FCA acts to address unclear and excessive motor finance costs
Regulatory Updates | 04/03/19
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is considering changes to the way in which commission works in the motor finance sector after uncovering serious concerns about the way in which lenders are choosing to reward car retailers and other credit brokers. The findings form part of the final report of the FCA’s work on motor finance published today.
The FCA found that the widespread use of commission models which allow brokers discretion to set the customer interest rate and thus earn higher commission, can lead to conflicts of interest which are not controlled adequately by lenders. This can lead to customers paying significantly more for their motor finance.
The FCA is assessing the options for intervening in the market which would address the harm it has identified. This could include strengthening existing FCA rules or other steps such as banning certain types of commission model or limiting broker discretion.
