Submitting a complaint about mis-sold car finance is stressful enough. For many drivers, it is the first time they have ever challenged a lender. When you send a PCP claim and hear nothing back, the silence can feel worrying.

No acknowledgement.

No update.

No clear next step.

If this has happened to you, you are not alone. A large number of motorists have raised car finance refund claims during the current pause period and received little or no confirmation. That silence does not mean your complaint has been rejected, ignored, or lost.

This guide explains why some lenders are quiet right now. It outlines what that silence actually means. It also shows how to protect your position without making things more complicated.

Why Lenders May Not Acknowledge PCP Complaints Right Now

The current lack of responses sits within a wider regulatory context.

The scandal of mis-selling of car finance has triggered one of the largest volumes of consumer complaints the UK financial system has ever seen. Since 2024, lenders have been dealing with a surge of PCP claims and wider car finance compensation claims linked to commission disclosure and fairness concerns.

At the same time, the FCA has extended the pause on complaint handling for in-scope motor finance cases [1]. This pause now runs until 31 May 2026.

During this period, lenders are not required to issue final responses on complaints that fall within the scope of the proposed redress scheme.

That has practical consequences.

Many lenders have:

• Placed complaints into holding queues
• Reduced individual updates
• Limited acknowledgements
• Prioritised internal review work over customer communication

This does not mean complaints are being dismissed. It means firms are managing volume while waiting for final FCA rules.

Important Clarification About Leasing Complaints

It is important to separate PCP and hire purchase complaints from leasing complaints.

The extended pause applies only to motor finance agreements that fall within the proposed compensation scheme [2]. That includes PCP and hire purchase.

Leasing complaints are excluded from this extension.

Leasing agreements are not in scope of the proposed redress scheme. As a result, complaints about leasing should continue to be handled under normal timelines.

If your agreement was a lease rather than PCP car finance, silence from a lender should be treated differently. In those cases, further follow up may be appropriate much sooner.

What Silence From a Lender Usually Means

If you have submitted a PCP claim and received no acknowledgement, it usually means one of the following.

• The complaint has been received but not yet logged formally
• The complaint is sitting in a backlog awaiting triage
• The lender has temporarily paused acknowledgements due to volume
• Automated confirmation systems are limited or switched off
• The complaint was sent to a general inbox rather than the complaints team

What silence does not usually mean is that your car finance claim has failed or been rejected.

There Is No Fixed Waiting Time During the Pause

At the moment, there is no defined waiting time for acknowledgements on in-scope motor finance complaints.

Because the pause runs until 31 May 2026, lenders are not operating under normal complaint handling timelines for these cases. This makes it difficult to apply standard expectations.

That uncertainty is frustrating, but it is a feature of the current regulatory position rather than an individual failure by the lender.

First Step. Check the Complaint Was Sent Correctly

Before following up, it is worth confirming that your complaint was sent to the right place.

Common issues include:

• Sending the complaint to the dealership instead of the finance provider
• Using a customer service email rather than the complaints address
• Sending it through a generic contact form
• Using an outdated email address

A PCP claim must go to the lender named on your finance agreement.

If you are unsure, check the lender’s website and confirm the correct complaints contact. If needed, resend the complaint clearly marked as a complaint.

How to follow up without harming your case

You are allowed to follow up. It does not weaken your position.

The safest approach is calm and factual. Think of it as a check in, not a challenge.

• A good follow up should do a few simple things.
• Reference the date you first submitted your complaint.
• Ask whether it has been received.
• Request confirmation that it is logged.
• Avoid debating the details of the complaint itself.

A simple example works best.

“I am writing to check whether my complaint submitted on [date] has been received and recorded. I would be grateful for confirmation when available.”

This keeps everything on record. It avoids unnecessary escalation.

What you should save and keep

Even if you hear nothing back, your records still matter.

• Keep a copy of your original complaint.
• Save any email confirmations or screenshots.
• Hold on to delivery receipts if you posted it.
• Note the date you submitted everything.
• Keep any later acknowledgements, if they arrive.

These records protect your place in the process. They help once full complaint handling resumes.

What If There Is Still No Acknowledgement

If you receive no response at all after checking the address and sending a follow up, you still have options.

You can:

• Resend the complaint to the complaints address
• Reference the original submission
• Clearly label it as a complaint
• Ask for confirmation of receipt

There is no requirement to escalate further during the pause. The key objective right now is ensuring the complaint exists on the lender’s system.

Should You Submit a New Complaint

Submitting multiple complaints is usually unnecessary.

A new submission may be appropriate if:

• The original was sent to the wrong firm
• It was never clearly marked as a complaint
• You now have additional relevant information

If you resubmit, make it clear that it relates to an earlier complaint rather than starting again.

Silence Does Not Damage Your PCP Claim

Many drivers worry that silence means their PCP claim is weaker.

That is not how eligibility works.

Car finance claims are assessed based on:

• The agreement terms
• How the finance was sold
• Whether commission was disclosed
• How the interest rate was set

It is not assessed based on how quickly a lender replies during a regulatory pause.

Your rights remain intact.

How This Fits into the Wider Car Finance Scandal

The lack of clear updates is not accidental. It reflects the sheer scale of the car finance mis-sold scandal.

Millions of finance agreements are under review at the same time. Regulators are trying to fix years of inconsistent handling.

The FCA is building a single framework [3]. That framework will replace the old case-by-case approach.

Until the rules are final, many lenders are holding back. They want to avoid giving answers that could later be overturned.

When Things are Expected to Change

The pause on in-scope motor finance complaints ends on 31 May 2026.

After that point, the system should begin moving again.

Lenders will restart formal responses.

Backlogged PCP claims will move through the process.

Updates and acknowledgements should become more regular.

Escalation routes will reopen.

Drivers who complained earlier are already in the queue. Their position is protected.

When Extra Support May Help

If you are uncomfortable managing follow ups or want reassurance that your complaint is correctly logged, support is available.

A regulated claims management company can:

• Check that your complaint was submitted correctly
• Resend it to the correct channel if needed
• Track acknowledgements
• Organise documentation

This does not change your rights. It simply reduces stress during a slow and uncertain period.

Key Points to Remember

If your lender has not acknowledged your PCP claim, you are not alone.

• Silence is common during the pause.
• There is no fixed timeframe for acknowledgements right now.
• Leasing complaints follow a different process.
• It is worth checking your complaint went to the right team.
• A calm follow up is fine if you need reassurance.
• Keep copies of everything you send or receive.
• Your eligibility is not affected.

Car finance mis-selling has affected a huge number of drivers, many of whom are in the same position as you. The delays can feel personal when you are waiting for a response, but they are a result of the wider investigation, not a judgment on your complaint. Your rights do not disappear because things are moving slowly.

Keeping your records in order, conducting a car finance refund check, and staying aware of how the FCA car finance investigation is progressing [4] gives you the strongest footing. It means that when lenders begin responding again, your complaint is ready to move forward without unnecessary setbacks.

_________

References:

1. the FCA has extended the pause on complaint handling for in-scope motor finance cases - https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/pause-motor-finance-complaints-handling-lift-31-may-2026
2. proposed compensation scheme - https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/14m-unfair-motor-loans-compensation-proposed-scheme
3. The FCA is building a single framework - https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/fca-consults-motor-finance-compensation-scheme
4. the FCA car finance investigation is progressing - https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/motor-finance-compensation-scheme-consultation-progress-and-timing