The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had previously paused the standard eight-week timeframe for handling complaints regarding Discretionary Commission Arrangements (DCAs) in car finance, with the pause initially set to end after 25 September 2024. Due to ongoing data collection challenges, active litigation, and the pending outcome of the Barclays judicial review (expected in May 2025), the FCA now plans to extend these temporary rules. Complaint handling will remain on hold until 4 December 2025, and customers will have until at least 29 July 2026 to refer their complaints to the Financial Ombudsman.
You can still submit a claim; however, it will be held pending a final decision on how car finance providers should manage these complaints. This pause ensures that lenders have sufficient time to properly review claims and deliver fair outcomes to affected customers. In the meantime, your claim will be placed in a queue for assessment. The FCA will continue to provide updates as the situation progresses.