Plain-English explainer
Car finance complaints are much easier to assess when the agreement, sales process, commission clues and affordability evidence are organised.
Agreement documents
Start with the finance agreement, pre-contract information, statement of account, deposit records, payment schedule and any settlement figures. These documents show the structure of the deal and the cost of borrowing.
Sales and broker evidence
Keep dealer emails, adverts, quotes, order forms, part-exchange records, call notes and any explanation of commission or finance options. This helps show what was explained before you signed.
Affordability evidence
If affordability is part of the concern, keep bank statements, income evidence, expenditure details, arrears letters and records of financial pressure at the time. The point is to show what should reasonably have been considered.
Complaint and response evidence
Keep your complaint, acknowledgements, final response letters, call notes and any offer. If the response ignores key documents, make a note of what was missed.
Common questions
Do I need the original finance agreement?
It is very useful, but statements, lender copies or subject access documents may help if the original is missing.
Does commission always mean there is a complaint?
No. The issue is what was disclosed, how the sale worked and whether the agreement was fair and suitable.
Can affordability be reviewed years later?
Sometimes, but evidence from the time is much stronger than memory alone.
Useful next steps
If this topic matches your situation, these related pages can help you move from background reading to evidence organisation or the right support route.