The Fiat Punto was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024, when the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) conducted its investigation into motor finance mis-selling. Given the popularity of this small car in the UK market, it is important for Fiat Punto owners who financed their vehicle to understand if they were affected by these practices.
## How the Fiat Punto was Typically Financed
The Fiat Punto, a popular compact hatchback known for its affordability and reliability, was frequently sold through finance agreements during the FCA investigation period. Common financing options included Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and Hire Purchase (HP), typically covering amounts between £15,000 to £30,000 over terms ranging from 36 to 48 months. Lenders commonly providing finance for Fiat Punto owners during this period include
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
In a PCP agreement, customers would make regular monthly payments while retaining the option to purchase the car at the end of the term through a lump-sum balloon payment. This type of financing allowed buyers to manage their budget more effectively but required careful consideration of residual values and final payment amounts.
## The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA’s investigation into motor finance mis-selling uncovered significant issues related to
discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs). These arrangements were prevalent across the industry, affecting 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) with a total value of £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026), and an FCA-estimated scheme average per eligible agreement: £829 (FCA estimate). The investigation found that some lenders offered incentives to dealers for recommending specific finance products, potentially leading to higher costs for consumers who might have been unaware of alternative financing options.
## How to Check Your Agreement Look specifically for references to discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs) or similar terminology indicating that a dealer received additional payments based on the type of finance you chose.
agreements made between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024 are relevant, as these were the dates during which DCAs were most prevalent. If your agreement includes any clauses suggesting that your dealer was compensated for steering you towards a particular financing option, it may be worth investigating further to see if you have grounds for complaint.
## How to
Complain Directly to Your Lender for Free
If you believe that your Fiat Punto finance agreement was affected by DCAs or other mis-selling practices during the FCA investigation period, you can complain directly to your lender at no cost. Common lenders providing finance for Fiat Punto owners include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
When making a complaint, gather all relevant documents such as loan agreements, payment statements, and correspondence with your dealer or lender. Clearly outline the issues you are facing and provide any evidence that supports your claim. You do not need to engage a
claims management company; handling complaints directly is straightforward and free of charge.
## Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), 2024
- Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census, 2021
Based on 64,391 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Fiat Punto has a pass rate of 70.5%. This is below the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Punto has a higher-than-average failure rate in MOT testing.
The Punto pass rate is slightly below the overall Fiat average of 77.2%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 79,771 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 70.5%
- MOT failure rate: 29.5%
- Tests analysed: 64,391 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 79,771 miles
- Fiat average pass rate: 77.2%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.