Published: July 28, 2025 | Last revised: 18/08/2025
Financing an Audi through a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreement is designed to make premium motoring more accessible, offering fixed monthly payments, a Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (balloon), and the option to return, keep, or upgrade the car at the end of the term.
Most Audi PCP agreements in the UK are provided by Audi Financial Services, part of Volkswagen Financial Services UK Ltd (VWFS). Like all lenders, VWFS is required to comply with UK consumer credit law and FCA regulations. If these rules weren’t followed—perhaps because commission was not properly disclosed or your affordability wasn’t thoroughly checked—you may be eligible to complain and request compensation.
Rulebooks That Protect Audi PCP Customers
If you financed your Audi through Audi Financial Services, several legal frameworks apply. These set out your rights and what you can do if something wasn’t right.
| Framework | What It Covers | Why It Matters for an Audi PCP Claim |
| Consumer Credit Act 1974 | Voluntary termination (s. 99), early settlement rules, and the Section 140A “unfair relationship” test. | Allows courts or the Financial Ombudsman Service to order compensation or interest refunds if your agreement is deemed unfair. |
| FCA Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC) | Covers affordability assessments, commission disclosure, and complaint handling timelines. | Missing income checks or vague commission wording may support a mis-selling claim. |
| Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) | Provides free, binding decisions after a lender issues a final response or fails to respond within the FCA deadline. | The FOS can award up to £430,000 for acts on or after 1 April 2019, or £195,000 for earlier complaints. |
These protections give you the legal foundation to challenge a PCP agreement if something wasn’t done properly.
Your Rights Before Signing an Audi PCP
Audi dealers must follow a strict sales process when arranging finance. If one or more of the following steps were missed, you may have grounds to complain:
- You should receive the SECCI before signing
The Standard European Consumer Credit Information form must outline the APR, total repayable, balloon payment and any commission reference. - Your affordability must be verified
Under CONC 5, the dealer should collect evidence of your income and outgoings, such as payslips or bank statements. Estimates are not enough. - Commission arrangements must be disclosed
Until 28 January 2021, Audi dealers could adjust your APR to earn discretionary commission. If this wasn’t clearly explained, your right to make an informed decision may have been undermined. - You have 14-day cooling-off rights
From the day you receive your agreement in writing, you have 14 days to cancel. This should be highlighted to you clearly.
Even one missed safeguard may justify a claim. Two or more often indicate a wider pattern of concern.
Your Rights During the Agreement
PCP agreements with Audi Financial Services are still covered by your statutory rights once the contract begins.
| Right | Why It Matters |
| Early settlement | You can repay your agreement at any time. VWFS must refund any unearned interest. |
| Voluntary termination | You have the right to end the agreement early and return the car under Section 99 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. This usually requires that you have paid at least 50% of the total amount payable, including the final balloon payment. |
| Fair treatment during arrears | Under CONC 7, lenders must offer tailored support, like payment plans, if you fall behind. Aggressive default notices may breach these rules. |
| Credit file accuracy | Incorrect credit reporting must be corrected promptly. Failure to do so can support an “unfair relationship” claim. |
Documenting any breach during the term of your Audi finance agreement can help build a stronger complaint later.
Your Rights After the Agreement Ends
Even if your PCP has ended, you may still have options if you believe it was mis-sold:
- Unfair relationship claims under Section 140A
If your PCP terms were unfair due to hidden commission, affordability issues or excessive costs, the Financial Ombudsman or a court can order compensation, an interest refund or changes to the agreement. - Time limits for making a claim
- For court claims, the general rule is six years from the end of the agreement. The “discovery” test rarely applies in this context, although arguments around it have been tested in recent legal cases (e.g. Plevin).
- For Financial Ombudsman claims, you must complain within 6 years from the event or 3 years from when you knew (or could reasonably have known) you had cause to complain. The FOS has discretion to accept late complaints in some cases.
- FOS compensation caps
- £430,000 for complaints relating to conduct on or after 1 April 2019
- £195,000 for complaints about earlier events
- These are maximum compensation limits for financial awards. The FOS can also recommend non-financial remedies.
Self-Check: Did Audi Financial Services Breach Your Rights?
Answer the questions below. If you’re unsure, mark “No”—that may still indicate a valid concern.
| Question | Yes | No |
| Did you receive the SECCI with enough time to review it? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Was proof of income requested and recorded? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Was the dealer’s commission clearly explained? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Were balloon and mileage limits provided in writing? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Was your APR significantly above advertised Audi finance offers? | ☐ | ☐ |
If you tick “No” to two or more, your agreement may meet the standard threshold for investigation.
From Evidence to Complaint: A Step-by-Step Process
You don’t need a lawyer to build a case—just follow these four steps:
- Request your file from Audi Financial Services
Email dataprotection@vwfs.co.uk with a Subject Access Request asking for:
- Credit application
- SECCI
- Commission invoice or remuneration note
- Affordability and underwriting records
- Credit application
- Check your documents for issues
- Does your contract mention commission clearly?
- Was your income verified properly?
- Is the APR higher than originally quoted?
- Does your contract mention commission clearly?
- Submit your complaint to Audi Financial Services
Clearly explain what went wrong and reference Section 140A of the Consumer Credit Act along with relevant FCA CONC rules. Normally lenders have eight weeks to reply, but for commission complaints the FCA has extended this deadline until 4 December 2025. - Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service if necessary
If Audi Financial Services rejects your complaint—or doesn’t respond once the pause ends—you can submit your evidence to the FOS for a binding decision.
How PCP ClaimBack Can Help with Your Audi PCP Claim
Filing a complaint can be time-consuming, especially if key documents are missing or the commission structure wasn’t explained. PCP ClaimBack helps simplify the process:
- Eligibility Check – We gather your information and handle the complaint submission process for you.
- End-to-End Case Handling – From document requests to formal complaints, we manage it all for you.
- FOS Escalation Support – If needed, we’ll help you present your case to the Financial Ombudsman.
- No Win, No Fee* – If your claim is not successful, you won’t pay us a penny. You only pay if your claim is successful or if you cancel outside of your cooling off period.
*No Win, No Fee* A success fee between 18% and 36% (including VAT) will be charged if your claim is successful. If you cancel your claim after the 14-day cooling-off period, you may still be charged a fee to cover our reasonable costs incurred in relation to Our Services at the rate of £75 per hour (including VAT).
“We’ve submitted many complaints on behalf of Audi customers relating to non-disclosure of commission. Elevated interest rates and vague or missing information about commission, can form the basis of a strong mis-selling claim.”
– Craig Gedey, Claims Specialist, PCP ClaimBack
Wondering If You Might Have a Claim?
If you financed an Audi on PCP before 28 January 2021, and suspect your APR was inflated or key disclosures were missing, you could be eligible to claim.
Visit our Audi PCP claims page to get started, or explore our wider resources on car finance claims, including guides for Volkswagen, Black Horse, and Close Brothers.
