Financing a car through Barclays Partner Finance should come with transparency and protection. Monthly payments, a final balloon amount, and all terms should be clearly explained before signing. As a regulated lender, Barclays has a duty to follow strict consumer credit rules. If those rules were bent or ignored, such as by hiding commission or failing to properly assess affordability, you may have the right to make a car finance claim.
Following the Supreme Court ruling on 1 August 2025, most claims are now assessed under Section 140A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (“unfair relationship”). The FCA has also paused firms’ final responses on commission complaints until 4 December 2025 while it consults on an industry-wide redress scheme expected to begin payments from 2026.
Rulebooks That Protect Barclays PCP Customers
Every successful mis-selling complaint rests on one or more of the frameworks below. Understanding them gives you a strong foundation when making a Barclays PCP claim.
| Framework | What It Covers | Why It Matters for a Barclays PCP Claim |
| Consumer Credit Act 1974 | Section 99 (voluntary termination), Section 140A (unfair relationship) | Courts or the Ombudsman can order Barclays to refund interest, reduce charges, or repay amounts linked to undisclosed commission if the agreement is found unfair. |
| FCA Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC) | Affordability checks (CONC 5), commission disclosure (CONC 4.5), treatment in arrears/complaints (CONC 7) | Vague paperwork or skipped income checks may support an unfairness complaint. |
| Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) | Free dispute resolution after a final response is issued (or once the FCA pause ends); the FOS has its own referral rules | FOS can award up to £415,000 for acts/omissions on or after 1 April 2019, and £190,000 for earlier complaints. |
These protections work together to uphold your rights before, during, and after the finance agreement.
Your Rights Before Signing a Barclays PCP
Barclays-financed agreements, typically arranged through dealerships, must follow FCA guidelines at the point of sale. If any of the safeguards below were missed, your claim may already have traction:
- SECCI provided in time
The Standard European Consumer Credit Information (SECCI) sheet should include the APR, balloon figure, and any commission references. If it wasn’t given or was unclear, your right to informed consent was undermined. - Affordability checked properly
Under CONC 5, dealers and lenders should assess affordability based on evidence, not guesses. If no payslips, bank statements, or income verification were requested, this may signal a concern. - Upfront commission disclosure
Prior to January 2021, many Barclays finance deals allowed discretionary commission. If the dealer didn’t explain this or failed to provide a clear explanation, that could support an unfairness complaint. - Cooling-off period explained
You had 14 days from the date of agreement to cancel without penalty. This should have been clearly stated. If not, it could add weight to your complaint.
Any one of these gaps may support your case; together, they create a strong foundation.
Your Rights During the Agreement
Once your Barclays PCP agreement began, you still had several important rights, particularly around repayment and financial difficulty. If these weren’t upheld, they could form part of your claim.
| Right | Why It Matters |
| Early settlement | You could repay the loan at any time. Barclays must apply a fair rebate on unearned interest (CCA s.94–95). |
| Voluntary termination | After paying 50% of the total amount payable (including the balloon), you had the right to hand back the car and end the contract (CCA s.99). |
| Tailored support if you fell behind | Under CONC 7, Barclays should offer tailored help (e.g., payment plans). Aggressive default action can be inconsistent with these expectations. |
| Accurate credit reporting | Barclays had to maintain correct credit records. Unresolved errors or outdated defaults can support an “unfair relationship” complaint. |
Each point adds weight to a potential refund or adjustment.
Your Rights After the Agreement Ends
Even if your Barclays agreement has finished, your consumer rights remain active:
- Section 140A “unfair relationship” complaint
Courts or FOS can still rule that your agreement was unfair, especially if commission wasn’t properly disclosed or the deal wasn’t affordable. - Time limits
- For court claims, the general rule is six years from when the credit relationship ends. For complaints, firms’ final responses on commission cases are paused until 4 December 2025, and the FOS has its own time-limit rules. The FCA intends to consult in October 2025 on a redress scheme with payments expected from 2026; early signals suggest many successful claims may be around £700 per agreement.
- 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.
- Requesting key documents
You can still request your Barclays finance file—including SECCI, credit application, and any commission records—via a Subject Access Request.
Self-check: Did Barclays Partner Finance Breach Your Rights?
Use this checklist to identify potential grounds for a complaint. Two or more “No” responses suggest your claim is worth pursuing.
| Question | Yes | No |
| Did you receive the SECCI with enough time to review it? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Was proof of income (e.g., payslips) collected? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Was the dealer commission clearly disclosed? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Were the balloon payment and mileage limits explained? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Was your APR significantly higher than Barclays’ advertised rates at the time? | ☐ | ☐ |
If you’re unsure, gathering your paperwork and reviewing the interest rate and disclosures is a useful next step.
From Evidence to Complaint: A Step-by-Step Process
Here’s how to move from suspicion to formal complaint, with a process recognised by both Barclays and the Financial Ombudsman:
- Request your file
Make a Subject Access Request via Barclays Partner Finance’s privacy/contact pages (or the email address provided there). Ask for:
- Credit application
- SECCI
- Any commission disclosures
- Underwriting notes/affordability records
- Credit application
- Identify possible issues
Compare declared income with real earnings at the time. Check if the commission wording is blank or vague. Look for signs your APR was higher than typical for your profile. - Submit a formal complaint
Contact Barclays in writing. Reference Section 140A of the Consumer Credit Act and relevant FCA CONC rules. For commission complaints, firms are not required to issue a final response before 4 December 2025 due to the FCA pause, but submitting now logs and preserves your case. - Escalate to the Ombudsman if needed
If Barclays rejects your complaint (or once a final response is issued after the pause), you can send your bundle to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
How PCP ClaimBack Can Help with Your Barclays PCP Claim
Making a mis-selling complaint can be complex, but you don’t have to do it alone. At PCP ClaimBack, we guide you through every step of the process:
- Expert Guidance – We explain what evidence you need and how to gather it effectively.
- Complete Claim Management – From submitting Subject Access Requests to filing formal complaints, we manage the paperwork and communications on your behalf.
- Ombudsman Support – If Barclays rejects your complaint or delays resolution, we help you escalate your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
- 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).
“Many Barclays PCP contracts included discretionary commission that inflated interest rates without customers’ knowledge. When the evidence supports it, customers often have strong mis-selling claims.” – Craig Gedey, Claims Specialist, PCP ClaimBack
Think you may have been mis-sold? Start with our Barclays PCP claims page and let us help you explore your options.
