Frequently Asked Questions

You may be eligible if you used motor finance and commission or lender-tie arrangements were not clearly explained. The FCA's final scheme rules cover eligible motor finance agreements taken out between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024, while DCA-specific claims usually relate to agreements before the January 2021 DCA ban.

DCA stands for Discretionary Commission Arrangement. Before the FCA banned them in January 2021, lenders allowed dealers and brokers to adjust the interest rate on your car finance agreement and earn a higher commission as a result — without telling you. Most consumers were never told the rate they were quoted included a discretionary uplift designed to maximise the dealer's commission.

No. Claim Your Car's initial eligibility check uses a soft credit search, which does not leave a footprint on your credit file and does not affect your credit score. A soft search lets Claim Your Car locate any historic car finance agreements you had so we can assess them — your lender doesn't see it, and other lenders don't see it.

No. You don't need any paperwork to start. With your permission, Claim Your Car uses a soft credit search to identify your past car finance agreements, even if you've changed address, no longer own the vehicle, or have already settled the finance. If your lender needs further details, Claim Your Car handles the request to them on your behalf.

Yes. The claim is about how the finance agreement was sold to you, not whether you still own the vehicle. If you handed back, sold, or settled the car finance agreement, you can still claim. This applies whether the agreement ended years ago or is still active.

Yes. Each eligible PCP or HP agreement is assessed separately. If you had several vehicles on finance, each one may have its own redress calculation under the FCA scheme rules or complaint route.

The FCA introduced final motor finance redress scheme rules on 30 March 2026, but the scheme is now under legal challenge. The FCA says legal action will delay payouts that were due to begin this year, while firms should keep preparing. Claim Your Car can still register and prepare your claim now and keep you updated as the timeline moves.

The FCA's final scheme rules estimate average redress at around £830 per eligible agreement. Some people may receive more and some less; the amount depends on the commission or tie arrangement, interest paid, agreement dates, caps in the FCA methodology, and whether the case is eligible at all. No outcome is guaranteed.

You can do either. The FCA says consumers with concerns should complain directly to their lender for free, and that people who have already complained or complain before the relevant implementation period should be compensated sooner if they are owed redress. Registering now means your case is documented and ready as the scheme timeline develops.

No. You can complain directly to your lender for free, and if they reject the complaint you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) at no cost to you. Many people prefer to use a claims management company because Claim Your Car handles all communication, evidence-gathering, and escalation — but it's your choice. Claim Your Car's fee, if your case settles, is taken as a percentage of the settlement.

Claim Your Car works on a no-win, no-fee basis. You pay nothing upfront. If — and only if — your claim results in a settlement, our success fee is deducted from the compensation paid out. If your claim is unsuccessful, you pay nothing. Full fee terms and your 14-day cancellation right are set out in our Terms of Business before you sign.

Yes. You have a statutory 14-day cooling-off period from the date you sign with Claim Your Car. During that time you can cancel for any reason at no cost. After the 14 days, you can still cancel — see our Terms of Business for full details.