How do I claim against Santander Consumer Finance for PCP mis-selling?

To claim against Santander Consumer Finance: write a formal complaint to Santander Consumer Finance Ltd, Jubilee House, Durham Road, Gateshead, NE11 0BB, or use their online complaints form. State you believe a discretionary commission arrangement (DCA) applied to your agreement and request disclosure and compensation. If Santander does not respond within 8 weeks or rejects your claim, escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for free.

Is Santander Consumer Finance covered by the FCA motor finance review?

Yes. Santander Consumer Finance is one of the major lenders named in the FCA's motor finance review. They were a significant user of discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs) on PCP and HP agreements prior to January 2021. Santander Consumer Finance has been a defendant in the group litigation that led to the Supreme Court's October 2024 ruling on undisclosed commissions.

How much compensation could I get from Santander for a PCP claim?

The FCA estimates average DCA overcharges of approximately £1,100. For a typical Santander Consumer Finance PCP agreement of £12,000–£18,000 at 9–12% APR, the estimated overcharge ranges from £750 to £2,200+, plus 8% statutory interest from the agreement date. Use the calculator on this page for a personalised estimate.

Santander PCP Claim 2025 — How to Claim Santander Car Finance Compensation

Quick answer

Can I claim against Santander Consumer Finance?

Yes — if your PCP or HP finance was arranged through a car dealer using Santander Consumer Finance between April 2007 and January 2021. Santander Consumer Finance is confirmed as a major DCA lender by the FCA review. You can complain to them directly for free, or use the calculator below to estimate your compensation first. Note: Santander Consumer Finance and Santander Bank are separate entities — this claim relates specifically to their motor finance division.

🏦 Santander Consumer Finance✓ FCA confirmed DCA lender⏱ 6-year limit

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Santander Consumer Finance vs Santander BankThis claim is specifically about Santander Consumer Finance — the motor finance arm. If you have a Santander current account or personal loan with Santander Bank, those are different products and not part of this review. Check your PCP paperwork: if the lender is listed as "Santander Consumer (UK) plc" or similar, that's the correct entity.

Free calculator

Estimate your Santander PCP compensation

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Santander Consumer Finance Calculator

Based on FCA DCA methodology — 25% of total interest + 8% p.a. statutory interest

Finance amount (£)

APR on agreement (%)

Finance term (months)

Agreement start year

Estimated total interest paid—

DCA overcharge (25% of interest)—

Statutory interest (8% p.a.)—

Total estimated compensation—

Methodology: FCA average DCA uplift 25% of total interest. Statutory interest at 8% p.a. from agreement midpoint. Indicative only — not legal advice.

Step-by-step

How to complain to Santander Consumer Finance

Gather your agreement details

Find your original Santander Consumer Finance agreement — usually a paper document or email with the agreement number, finance amount, APR, and start date. If you can't find it, request it via a Subject Access Request to Santander Consumer Finance — they must respond within 30 days.

Write to Santander Consumer Finance

Postal address: Santander Consumer (UK) plc, Complaints, Rediff House, Birmingham, B3 2BJ — or use their online complaints form. State clearly you are requesting a review of your agreement for a discretionary commission arrangement under the FCA's motor finance review.

Request commission disclosure

Ask specifically: (a) whether a DCA applied to your agreement; (b) the commission rate paid to the dealer; (c) whether the dealer had the ability to set your interest rate. This creates a documented record of your enquiry.

Escalate to the FOS after 8 weeks

If Santander does not resolve your complaint within 8 weeks — or issues a rejection — escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for free. The FOS has broad powers to award compensation and regularly overturns lender rejections in motor finance cases.

Santander-specific context

What made Santander Consumer Finance's DCAs harmful?

Like other major lenders, Santander Consumer Finance operated a dealer incentive structure that allowed dealers to set — and inflate — customers' interest rates within a range. The dealer earned higher commission for higher rates. This created a direct conflict of interest: the dealer was supposed to find you the best finance, but was financially rewarded for doing the opposite.

Example — Santander DCA impact

Toyota dealer, 2018 — £13,500 Santander Consumer Finance PCP at 8.9% APR

Minimum available rate under dealer range: 5.9%. Dealer set rate at 8.9% — earning approximately £450 extra commission. Total interest at 8.9% over 36 months: approximately £1,950. DCA overcharge (25%): £488. Statutory interest (8% p.a. × 7 years): £273. Total estimated compensation: £761.

Estimated total: £761

Example — Higher value agreement

Kia dealer, 2016 — £22,000 Santander Consumer Finance PCP at 11.4% APR

Three-year agreement. Total interest: approximately £3,900. DCA overcharge (25%): £975. Statutory interest (8% p.a. × 9 years): £702. Total estimated compensation: £1,677.

Estimated total: £1,677

FAQs

Santander PCP claims — questions answered

My Santander Consumer Finance agreement was through a car supermarket — does that qualify?+

Car supermarkets (such as Arnold Clark, Cazoo, or CarShop) that arranged dealer finance on your behalf are covered. The key test is whether the finance was arranged by a dealer or intermediary who earned commission. If Santander Consumer Finance provided the credit and a dealer or car supermarket arranged it, the DCA claim applies.

Can I claim if I had gap insurance arranged by the same dealer?+

The PCP DCA claim is separate from any gap insurance mis-selling claim. If both the PCP finance and gap insurance were mis-sold by the same dealer, you may have two separate complaints. Check if your gap insurance was sold without clear explanation of terms, or at a price significantly higher than available elsewhere — that's a separate FCA-regulated complaint to your gap insurance provider.

I paid off my Santander agreement early — can I still claim?+

Yes. Early repayment doesn't affect the DCA claim. The overcharge occurred at the time the agreement was set up — you paid a higher rate than you should have for the period the finance was active. Whether you finished the agreement, paid it off early, returned the car, or had it repossessed does not alter the underlying mis-selling claim.

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Disclaimer: Estimates are indicative and based on FCA methodology. Santander Consumer Finance and Santander Bank plc are separate entities. This page relates to Santander Consumer (UK) plc motor finance agreements only. Not legal advice.