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Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon, home to 217,200 residents (ONS Census 2021), has seen many affected drivers due to motor finance mis-selling practices during the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024 (calculated using ONS Census 2021 population data and FCA estimates). These individuals may have been impacted by unfair
discretionary commission arrangements that major lenders used when offering
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or
[Hire Purchase](https://mlj.org.uk/guides/hp-claims) (HP) finance through local dealerships.
How Motor Finance Mis-selling Affected Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon
Local dealerships in the district, such as Charles Hurst Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon, Donnelly Group Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon, Shelbourne Motors Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon, and JC Halliday Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon, sold PCP/HP finance to residents. These dealerships were likely involved in the sale of motor finance products offered by major lenders operating in the area, including
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).
The mis-selling practices involved discretionary commission arrangements where lenders paid additional fees to dealerships for each finance agreement they facilitated. These commissions could incentivise dealers to recommend more expensive or less suitable finance options, potentially leading to higher costs for consumers.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
In response to widespread concerns about these practices, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched an investigation into motor finance mis-selling. The investigation revealed that 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) by unfair discretionary commission arrangements across the UK (FCA estimate). This resulted in a total of £7.5 billion being paid out in compensation (FCA estimate), with an FCA-estimated scheme average per eligible agreement: £829 (FCA estimate).
The FCA found that many consumers had been charged excessively high interest rates or were sold finance products that did not meet their financial needs, leading to significant financial hardship for those affected.
How Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon Residents Can Check Their Finance Agreements
To determine if you were a victim of motor finance mis-selling in Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon, it is crucial to review your finance agreement carefully. Look for any evidence that your dealer received additional payments from the lender based on the terms or length of your finance contract. This could include higher-than-expected interest rates or fees.
Check if you entered into a finance agreement between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024, as these are the dates covered by the FCA investigation. Gather all relevant documents such as loan agreements, repayment schedules, and correspondence from your lender to support your case.
If you suspect that you were mis-sold motor finance in Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon, you can complain directly to your lender at no cost. 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) have established processes for handling customer complaints.
You do not need a
claims management company; the process can be handled independently. Provide your lender with all relevant evidence from your finance agreement review to support your complaint. If your lender does not resolve your issue satisfactorily, you may escalate your complaint to the
Financial Ombudsman Service (
FOS) for free and impartial assessment.
Sources and References
- FCA estimates on agreements and compensation: "Motor Finance Discretionary Commission Arrangements" (FCA, 2024)
- Population data: Office of National Statistics Census 2021 (ONS Census 2021)
- Local dealership information: Official websites of Charles Hurst Group, Donnelly Group, Shelbourne Motors, and JC Halliday
- Lender details: Official websites of Black Horse (Lloyds Banking Group), MotoNovo Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, Santander Consumer Finance, Barclays Partner Finance, and Alphera Financial Services (BMW)
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.