Norton motorbikes were 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 related to
discretionary commission arrangements in motor finance, affecting a substantial number of consumers.
## How Norton Motorbikes Were Financed
Norton motorbikes were frequently financed through various lenders including
Black Horse,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Moneybarn. These lenders typically offered PCP and HP agreements with terms that often included high optional final payments or balloon payments, which could lead to
[negative equity](https://mlj.org.uk/guides/negative-equity-pcp-rollovers-your-rights-explained) if the motorcycle was sold before the end of the agreement.
## The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA's investigation revealed that many motorbike finance agreements were affected by discretionary commission arrangements. These arrangements allowed lenders and dealerships to receive additional commissions for selling certain types of finance products. As a result, 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) across the UK were estimated to be impacted (FCA estimate), with an overall compensation total of £7.5 billion (FCA estimate) and an average compensation per affected consumer of £829 (FCA estimate).
## How to Check Your Agreement If it falls within the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024, there is a possibility that your agreement was influenced by the discretionary commission arrangements identified by the FCA investigation.
You can review your finance documentation or contact your lender directly for further information about any potential issues with your agreement. Lenders such as Black Horse, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Moneybarn should have more specific details regarding their practices during this period.
## How to
Complain Directly to Your Lender for Free
If you suspect that your Norton motorbike finance agreement is affected by the FCA's findings on discretionary commission arrangements, it is advisable to contact your lender directly. Common lenders like Black Horse, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Moneybarn have dedicated teams to handle complaints related to this issue.
You do not need a
claims management company to help you with your complaint; you can deal with the process entirely on your own for free. The lender should provide you with guidance on how to proceed and will assess your case based on the FCA's findings. If your complaint is valid, they will offer compensation as appropriate.
## Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). "Motor Finance Mis-selling Investigation." (2024)
- Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census 2021
FCA Compensation: FCA Scheme Figures
The FCA confirmed on 30 March 2026 that 12.1 million motor finance agreements are covered by the FCA redress scheme. The FCA-estimated scheme average of £829 per eligible agreement per agreement, with a total of £7.5 billion set aside for consumers. The scheme covers PCP and HP agreements entered into between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024.
Two separate schemes apply: post-2014 agreements (implement by 30 June 2026) and pre-2014 agreements (implement by 31 August 2026). 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.