Home › Lenders › Close Brothers Motor Finance

Close Brothers car finance claims

If you bought a car, van or motorbike on finance with Close Brothers, the dealer may have earned commission you weren't told about. If so, you could be owed compensation.

Hire purchase (HP) or PCP with Close Brothers
Taken out from April 2007 to November 2024
Even if it's paid off or the vehicle is sold

Start your claim See what's covered

Last checked 7 October 2026

Could your Close Brothers agreement be covered?

Close Brothers Motor Finance lends through car dealers across the UK. When you took out finance with them at a dealership, the dealer usually acted as a credit broker and was paid commission by Close Brothers.

Under the FCA's compensation scheme, an agreement is treated as unfair if any of these applied and weren't properly explained to you:

The dealer could raise your interest rate to earn more commission (a discretionary commission arrangement). These were banned from January 2021.
The commission was high: at least 39% of the total cost of credit and at least 10% of the amount borrowed.
The dealer had a tie with the lender that gave it first refusal or exclusivity.

Agreements with no interest (0% finance), and agreements where the commission was £150 or less (£120 or less before April 2014), aren't covered.

Close Brothers and the Supreme Court case

Close Brothers was one of the two lenders in the Supreme Court's car finance case, decided on 1 August 2025. The court found that one customer's relationship with his lender was unfair because of how his commission was hidden, and that ruling became the basis for the FCA's scheme.

When legal challenges to the scheme were launched in 2026, Close Brothers said on 26 April 2026 that it would not challenge it. Even so, parts of the scheme are suspended while the Upper Tribunal hears the challenges, in December 2026 or February 2027, so lenders don't yet have to calculate or pay compensation under it. Its own complaints page says the suspension will delay potential compensation.

How dealer commission worked

Most car finance was arranged at the dealership. The dealer acted as a credit broker and Close Brothers, like other lenders, paid commission for arranging the finance. The problem wasn't the commission itself. It was that customers usually weren't told how much it was, or that the dealer could choose a higher interest rate to earn more. Our guide to discretionary commission arrangements shows how that worked, and our guide to the FCA scheme covers how compensation is calculated.

Why claim through us

Most people had more than one car on finance, and plenty can't remember every lender. We introduce you to Consultation Claims Ltd, an FCA-authorised claims management company, who handle all of your motor finance claims from one form. More about who we are.

Every agreement found for you. A soft credit search finds motor finance in your name with Close Brothers and any other lender, including ones you've forgotten. It doesn't affect your credit score.
No dealing with lenders. They send a formal complaint to each lender and handle the replies, so you don't have to.
No paperwork. You don't need your old agreements or statements.
No upfront cost. You only pay if a complaint succeeds, and you see the fee before you sign. See fees

Start your claim

You don't have to use a claims management company. You can complain to Close Brothers directly, and then to the Financial Ombudsman Service, for free.

Close Brothers claim questions

Can I claim if my Close Brothers finance is paid off?

Yes. What matters is when you took the finance out. Close Brothers agreements taken out from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024 can be covered even if they've ended or you've sold the vehicle.

I've lost my paperwork. Can I still claim?

Yes. You don't need your old agreement. If you use Consultation Claims, they find your agreements with a soft credit search, which doesn't affect your credit score. If you complain to Close Brothers yourself, give your name, previous addresses and roughly when you had the vehicle.

When will Close Brothers pay compensation?

Nobody can say yet. Parts of the FCA scheme are suspended while the Upper Tribunal hears legal challenges, in December 2026 or February 2027. Lenders don't have to pay compensation under the scheme until that's decided. Complaints that fall outside the scheme are still being handled normally. Where the scheme stands.

How much could I get from Close Brothers?

It depends on your agreement. When it finalised the scheme, the FCA estimated an average of around £830 per agreement across all lenders. Some people will get more, some less, and some agreements won't qualify. How compensation is worked out.

Do I have to use a claims company?

No. You can complain to Close Brothers yourself, and then to the Financial Ombudsman Service, for free. Using Consultation Claims means they find all your agreements and deal with each lender for you, in return for a fee if a complaint succeeds.

Sources

Facts on this page were checked on 7 October 2026 against:

The scheme rules come from the FCA's policy statement PS26/3 and its statement on the partial suspension.