The DS DS 7, a luxury SUV from French automaker DS Automobiles, was commonly sold on Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This investigation uncovered widespread mis-selling practices in the motor finance industry, affecting a significant number of car buyers across the UK.
How the DS DS 7 was Typically Financed
The typical financing arrangement for the DS DS 7 included Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and Hire Purchase (HP) agreements, with loan amounts ranging from £15,000 to £30,000. The most common PCP terms were 36 or 48 months, which allowed customers to make monthly payments while retaining the option to purchase the car at the end of the agreement for a pre-agreed balloon payment.
Common finance providers for DS vehicles included Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance. These lenders facilitated the widespread use of PCP agreements, which often resulted in higher interest rates and additional fees compared to traditional loan products.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA investigation revealed that many motor finance agreements were sold under discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs), where dealers received a larger commission for selling more expensive or longer-term finance deals. This practice incentivised the sale of agreements that may not have been in the best interest of consumers, leading to an estimated 12.1 million eligible agreements across the UK between April 2007 and November 2024 (FCA estimate). The total compensation paid out to affected customers was approximately £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026), with an FCA-estimated scheme average of £829 per eligible agreement per claimant (FCA estimate).
How to Check Your Agreement Look for terms and conditions that mention "discretionary commission arrangements" or "DCA." check the dates of your agreement to ensure it falls within the investigation period from April 2007 to November 2024.
If you suspect mis-selling occurred during the purchase of your DS DS 7, consider reviewing your finance contract for excessive fees, balloon payments that are disproportionately high relative to the car's value, or any other terms that seem unfair or unclear. These indicators could suggest that your agreement was affected by the FCA investigation.
If you believe your DS DS 7 finance agreement may have been mis-sold, you can complain directly to your lender without needing a claims management company. Common lenders for DS vehicles include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
Contacting the lender directly is straightforward and does not incur any additional costs. You do not need a claims management company to assist with your complaint, as all major lenders have established processes for handling complaints related to motor finance agreements affected by the FCA investigation.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) estimates on mis-sold motor finance agreements
- Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census 2021