The DS DS 7 Crossback was commonly sold on Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation period, which spanned from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. The FCA found that discretionary commission arrangements used by lenders may have led to mis-selling of motor finance agreements across numerous car models, including the DS DS 7 Crossback.
How the DS DS 7 Crossback was Typically Financed
The DS DS 7 Crossback, a premium crossover SUV, often came with financing options tailored to meet various customer needs. Commonly, customers would opt for PCP or HP finance agreements ranging from £15,000 to £30,000 over terms of 36 to 48 months. Major lenders such as
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance were frequently involved in providing these financing options.
In a PCP agreement for the DS DS 7 Crossback, customers would typically make monthly payments with an optional final balloon payment (also known as a Guaranteed Minimum Future Value or GMFV) at the end of the term. This balloon payment represents the remaining value of the car after the finance period ends and is often higher than what the vehicle might be worth on the market.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA's investigation into motor finance agreements uncovered significant issues related to discretionary commission arrangements used by lenders during sales processes. These arrangements allowed dealerships to receive additional payments for selling a particular type of finance agreement, which may have incentivised them to push products that were not necessarily the best fit for the customer’s needs.
According to the FCA's findings, 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) across various car models, including the DS DS 7 Crossback, were potentially affected by these discretionary commission arrangements. The total mis-selling sum was estimated at £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026), with an average cost per customer of approximately £829 (FCA estimate).
How to Check Your Agreement Look for a Discretionary Commission Arrangement (DCA) or any mention of additional payments made to dealerships based on the type of finance agreement chosen. The relevant dates to consider are between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024, as these agreements were in effect during this period.
If your agreement was signed within this timeframe and includes a DCA or similar arrangement, there is a possibility that you could be entitled to compensation from the lender. Checking for terms such as "additional dealer incentives" or "dealer finance fees" can also provide further clues about whether your agreement was affected by these arrangements.
If you suspect that your DS DS 7 Crossback finance agreement is one of those potentially mis-sold, the first step should be to contact your lender directly. Common lenders for the DS DS 7 Crossback include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
When reaching out, explain that you are concerned about a possible discretionary commission arrangement affecting your finance agreement and request a review of your case. You do not need to engage with any claims management company; instead, you can complain for free by communicating directly with the lender's customer service department.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Investigation Findings on Motor Finance Mis-selling
- Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census Data 2021
By understanding these key points and taking action through direct communication, you can address any potential issues related to your DS DS 7 Crossback finance agreement.