Reclaim Car Finance Commission from Santander Consumer Finance
Santander is one of the larger motor lenders caught by the commission scandal. It has provisioned around 461 million pounds for motor finance redress and has confirmed it will not challenge the FCA's scheme. If you bought a car through a dealer who arranged finance with Santander and were never told what the dealer earned in commission, you may be owed money plus interest. You make the complaint yourself, it is free, and you keep every penny.
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Your claim rests on section 140A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, which lets a credit agreement be reopened where the relationship was unfair. The Supreme Court confirmed in Johnson v FirstRand (1 August 2025) that an undisclosed commission can create that unfairness. The FCA's redress scheme, finalised in PS26/3 (30 March 2026), covers agreements from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024 where commission was not properly disclosed, with discretionary commission arrangements, high commission, and undisclosed ties all in scope. Leasing agreements, such as personal contract hire, are not covered by the scheme. The scheme is free to use, and the Financial Ombudsman Service can review Santander's decision if you disagree.
Step by step
- 1Collect your Santander agreement number, the registration of the financed car, and the rough date of signing. Santander can trace the agreement from your details if you no longer have the paperwork.
- 2Use Santander's online complaint route to lodge a commission complaint about your finance agreement. Make clear you believe the dealer's commission was not properly disclosed and that this made the relationship unfair under section 140A of the Consumer Credit Act.
- 3If you have an existing complaint, Santander will review it under the new scheme without you needing to contact them again. Otherwise, registering now puts you inside the scheme. The implementation period ends 30 June 2026 for agreements from April 2014 onwards and 31 August 2026 for earlier ones, after which firms have up to three months to tell you the outcome.
- 4If Santander rejects the complaint or the offer seems too low, refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free, normally within six months of their final response. The Ombudsman can independently assess whether the relationship was unfair.
What they'll say, and your comeback
“Your agreement was a leasing or contract hire deal, which is not covered.”
Comeback, Leasing is excluded from the scheme, but most dealer-arranged car finance is hire purchase or PCP, which is covered. Ask Santander to confirm the exact product type in writing before they close your complaint.
“There was no discretionary commission on your agreement.”
Comeback, DCAs are only one of the ways commission becomes unfair. The scheme also covers high commission and undisclosed ties, and section 140A covers undisclosed commission more broadly. Ask Santander to assess the full unfair relationship test, not just whether a DCA was present.
“You signed the agreement, so you accepted the terms including any commission.”
Comeback, Signing does not equal informed consent to a commission you were never told the size of. The Supreme Court was clear that disclosure had to be genuine. Ask them to evidence what you were actually told.
FAQ
Has Santander admitted there is a problem?
Santander has set aside around 461 million pounds to cover motor finance redress and has said it will not challenge the FCA scheme. That provision reflects how many of its agreements may be affected, which is a good reason to get your complaint logged.
How is the refund worked out?
Under the FCA scheme the payout is broadly the commission paid added to a percentage of the interest you were charged (17% for agreements from April 2014, 21% for earlier ones), plus compensatory interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 1% (with a 3% minimum a year). The exact figure depends on your agreement.
Ready to get your money back?
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A self-serve tool, not a law firm. General information, not legal advice.