Many drivers worry that a car finance claim will be difficult if they have had several car agreements over the years. This concern is very common, especially for people who changed cars regularly through PCP. The reassuring truth is that evidence can still be gathered even when the paperwork is scattered or incomplete. You do not need perfect records to check for mis-sold car finance. Lenders can match partial information to the right agreement, and most people already have more useful evidence than they think.

You Can Still Gather Evidence Even with Multiple Agreements

Having a long history of car ownership does not make a PCP claim harder. Many people have taken out several finance agreements over ten or fifteen years and cannot remember which lender they used for each one. Others have misplaced documents during a move or deleted old emails they never expected to need again. This is very common. Lenders keep detailed internal records, so even a small piece of information can be enough for them to find the right agreement and begin their checks.

When you start a PCP claim, the lender may ask for a few clarifying details. This does not mean your claim is at risk. It is a routine part of the process and often speeds up the investigation. You can learn more about this in What happens if my lender asks for more information?, which explains why follow-up questions are a normal step.

How to Collect Evidence Easily

You do not need full contracts or a complete archive of paperwork. A few simple sources are often enough to help lenders trace each agreement.

Bank statements

Bank statements are often the simplest and most reliable starting point. They show who you paid, how much you paid and when the payments were made. Even a quick screenshot from online banking can help a lender find the right account. Many people are surprised at how far a single line on a bank statement can go when tracing older PCP agreements.

Emails from lenders or brokers

Old emails can also be helpful. They may include approval messages, payment reminders or small bits of information such as account numbers or lender names. Even if the emails feel unimportant, they can give lenders enough detail to match your enquiry to the correct file.

Old credit reports

If you have ever downloaded a credit report, it may still contain references to past finance accounts. These entries often include lender names or short account codes that help identify older PCP agreements. Even closed accounts listed on an old report can give a lender the clues they need to trace the full history.

Car supermarket or dealership confirmations

If you bought through a dealer, broker or car supermarket, you may still have order summaries or service reminders. These sometimes mention which finance provider was used for the sale.

Vehicle registration history

Your previous registration numbers help lenders check which cars you owned at different points in time. This is useful when you have had several PCPs and cannot remember the order. Many drivers only realise how helpful this is after reading Most UK Drivers Don’t Understand Their PCP Contracts. Here’s Why That Matters, which highlights how easy it is to lose track of older agreements.

Together, these simple items are often enough for lenders to begin their checks for pcp mis-selling and other issues linked to mis-sold car finance.

Late-2025 Context: Why Evidence Gathering Is Getting Easier

The timing makes this process simpler. The FCA has encouraged lenders to rely heavily on their own internal data when reviewing car finance claims, especially those linked to the wider car finance scandal. This means customers no longer need complete documentation for past agreements. Any partial information helps, but lenders already have the full account records stored in their systems. The FCA consultation is taking place from October until 12 December 2025 [1]

The FCA scheme will define the rules [2] but the temporary pause in complaint handling [3] also gives consumers extra breathing space to gather what they can. This is a good moment to check old emails, search through bank statements or look for anything that helps you recall lender names or approximate dates. Guides such as How to Find My DCA Claim Even Without Paperwork can help you pull together these details with confidence.

A Real-World Example

Consider a driver who financed four different cars over ten years. They moved home several times and no longer have the original contracts. The only records they kept were a handful of screenshots showing monthly payments made to different lenders.

Those screenshots were enough. Each image allowed lenders to match the payment to the correct agreement. From there, the lender could review interest rates, commission structures and any gaps in explanation during the sale to check for PCP mis-selling.

Many customers are surprised at how little information is needed to unlock a decade’s worth of finance history.

Multiple Agreements Do Not Make You Less Eligible

If you have had several PCP agreements and feel unsure about what documents you still have, you are not alone. Many people are in the same position, and it does not make a car finance claim more complicated. Lenders can usually find the information they need as long as you can provide a few basic details.

If you think your agreement may have been affected by mis-sold car finance, taking the first step can give you clarity. Even one small piece of evidence can help the lender trace old contracts and move your PCP claims UK forward with confidence.

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References:

1. FCA consultation is taking place from October until 12 December 2025 - https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/motor-finance-compensation-scheme-consultation-progress-and-timing
2. The FCA scheme will define the rules - https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/14m-unfair-motor-loans-compensation-proposed-scheme
3. temporary pause in complaint handling - https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/update-motor-finance-work