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Guide

DIY Car Finance Claim (Submit Your Complaint for Free)

Stop paying claims companies 30% of your payout. Follow our free step-by-step guide to write and send your own DCA complaint letter today.

Simeon Onaola
November 26, 2025
2 min read

Key Takeaways & Core Claims

  • Gather essential information including lender name, finance agreement type, purchase dates, and past addresses.
  • Draft a formal complaint letter stating that you suspect mis-sold car finance due to a discretionary commission arrangement.
  • Submit the complaint directly to your lender for free, bypassing claims management fees that charge up to 30% of your payout.

Submitting a claim sounds daunting, but it's actually quite a standardised process. Here is your roadmap to getting it done without paying a third party.

Step 1 - Gather Your Details

You'll need:

  • Your vehicle registration number.
  • The name of the lender (e.g., Black Horse, Santander, MotoNovo).
  • Ideally, your agreement number (though lenders can often find you without it).

Step 2 - Use a Template

Don't just write an angry email. You need to cite the correct regulations. While many drivers search for a martin lewis car finance claim letter template or a downloadable fca template letter car finance pdf, using a static document has downsides. You have to download, format, and fill in the details manually.

Our free web-based generator is a superior, modern alternative to a static free fca template letter car finance pdf. Instead of dealing with formatting issues or editing complex text blocks, our tool automatically builds a legally robust, customised letter citing the exact FCA rules. It prompts you for the precise information needed and outputs a clean copy ready to send.

  • Use our Car Finance Refund Letter to generate a legally robust letter.
  • It asks the lender to disclose any discretionary commission and, if present, to refund the difference.

Step 3 - Send it Off

Email is usually best as it creates a digital paper trail. Find the "Complaints" email address for your lender (we provide a list of these).

Step 4 - Wait for the Acknowledgement

Lenders must acknowledge your complaint promptly. If they don't reply within 8 weeks, you have the right to take your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

Step 5 - The Offer

If they accept liability, they will calculate a refund. You can accept it or challenge it if you think it's too low.

Written By

Simeon Onaola

Founder, consumer rights advocate, and motor finance specialist. Dedicated to helping UK motorists challenge undisclosed discretionary commission arrangements and claim their rightful refunds.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.

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