Car finance redress
Free Car Finance Claim Letter Template
Independent and free. Copy, fill in the brackets and send — no claims firm, no fee.
Redress estimate
Any figures here are an estimate, not a promise, and nothing on this page is financial or legal advice. You can claim free yourself — you don't need a claims firm.
This is a free, ready-to-use complaint letter you can send to your car finance lender to ask whether a discretionary commission applied and whether you were mis-sold. Fill in the brackets, send it, and keep a copy.
You do not need a claims-management company taking a cut. Any figure you see is an estimate, not a promise — nobody is guaranteed a payout, and the amount depends on your own agreement. Estimate first with the compensation estimator.
The template
Copy the letter below, replace anything in [brackets] with your own details, and send it to your lender. It already asks the key question about discretionary commission.
Keep it polite and factual. You don't need to argue the law — you're simply asking the lender to check your agreement and respond.
Who to send it to
Send it to your lender — the finance company named on your agreement, not the car dealer. Use their official complaints address or online complaints form.
- Find the lender's name on your original finance agreement — see how to find your lender.
- Look up their complaints address or complaints web form on their site.
- Send it by email or post and keep a dated copy for your records.
What happens next
The lender usually has up to eight weeks to give a final response. If you're unhappy with it, or hear nothing, you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free.
The Financial Ombudsman Service is the free, independent backstop — read how it works on the FOS process. You do not need a claims-management company taking a cut.
Estimate first
Before you send the letter, get a rough idea of your position — for free.
Try the compensation estimator, then follow the full how to claim steps. Any figure you see is an estimate, not a promise — nobody is guaranteed a payout, and the amount depends on your own agreement.
[Your name] [Your address] [Postcode] [Email / phone] [Lender's name] [Lender's complaints address] [Date] Dear [Lender], Re: Complaint about a possible discretionary commission arrangement Agreement number: [Agreement number] Vehicle: [Make and model, if known] Agreement start date: [Approximate start date] I am writing to complain about the car finance agreement above, which I took out with you / through a dealer or broker. I believe my agreement may have involved a discretionary commission arrangement (DCA) or other commission that was not clearly disclosed to me, and that this may have increased the interest rate I paid. I was not told how my interest rate was set, or how much commission was paid to the broker or dealer. Please confirm: 1. Whether a discretionary commission arrangement applied to my agreement. 2. The amount and type of any commission paid to the broker or dealer. 3. Whether the commission was disclosed to me, and how. 4. The interest rate and APR applied to my agreement. If my agreement was affected, I ask that you treat this letter as a formal complaint and tell me how you intend to put things right. Please send your final response in writing. I understand you normally have up to eight weeks to respond. If I am unhappy with your response, or do not hear from you, I intend to refer my complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free. Yours faithfully, [Your name]
Frequently asked
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Work out your next step
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