What is a PCP car finance claim?

A PCP car finance claim is a compensation claim against finance providers who mis-sold car finance agreements. Many dealerships received hidden commissions from lenders for arranging finance, which often resulted in customers paying higher interest rates without their knowledge. If you were affected, you may be entitled to a refund of the excess interest paid.

How much compensation can I expect?

The average claim is around £700 per finance agreement, though this can vary significantly depending on the size of your agreement and the level of hidden commission. Some claims have resulted in payouts of several thousand pounds. The FCA expects over £8 billion to be paid out across the industry.

How long does the claims process take?

Most claims are resolved within 3 to 6 months, depending on the lender's response time. Some straightforward cases may be resolved sooner. We'll keep you updated on progress throughout the process.

What does No Win, No Fee mean?

It means you won't pay anything if your claim is unsuccessful. Our fees range from 15% to 30% (plus VAT) of your compensation, depending on the amount recovered. There are no upfront costs, administration charges, or hidden fees.

Am I eligible to make a claim?

You may be eligible if you took out PCP or HP car finance between April 2007 and November 2024 and were not made aware of commission arrangements between the dealer and the finance provider. Even if you've already paid off your finance, you can still claim.

What information do I need to make a claim?

You just need your basic personal details — name, address, date of birth, and contact information. You don't need your original finance documents. Our system can search for your agreements using your details through credit reference agencies.

Can I claim if I have already paid off my finance?

Yes, absolutely. Whether your finance is still active or was paid off years ago, you can still make a claim. Many successful claims relate to finance agreements that ended several years ago.

What happens after I submit my claim?

After you submit, our team reviews your details and searches for eligible finance agreements. If agreements are found, we submit a formal complaint to the lender on your behalf. The lender then investigates and responds, typically within 8 weeks. If the claim is upheld, you receive your compensation minus our fee.

What Documents Do I Need for a Car Finance Claim?

PCP Claim Finder Team8 April 20266 min read

Do I Need Lots of Paperwork?

No. This is one of the most common concerns people have about making a car finance claim, and the good news is that you need far less than you might expect.

While having your original finance agreement is helpful, it is not essential. We can investigate your claim and submit a complaint to the lender with surprisingly little information from you.

Here is a complete breakdown of what helps, what is ideal, and what to do if you have nothing at all.

The Ideal Documents (If You Have Them)

If you still have your paperwork, these are the most useful documents:

1. Your Finance Agreement

This is the single most helpful document. It contains:

The lender's name
The amount financed
The interest rate (APR)
The term of the agreement
Monthly payment amount
Total amount payable
Any mention of commission or broker fees

Where to find it: Check your filing cabinet, email inbox (many agreements were sent electronically), or any folder you kept from the car purchase. Some lenders also have online portals where you can log in and view your agreement.

2. The Vehicle Details

Knowing the specifics of the vehicle helps us identify your agreement:

Make and model
Registration number
Approximate date of purchase
The dealership you bought from

Where to find it: Your V5C logbook (if you still have the car), old insurance documents, or even your email history — search for the dealership name or the car make.

3. Payment Records

Evidence of your monthly payments helps establish the financial impact:

Bank statements showing direct debit payments to the lender
Settlement statements if you paid off the agreement early
Any correspondence from the lender about payment amounts

Where to find it: Online banking — most banks allow you to search transactions and download statements going back several years.

4. Correspondence From the Dealer or Lender

Any letters, emails, or documents from the dealer or lender can be relevant:

Welcome letters from the lender
Annual statements
End-of-agreement correspondence
Emails from the dealership about the purchase

Where to find it: Email inbox (search for the lender's name or dealership), physical post files, or your online account with the lender.

The Minimum We Need to Get Started

If you cannot find any of the above, do not let that stop you. At a minimum, we need:

Your full name (as it was on the agreement)
Your date of birth
Your address (at the time of the agreement, and your current address if different)
The approximate date you took out the finance
The car's make and model (even roughly — "it was a silver Ford Focus, bought around 2018" is enough)
The dealership name (if you can remember it)

That is genuinely all we need. From this information, we can:

Trace the lender through industry databases
Request a copy of your agreement from the lender
Obtain commission details as part of the formal complaint

What If I Have Lost Everything?

You can still claim. Here is how we handle missing documentation:

No Finance Agreement

We can identify the lender and obtain a copy of your agreement through formal data subject access requests. The lender is legally required to hold records of your agreement and must provide copies on request.

Cannot Remember the Lender

Many people do not remember which company their finance was with — the dealer arranged everything, and the lender's name may not have been prominent. We can help trace this using:

The dealership name (dealers typically work with a small number of lenders)
The vehicle details
Your credit file (which records all finance agreements)

Cannot Remember the Dealership

Even if you have forgotten the dealer, knowing the car and the approximate date narrows things down significantly. Your credit file will also show the finance agreement, which links back to the lender.

Cannot Access Old Bank Statements

Most banks retain statement history for at least six years. You can usually access this through online banking, or request paper copies from the bank. Some banks charge a small fee for paper statements, but digital access is typically free.

How to Check Your Credit File

Your credit file is one of the most useful resources for tracing old finance agreements. It records:

The lender's name
When the agreement started and ended
The account number
The status of the agreement (active, settled, defaulted)

You can check your credit file through:

Experian — Free statutory report available
Equifax — Free access through ClearScore
TransUnion — Free access through Credit Karma

Check all three, as different lenders report to different agencies. The information you find will be enough to identify your finance agreements and get the claims process moving.

What About Digital Paperwork?

Many modern finance agreements were completed digitally. Here are some places to look:

Email inbox — Search for terms like "finance agreement", "PCP", "hire purchase", the dealer's name, or the lender's name
Cloud storage — Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox may contain scanned documents
Phone photos — Some people photograph paperwork. Check your photo library for images from around the date of purchase
Lender apps or portals — If the lender has an app or website, log in (or try password recovery) to access your account
DocuSign or similar — If the agreement was signed electronically, you may have a copy in your DocuSign or HelloSign account

Documents We Do NOT Need

To clear up common misunderstandings, here is what you do not need:

MOT certificates — Not relevant to the finance claim
Service history — The claim is about the finance, not the vehicle's condition
Insurance documents — Not required (though they can help identify the vehicle)
The car itself — It does not matter if you no longer have the vehicle
Proof of mis-selling — That is our job. You do not need to prove the commission was hidden; we investigate and establish this
Legal advice — You do not need a solicitor. We handle the entire process

Preparing Your Documents: A Quick Checklist

Before you submit your claim, gather what you can from this list:

[ ] Finance agreement (paper or digital copy)
[ ] Vehicle registration number
[ ] Make, model, and approximate year of purchase
[ ] Dealership name
[ ] Finance company name
[ ] Bank statements showing payments (optional but helpful)
[ ] Any correspondence from the lender

Tick off what you have. If you can only tick one or two items, that is still enough. We work with incomplete information every day and have the tools and processes to fill in the gaps.

What Happens After You Submit?

Once you send us your details:

We review what you have provided and confirm receipt
We trace any missing information from the lender, credit agencies, or industry records
We build your case using the commission data and agreement terms
We submit the complaint to the lender on your behalf

You are kept informed throughout. If we need anything else from you, we will ask — but in most cases, the initial information is enough to get things moving.

For a full breakdown of the process and timeline, see our guide on how long a PCP claim takes.

Do Not Let Missing Paperwork Stop You

The biggest mistake people make is assuming they cannot claim because they do not have the right documents. In reality, the minimum requirements are much lower than people think, and professional claims teams are experienced at working with limited information.

Start your free claim check now — provide whatever details you have, and we will take it from there. There is no charge, no obligation, and no penalty for not having a complete paper trail. You can also contact our team to discuss what information you have, or read about our full process before getting started.