Photo by kevin grieve on Pexels
Mid and East Antrim residents are among those potentially affected by motor finance mis-selling, with an estimated 13,164 drivers possibly impacted (calculated using ONS Census 2021 population data and FCA estimates). With a total population of 139,300 (ONS Census 2021), this issue has significant implications for many in the district.
How Motor Finance Mis-selling Affected Mid and East Antrim
Motor finance mis-selling affected numerous drivers in Mid and East Antrim through various dealerships such as Charles Hurst Mid and East Antrim, Donnelly Group Mid and East Antrim, Shelbourne Motors Mid and East Antrim, and JC Halliday Mid and East Antrim. These local dealerships facilitated
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) agreements that may have included
discretionary commission arrangements, which are now under scrutiny by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
The major lenders operating in Mid and East Antrim include
Black Horse (Lloyds Banking Group),
MotoNovo Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
Santander Consumer Finance, Barclays Partner Finance, and
[Alphera](https://mlj.org.uk/lenders/alphera-financial-services) Financial Services (BMW). These financial institutions provided finance agreements to customers through local dealerships, and some of these agreements may have been mis-sold.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA has launched an investigation into motor finance arrangements that took place from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This period saw the sale of 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) with a total value of £7.5 billion (FCA estimate). On average, each agreement may have resulted in an overpayment of around £829 (FCA estimate).
The investigation focuses on discretionary commission arrangements where lenders paid dealers additional fees for selling higher interest rate finance products to customers. This practice could have led to drivers being sold more expensive agreements than necessary, resulting in significant financial losses.
How Mid and East Antrim Residents Can Check Their Finance Agreements
To determine if your motor finance agreement was mis-sold, residents of Mid and East Antrim should review their original finance contract documents carefully. Key dates to consider are from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. Look for any unusual charges or fees that were not clearly explained at the time of purchase.
It is important to gather all relevant documents, including your finance agreement, payment schedules, and any correspondence with your lender. If you believe there are discrepancies in your agreement, you should contact your lender directly to seek clarification about any potential mis-selling issues.
You can complain directly to your lender for free without the need for a
claims management company. Major lenders such as Black Horse (Lloyds Banking Group), MotoNovo Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, Santander Consumer Finance, Barclays Partner Finance, and Alphera Financial Services (BMW) all have dedicated customer service teams to handle complaints.
If your lender does not resolve the issue satisfactorily, you can escalate your complaint to the
Financial Ombudsman Service (
FOS), which provides an independent review of financial disputes free of charge. Remember that using a claims management company is unnecessary and may incur additional fees.
Sources and References
- FCA
- Financial Ombudsman Service
- ONS Census 2021
Car Finance Compensation in Your Area
The FCA confirmed that 12.1 million motor finance agreements across the UK qualify for compensation. The FCA-estimated scheme average of £829 per eligible agreement per agreement, totalling £7.5 billion in redress. If you took out PCP or HP car finance between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024, your agreement may be eligible regardless of where you live in the UK.
The final deadline to complain is 31 August 2027. You can complain to your lender directly for free. You do not need a claims management company.