Photo by Mylo Kaye on Pexels
Lincoln, a city with a population of 104,200 (ONS Census 2021), has been affected by motor finance mis-selling practices. According to calculations using ONS Census data and FCA estimates, around 9,847 residents may have been impacted during the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024.
How Motor Finance Mis-Selling Affected Lincoln
Motor finance mis-selling has affected numerous drivers in Lincoln through various local dealerships such as Inchcape Lincoln, Pendragon Lincoln, Marshall Motor Group Lincoln, and Sytner Lincoln. These dealerships offered
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) agreements to car buyers, often facilitated by major lenders like
[Black Horse](https://mlj.org.uk/lenders/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 FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched an investigation into motor finance agreements to address the issue of
discretionary commission arrangements. These practices resulted in unfair outcomes for many car buyers across the UK, with 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026). The total amount of mis-sold agreements reached £7.5 billion (FCA estimate), with an average claim value of £829 (FCA estimate).
How Lincoln Residents Can Check Their Finance Agreements
To determine if their finance agreement was potentially mis-sold, residents should review their contracts and documents carefully. The affected period is from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. Key aspects to look for include:
- Whether the dealer received additional commissions or incentives that influenced the type of financing offered.
- Any indications that the finance agreement was not fully explained or disclosed at the time of sale.
Gather all relevant documents, including the original finance agreement, any correspondence with the lender, and records of payments made. These will be crucial for submitting a complaint to your lender directly.
You can complain directly to your lender for free without needing to involve a
claims management company. Major lenders such as Black Horse, MotoNovo Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, Santander Consumer Finance, Barclays Partner Finance, and Alphera Financial Services have processes in place to handle customer complaints.
If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of your complaint or require further assistance, you can escalate your case to the
Financial Ombudsman Service (
FOS). The FOS offers a free service for resolving disputes between consumers and financial firms. You do not need a claims management company to use this service.
Sources and References
- Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census 2021
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), 2024
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.