The DS DS 9 was commonly sold on Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation period, which ran from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This investigation uncovered significant issues with discretionary commission arrangements used by lenders in motor finance deals for vehicles like the DS DS 9.
How the DS DS 9 was Typically Financed
The DS DS 9 is a luxury sedan that typically attracts financing amounts between £15,000 and £30,000. During its sales period, it was commonly financed through PCP agreements lasting 36 to 48 months. Common lenders providing finance for the DS DS 9 include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
PCP deals often involve a balloon payment at the end of the term, which is typically higher than the average monthly payments throughout the agreement. This balloon payment represents the residual value of the car and must be paid off or refinanced to keep ownership of the vehicle.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA investigation into motor finance agreements revealed that many dealerships were incentivised by discretionary commission arrangements, which often led to mis-selling practices. These arrangements allowed lenders to pay sales commissions based on the type of finance agreement chosen rather than a fixed percentage of the loan amount. This resulted in higher fees and interest rates for customers without additional benefits.
The investigation found that 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) by these discretionary commission schemes (FCA estimate), with an estimated £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) total mis-selling amount (FCA estimate). On average, each customer overpaid about £829 (FCA estimate) due to the opaque and often misleading nature of these arrangements.
How to Check Your Agreement Discretionary Commission (DCA) Arrangements: Look for references to DCA in your finance contract or any correspondence with your lender.
- Relevant Dates: Ensure that the date of your loan falls within the investigation period, from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024.
- Unusual Fees and Charges: If you notice unusually high fees or charges compared to standard market rates for a PCP or HP agreement, this could be an indicator.
If your DS DS 9 finance agreement was mis-sold due to discretionary commission arrangements, you can complain directly to the lender without needing a claims management company. Common lenders for the DS DS 9 include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
When contacting your lender, provide them with evidence such as your finance agreement, payment receipts, and any correspondence that indicates mis-selling practices. Explain why you believe the discretionary commission arrangement led to an unfair deal and request a full review of your case.
You do not need a claims management company to handle this process. Lenders are required by law to address complaints fairly and without additional costs for customers.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). "Motor Finance Discretionary Commission Arrangements." FCA, 2024.
- Office for National Statistics Census 2021.