander used discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs) to incentivise dealerships.

How Santander Car Finance Commissions Worked

When dealers arranged finance through Santander, they typically had the power to adjust the interest rate offered to customers. The commission Santander paid to the dealer was directly linked to this rate — meaning dealers received higher rewards for setting higher interest rates. Customers were rarely, if ever, informed of this arrangement.

This practice was widespread across the industry and was not unique to Santander. However, the FCA has found that it caused widespread consumer harm, as customers were systematically charged more than they should have been.

Who May Have a Santander Finance Claim?

• You bought a car at a dealership and the dealer offered Santander as the finance option
• Your finance agreement was signed between 2007 and 2021
• The product was PCP, hire purchase, or a conditional sale agreement
• You were not informed about commission payments to the dealer
• The interest rate was not presented to you as negotiable

Signs Your Santander Agreement May Have Been Mis-Sold

You don't need to have a copy of your original agreement to start a claim. Key signs include:

• The finance was arranged quickly at the dealership without independent advice
• You were not shown a range of finance providers to compare
• The APR on the agreement seems high compared to your credit profile at the time
• No mention was made of commission when you signed

How to Check Your Santander Finance Details

To retrieve the details of your Santander consumer finance agreement:

• Contact Santander Consumer Finance: Make a Subject Access Request (SAR) to receive all data they hold about you, including your original agreement.
• Credit reference agencies: Check your Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion file for records of the agreement, including the agreement date and lender name.
• Original paperwork: If you still have your original finance documents, look for the APR, total amount payable, and the dealer's name.

The Claims Process Explained

1. Submit your details using the form below — the initial check is free.
2. An authorised claims specialist will review whether your Santander agreement falls within the FCA investigation parameters.
3. If eligible, the specialist handles all communications with Santander and the Financial Ombudsman Service if needed.
4. Compensation is paid directly to you. No win, no fee arrangements are standard in this area.