FCA Removes 1,200 Misleading Motor Finance Claims Adverts Since January 2024

The Financial Conduct Authority says 170 misleading car finance claims adverts were removed or amended in June 2026 alone, bringing the running total to 1,200 over two and a half years.

The figures show a sharp pace of enforcement: 170 misleading motor finance claims adverts were pulled or changed in a single month, according to the Financial Conduct Authority. That brings the total to 1,200 since January 2024 — compared with 800 that had been removed or amended at an earlier point in the same period, suggesting the rate of action has accelerated into 2026.

The FCA has been working alongside the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office, and the Advertising Standards Authority to tackle claims management companies (CMCs) whose adverts it says create unrealistic expectations or bury fees in the small print. The regulator says more than 28,000 consumers have been able to exit CMC contracts free of charge, and three CMCs have reduced high fees after FCA pressure.

For Kent residents, the practical message is straightforward. Anyone who believes they were mis-sold a motor finance agreement — covering loans taken out between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024 — does not need to pay a CMC or law firm to pursue a claim. The FCA has stated explicitly that consumers can pursue motor finance compensation themselves, without using a third party.

The FCA has also warned about scams and unauthorised firms linked to motor finance claims, and says consumers should be wary of cold calling and unsolicited marketing. Kent-based claims companies advertising motor finance services fall within the same regulatory scope as firms anywhere else in the UK.

Under the FCA’s broader redress programme, lenders are expected to contact affected complainants directly about compensation and amounts owed once the implementation period concludes.

Key information

• You do not need a CMC or solicitor to pursue motor finance compensation — the FCA says consumers can do this themselves
• Motor finance agreements covered by the redress scheme were taken out between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024
• To check whether a firm is authorised, use the FCA’s Financial Services Register at register.fca.org.uk
• To report a misleading advert or unauthorised firm, contact the FCA directly via fca.org.uk/consumers