They said this… · Motor vehicles

“The finance company cannot help because the dealer supplied the car.”

Generally incorrect

With hire purchase and some other regulated finance arrangements, the finance provider may be the legal supplier or may share responsibility for a misrepresentation or breach.

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Why this answer

What actually matters

  • Check the agreement type before choosing the route.
  • Send the same fault evidence to the dealer and finance provider.
  • Ask each firm to state its role and final response.
  • The Financial Ombudsman may consider eligible finance complaints.

Important nuance

When the statement may have a point

  • An unsecured personal loan may not make the lender the vehicle supplier.
  • Section 75 and hire-purchase rights have different conditions.

What you could say

Keep the response tied to the actual rule.

Evidence

What to have beside you

  • Advert, order form, invoice and finance agreement
  • MOT history, inspection reports and diagnostic evidence
  • Messages describing symptoms and when they appeared
  • Dealer, warranty and finance-company responses

If they still refuse

Move the dispute forward.

  1. Notify the supplying trader promptly and describe the fault rather than relying only on a diagnosis.
  2. Keep the dealer, finance provider and warranty roles separate; more than one route may apply.
  3. Use an applicable motor ADR scheme, the Financial Ombudsman for regulated finance, or court action where appropriate.

Read the full rules

Go deeper before escalating.

Primary guideRead the detailed ConsumerWise guidance.Motor & VehiclesRead the full guide.Faulty goodsRead the full guide.Repairs and replacementsRead the full guide.

Official sources

Check the rules behind this statement.

Consumer Rights Act 2015legislation.gov.uk · checked 19 Sep 2026Check the MOT history of a vehicleGOV.UK · checked 19 Sep 2026