⚠️  Deadline: 29 July 2026. Check your PCP claim eligibility free in 60 seconds.
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Step-by-Step Guide

How to Check If You're Eligible for a PCP Claim

Published 11 March 2026 · 7 min read · Includes eligibility checklist
Quick Eligibility Checklist
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    Finance agreement dated April 2007 – January 2021 This is the core window covered by the FCA's investigation
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    PCP or HP agreement (not a lease/PCH) Personal Contract Purchase or Hire Purchase — not Personal Contract Hire
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    Finance arranged through a car dealer The dealer proposed and arranged the finance at point of sale
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    UK resident at the time of the agreement The agreement must be governed by UK consumer credit law
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    Finance amount (nice to know, not essential) Helps estimate your compensation — even £5,000 agreements can qualify

Step-by-Step: How to Check Your PCP Claim Eligibility

1
Check the Date of Your Finance Agreement
The FCA's redress scheme covers car finance agreements taken out between April 2007 and January 2021 (specifically, before the FCA banned discretionary commission arrangements on 28 January 2021). If you're unsure of the exact date, a rough year is fine to get started — we can verify the exact date from your lender's records.
2
Identify Your Finance Type: PCP or HP?
The two main types of car finance covered are PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) and HP (Hire Purchase). PCP typically has lower monthly payments and a large optional final "balloon" payment to own the car. HP has higher monthly payments but no balloon payment, and you own the car automatically at the end. Not covered: PCH (Personal Contract Hire / leasing), where you never had the option to own the car.
3
Confirm It Was Dealer-Arranged Finance
The finance must have been arranged through a car dealer — i.e., the salesperson at the dealership introduced you to the finance company and processed the application on your behalf. Finance arranged directly with a bank (e.g., you got a personal loan from your own bank and then bought the car with cash) is typically not covered. When in doubt, check: if you filled in a finance form at the dealership, it almost certainly qualifies.
4
Identify Your Lender (If You Can)
Try to remember the name of the finance company — not the car dealer, but the company that actually provided the money. Common lenders include Black Horse Finance (Lloyds), Close Brothers, Santander UK, MotoNovo, Barclays Partner Finance, and many manufacturer-linked lenders (BMW Financial Services, VW Financial Services, etc.).

If you can't remember, check your credit file (free via Experian, Equifax, or CheckMyFile) — finance agreements appear there. Or simply provide what you know, and we'll identify the lender for you.
5
Complete the Free Eligibility Check
Once you have the above information (even approximately), use our free eligibility checker. It takes under 60 seconds and immediately confirms whether your agreement is likely to qualify. There is no cost, no obligation, and no documents required at this stage.

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What Qualifies vs. What Doesn't: Quick Reference

Situation Likely Eligible ✓ Likely Not Eligible ✗
Finance date April 2007 – January 2021 After January 2021 or before April 2007
Finance type PCP or HP agreement PCH / lease, personal loan, cash purchase
How arranged Through a car dealer at point of sale Directly from your own bank / online lender
Agreement status Completed, part-way through, or handed back No restriction — all statuses covered
Documents held No documents needed to start Documents help but are not required
UK residency UK resident at time of agreement Non-UK address at time of agreement
Vehicle type Cars, vans (personal use) Motorcycles only (check case by case)

I Had Multiple Cars on Finance — Can I Claim for Each?

Yes. Each separate finance agreement between April 2007 and January 2021 is a separate potential claim. If you had three cars on PCP over 12 years, that could mean three separate claims — and three separate compensation payments.

The average UK driver changes their car every 3–4 years. Someone who consistently used dealer-arranged PCP from 2009 to 2021 could have had three or four qualifying agreements, with potential total compensation of £2,000–£5,000+.

Tip: To find all your historical finance agreements, request your full credit file from a free service like CheckMyFile or Experian. Finance agreements are listed under 'Credit Accounts' and typically remain visible for 6 years.

Common Reasons People Think They Can't Claim — But Actually Can

"I've already finished paying it off"

The claim is based on whether a discretionary commission arrangement existed at the time the agreement was signed — not whether the agreement is still active. Completed agreements are equally eligible.

"I returned the car early / used voluntary termination"

Voluntarily terminating a PCP or HP agreement is a separate consumer right. It does not affect your eligibility to claim for mis-selling commission arrangements. The two claims are entirely independent.

"I don't have any paperwork"

As noted above, you do not need your original documents. We request all necessary information from the lender on your behalf using your statutory right of access (Subject Access Request).

"I think I've missed some kind of deadline"

The FCA deadline for the current scheme is 29 July 2026. Unless you have already submitted a complaint and been told it was rejected, you have not missed anything. Register now to protect your position.

"My agreement was for a van, not a car"

Light commercial vehicles (vans) used for personal or mixed personal/business use may qualify under the scheme. Check your eligibility — our team can advise on borderline cases.

Important note on HP (Hire Purchase): Many people think only PCP agreements are covered. This is incorrect. HP agreements where a Discretionary Commission Arrangement was in place are equally covered. If you had a hire purchase agreement where you owned the car outright at the end — you may still have a valid claim.

What Happens After I Check My Eligibility?

If your eligibility check confirms you likely have a qualifying agreement, here is the process:

  1. We confirm your details — A brief conversation (or online form) to gather the information we need to proceed.
  2. Subject Access Request — We submit a formal data access request to your lender(s) to obtain all relevant documentation about your agreement.
  3. Formal complaint submitted — Our specialist solicitors (Milberg London, SRA: 670230) submit a formal complaint on your behalf, citing the relevant legal basis including the Johnson v FirstRand ruling.
  4. Claim tracked through FCA scheme — Your claim is managed through the FCA's redress process, with regular updates provided to you.
  5. Compensation paid — If successful, compensation is paid directly to your bank account. Our fee (30% inc. VAT) is deducted only at this point.

PCP Claim Eligibility FAQs

Answers to the most common eligibility questions we receive

PCP agreements typically have lower monthly payments than standard loans, with a large optional final payment (called a "balloon payment" or "Guaranteed Minimum Future Value") at the end if you want to keep the car. Your original paperwork will say "Personal Contract Purchase" or "PCP." If you had the option to hand the car back without penalty at the end, it was almost certainly PCP.

No. You can start the process with just your name, date of birth, and some approximate details about the agreement (approximate year, car make/model, and dealer name if you remember it). We submit a Subject Access Request to the lender on your behalf to obtain all the official documentation.

Yes — the completion of your agreement does not affect your eligibility. The claim is based on the commission arrangement that existed at the time the agreement was signed. Completed, active, or returned agreements are all eligible if the original agreement date falls within the qualifying period.

Very common — many people remember the car dealer but not the finance company. Your credit file (free via Experian, Equifax, or CheckMyFile) shows all historical finance agreements. Alternatively, tell us what you know — the car, the dealer, and the approximate date — and our team will identify the lender from these details.

The FCA scheme primarily covers consumer (personal) agreements. However, if the vehicle was used for mixed personal/business use, or if you are a sole trader who arranged finance in your personal name, it is worth checking. Our eligibility team can advise on your specific situation.

Making a PCP compensation claim does not affect your credit score. The claim is a complaint against the original agreement terms — it is not a new credit application. Your lender is not permitted to take any adverse action against you simply because you have raised a complaint about historical mis-selling.

Related Articles

DCA Explained

What is a Discretionary Commission Arrangement (DCA)?

Understand the hidden commission system that led to millions of UK drivers being overcharged.

Deadline Alert

PCP Claim Deadline 2026: Everything You Need to Know

The FCA deadline is 29 July 2026. Here's what that means and why you should act now.

Calculator Guide

How Much Could You Get Back? PCP Calculator Guide

Worked examples and estimates of typical PCP compensation amounts based on different agreement sizes.

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