Retail – FAQ

Your payments will usually begin one month after your agreement start date. This date can be found on the first page of your agreement.

If you wish you may change the date on which we take payment from your account, please note the following:

• You may only change your payment date once in a 12-month period
• The change cannot be made within 4 working days of your payment date

If you have a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreement:

• Your payment date can only be changed once in the entire life of your agreement, as this would affect the Guaranteed Future Value of your vehicle
• You may change your payment date at any time up until the balloon due date

If you would like to request a change to your payment date please complete and submit the form here:

It is important that we are aware of any change to your personal details so that our records are correct. Click here to change your personal details or follow this link to contact our Customer Services department.

It is important that we know if you have changed your bank account so we can continue to receive your payments. For changes on individual bank accounts follow this link to contact our Customer Services department to set up a new Direct Debit. For changes to joint signatory accounts, please click here to download a Direct Debit mandate. Please complete and return to us via email or post.

[email protected]

Customer Services Department
Santander Consumer (UK) plc
Santander House
86 Station Road
Redhill
Surrey RH1 1SR

Please note, in order to collect your monthly payment on time we require a minimum of 5 working days to set up a new direct mandate.

Please send a letter, together with a photocopy of any relevant supporting documentation such as a marriage certificate, decree nisi/absolute or deed poll notice to:

Customer Services Department
Santander Consumer (UK) plc
Santander House
86 Station Road
Redhill
Surrey RH1 1SR

Please do not send any original documentation.

Yes, if your agreement is regulated and was taken out on or after 11 June 2010, you have the right to make a lump sum payment at any time to part settle your agreement.

You can make a payment using internet or telephone banking, Chaps or a Cheque payment:

Please make sure you get in touch either before or after you’ve made the payment as this will stop the payment being returned back to you. 

The quickest way to get in touch is via our live chat, alternatively please email or write to us to let us know:

No, this is not possible other than in exceptional circumstances. Please speak to a member of our Customer Services team if you would like to discuss this further. Please note that agreement transfers are subject to an Account Management charge.

Under the Data Protection Act we are only permitted to talk to you about your finance agreement unless you have specifically nominated a third party to speak on your behalf. To nominate a third party please click here to download a Third Party Authorisation form. Please complete and return to us via email or post.

[email protected]

Customer Services Department
Santander Consumer (UK) plc
Santander House
86 Station Road
Redhill
Surrey, RH1 1SR

Alternatively, please follow this link to contact our Customer Services department for more information.

Please note that whilst we may talk to a nominated third party about your agreement, only you, as the agreement holder, are able to make any changes to the agreement.

Unfortunately, we are unable to change the agreed annual mileage on a Personal Contract Purchase agreement as it is taken into consideration when calculating the Guaranteed Future Value of your vehicle at the outset of your agreement. If you are concerned about your mileage contact the supplying dealer in the first instance.

To see our list of Account Management and Arrears Management fees please click here.

If you wish you may change the date on which we take payment from your account, please note the following:

• You may only change your payment date once in a 12-month period
• The change cannot be made within 4 working days of your payment date

If you have a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreement:

• You may change your payment date at any time up until the balloon due date
• Your payment date can only be changed once in the entire life of your agreement, as this would affect the Guaranteed Future Value of your vehicle

If you would like to request a change to your payment date please complete and submit the form here:

If your vehicle is stolen you are required to carry on making your monthly payments until your insurance company has resolved the matter. If you have informed us that your vehicle has been stolen but it is subsequently found and returned, please obtain a letter from your insurance company to confirm this. If your vehicle is not recovered your account must be settled in full once any insurance pay out has been made.

If your vehicle is written off you are required to carry on making your monthly payments until your insurance company has resolved the matter. Where your vehicle has been deemed a total loss your account must be settled in full once any insurance pay out has been made. Remember, if you have taken out a GAP insurance policy you may be able to make a claim.

You are free to take your vehicle abroad anywhere within Western Europe for a period of up to 28 days at any one time. If you would like to travel outside of Western Europe or for a period in excess of 28 days, you must first gain written consent from Santander Consumer Finance.

Should your financial position change in a way that will affect your ability to make your monthly repayments it is extremely important you contact us immediately. If we are made aware of your circumstances as soon as possible it is likely we will be able to help you find a solution. In all such instances please contact our Arrears Management department on 0800 085 1744.*

You may have options available to you. Please follow this link to contact our Customer Services department for more information.

You can learn more about voluntary termination here.

To speak to a member of our team, please contact us on 0800 085 1759.

No, once we have agreed to accept a reduced level of monthly repayment you will not incur any late payment fees or additional charges provided you honour that agreement.

Once the payment arrangement has been finalised and the monthly instalments return to normal, any additional missed payments will result in fees being incurred.

We have a duty to provide a true and accurate reflection of the financial conduct of our customers and as such register all activity with credit referencing agencies. If your account falls into arrears, therefore, this information will be registered with these agencies.

We review each case on an individual basis, aiming to ensure that payments are affordable and that the reduced payment plan would not cause further financial detriment.

If you’re having financial difficulties, you can look for free advice from a charitable debt management organisation such as:

• Citizens Advice
• StepChange Debt Charity
• National Debtline
• MoneyHelper

These organisations will help you assess your financial situation to see what you can afford and also help you fill out a common financial statement. This financial statement should then be submitted, together with a proposed offer of repayment to:

Arrears Management Department
Santander Consumer (UK) plc
Santander House
86 Station Road
Redhill
Surrey, RH1 1SR.

We are happy to consider reducing your repayments. While we look at every case on an individual basis, there are a number of factors we take into consideration before any decision is made. These factors include:

• Type of agreement
• Reason for financial difficulties
• Balance left on the agreement

If you’ve made an extra payment by direct debit an automatic refund will be made to the bank or building society account from which the payment was taken. If the overpayment has been made by some other means, such as a bank transfer, cash, cheque or standing order, a refund will be made upon receipt of proof of the payment.

If your agreement is regulated and you’re making a lump sum payment to part settle your agreement, please make sure you get in touch to notify us that you are intending on making a payment either before or shortly after you’ve made the payment to us, this will stop the payment being returned back to you.

The quickest way to get in touch is via our live chat, alternatively please email or write to us to let us know.

There are a number of payment options available to you, the quickest and easiest being via our secure online payment system:

Payment by Secure Online Payment System

Your debit or credit card must be issued by a UK Financial Institution and registered to the address we have on record for you. You must also be the named agreement holder.

We’re only able to accept payments if your agreement is up to date and your payment is:

• less than £25,000
• for your normal monthly instalment
• for full settlement and for the value of the last settlement figure quoted*

*If you want to settle your agreement with a previous unexpired settlement figure quoted, you can do so with an alternative method of payment:

• CHAPS payment
• Online / Mobile banking
• Cheque

Card payments can take up to 3 days to show on your agreement and are cleared once they are applied to your agreement.

Payment by Online / Mobile banking

You can easily make a payment with an online or mobile banking transfer.

To make a payment, you’ll need the details listed below:

Bank Account Name: SC (UK) Receipts Account
Sort Code: 09-00-92
Account No: 90004049

Add your payment reference

This makes sure your payment reaches your account. Use your 14 digit agreement number starting with “100”. You can find this on your agreement documentation or your Direct Debit payment reference if you have one.

Payments by Online / Mobile Banking typically take up to 5 days to show on your agreement and are cleared once they are applied to your agreement.

Payment by CHAPS

To make a CHAPSs payment you’ll need the details listed below:

Bank Account Name: SC (UK) Receipts Account
Sort Code: 09-02-40
Account No: 90004049

Add your payment reference

This makes sure your payment reaches your account. Use your 14 digit agreement number starting with “100”. You can find this on your agreement documentation or your Direct Debit payment reference if you have one.

Payments by CHAPS will typically show on your agreement the day after receipt and are cleared once they are applied to your agreement.

Payment by Cheque

You can make a payment by cheque by sending it to the below address:

Santander Consumer Finance
Santander House
86 Station Road
Redhill
Surrey
RH1 1SR

Please make your cheque payable to Santander Consumer (UK) plc.

Add your payment reference

Please include the payment reference on the back of the cheque. This makes sure your payment reaches your account. Use your 14 digit agreement number starting with “100”. You can find this on your agreement documentation or your Direct Debit payment reference if you have one.

Payments by cheque will typically show on your agreement the day after receipt and will clear 10 working days after they are applied to your agreement.

This letter is automatically generated for your information when one of our supporting dealers requests a settlement figure on your behalf. It is a legal requirement that we inform you when a settlement figure has been requested, however no action is required from you.

There are a number of settlement payment options available to you, the quickest and easiest being via our secure online payment system. To access this system and make a payment or to view alternative payment methods including cheque or cash options, simply click here. Please note we are only able to take online debit or credit card payments from a card registered to the agreement holder.

If you have a regulated agreement your settlement figure will be calculated in accordance with the Consumer Credit Act (Early Settlement) Regulations 2004. We have produced a 1 page document to help you understand how we calculate settlement figures, you can download a copy here.

Yes, you can settle your agreement at any time and there is no penalty charge for doing so. In order to understand how much this will be, simply get a settlement figure by clicking on this link.

Yes, if your agreement is regulated and was taken out on or after 11 June 2010, you have the right to make a lump sum payment at any time to part settle your agreement.

You can make a payment using internet or telephone banking, Chaps or a Cheque payment:

Please make sure you get in touch either before or after you’ve made the payment as this will stop the payment being returned back to you. 

The quickest way to get in touch is via our live chat, alternatively please email or write to us to let us know:

In order to withdraw from your finance agreement, we would need to be notified by you within 14 days of receipt of the copy of your executed agreement from Santander Consumer Finance.

Our contact details can be found by following this link.

Please note, if you are writing to us to advise you want to withdraw please can you provide the following information for security purposes along with your request:

• Agreement number
• Full name of agreement holder
• Date of birth
• First line of your address and postcode
• Normal monthly instalment amount

You will need to pay the amount financed plus the daily interest charges. These amounts will be detailed in the payments section of your finance agreement.

Provided your agreement is regulated by the Consumer Credit Act, you have 14 days from receipt of the copy of your executed agreement from Santander Consumer Finance to cancel the agreement. Please note that cancellation of the finance agreement does not cancel the sale of the goods themselves.

Under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 you have certain termination rights. For further information about these rights please refer to page 1 of your agreement, ‘Termination: Your Rights’ or follow this link for more information about this option. Please note that these rights are not applicable if you have a Fixed Sum Loan agreement.

You can learn more about voluntary termination here.

To speak to a member of our team, please contact us on 0800 085 1759.

To apply a fair and consistent standard to all vehicles that are returned, we use the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) ‘Guide to Fair Wear and Tear’. Please click here to view the guide.

You have three options relating to the final payment on your Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreement:

• Retain the vehicle by paying the Guaranteed Future Value (GFV), your final payment
• Return the vehicle. There’s nothing more to pay if the car is in good condition and within the agreed mileage terms
• Renew the vehicle by part exchanging at a supporting dealership, using any excess part exchange value that is above the GFV towards your deposit

Please read our guide to your PCP options by clicking here before making your decision.

If, upon reaching the end of your Personal Contract Purchase agreement, you want to keep your vehicle but are not able to make the final balloon payment, we will, subject to eligibility, reschedule this amount for you.

If you have any questions regarding your options follow this link to contact our Customer Services department.

When you have made your decision, please advise us of your PCP intention by completing the form below:

Excess mileage charges will apply at the end of a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), Personal Contract Hire (PCH) or Business Contract Hire (BCH) agreement where you have exceeded your agreed mileage limit. In such cases, a pence per mile charge will be applied to the number of miles you have driven above the allowance stated in your agreement documentation.

Example

Your agreed Annual mileage is 10,000 miles, giving an allowance of 36,000 miles for a 36 month agreement. Your excess mileage charge is 14.90p (excluding VAT). Therefore, you will be charged 14.9p for every extra mile driven over 36,000 miles.

Example of how much you may have to pay if you exceed the mileage allowance and wish to return the vehicle:

14.90p x 500 miles = £74.50(+VAT)
14.90p x 1,000 miles = £149.00(+VAT)
14.90p x 5,000 miles = £745.00(+VAT)

Should the excess mileage exceed 5,000 miles over the agreed mileage allowance, the rate per mile may increase.

Under certain circumstances we may allow you to reschedule your balloon payment. Please speak with a member of our Customer Services team if you would like to discuss this.

In some circumstances, such as when you wish to sell your vehicle, you may need to provide evidence that we have no further financial interest in your vehicle. We can provide this information via our online service – just click here and follow the instructions.

You should contact us for assistance as soon as possible by submitting a Satisfactory Quality Complaint. We will guide you through the remedies that are available to you under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. 

The remedies available could include the following, depending on the time that has passed from the point of sale:

• Rejection (within the first 30 days of the agreement or at a later point in the agreement if alternative remedies are not successful);
• Repair; and/or
• Replacement.

You can also contact your supplying dealer to discuss the problem.

We value our customers highly and aim to provide a positive experience, from the proposal right through to the final payment and beyond. The fair treatment of our customers is very important to us. If you are less than satisfied, we want to know so that we can put things right. For more details please click here to read our complaints procedure. Alternatively you can contact our Complaints Team on 0800 085 2050*, if calling isn’t convenient please click here for other ways to get in touch.

If we are unable to resolve your complaint within 3 business days following the day on which it is received, we will send you an acknowledgment letter. If, by 4 weeks after your complaint is received, we are unable to provide a final response, we will inform you and indicate when we expect to be in a position to send our final response. The majority of complaints will be quickly and satisfactorily resolved by this stage. However, if the matter is more complex and involves a third party, it may take longer to resolve. In our final response letter we will set out our final view on the issues raised in your complaint and tell you whether we:

• Accept your complaint and, where appropriate, are offering redress
• Are offering redress without accepting your complaint or reject your complaint

If we reject your complaint, our final response letter will explain why we have reached this decision. If, by 8 weeks after your complaint is received, we are still unable to provide a final response, we will issue a letter to advise you of your escalation rights.

At this point, if your agreement is regulated by the Consumer Credit Act or your complaint relates to an insurance product linked to your account, you will be entitled to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Additionally, if you are a small to medium-sized business, you may also be able to refer your complaint. If you wish to refer your complaint at this point, please contact them directly and they will be able to confirm whether they are able to help.

We will provide a full response as soon as possible but no later than 8 weeks from the receipt of your complaint. If we don’t resolve your complaint within 8 weeks we will write to you with an update and let you know how to take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service should you wish to do so. If you have any questions about your complaint, you can contact our Complaints team on 0800 085 2050*.

Our final response letter will tell you that if you remain dissatisfied with our response you may refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of the date of our final response.

Yes, you can. If you employ a solicitor, claims management company or a third party (e.g. a financial advisor) to handle your complaint, we’ll investigate your complaint in the same way as we would if we were dealing with you directly. Please be aware that:

• We don’t charge to investigate your complaint
• We’re not liable for any fees you need to pay for a third party’s services
• If we agree with your complaint and we make a redress payment, we’ll generally only make this payment directly to you

If you’re not happy with our final decision about your complaint, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The Financial Ombudsman Service acts as an independent and impartial organisation which helps to settle disputes between consumers and financial services businesses. The FOS is only able to investigate your complaint if Santander Consumer Finance has issued a final response or if your complaint has exceeded the 8-week limit from when it was first raised.

How to contact the Financial Ombudsman Service

• Phone: 0800 023 4 567 – Calls to this number are normally free for people ringing from a fixed line phone but charges may apply if you call from a mobile phone
  
  or
  
  0300 123 9 123 – Calls to this number are charged at the same rate as 01 or 02 numbers on mobile phone tariffs.
• Email: [email protected]
• Write: Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, Exchange Tower, London E14 9SR.

Further details about the Financial Ombudsman Service will be given with our final decision letter.

The FCA deadline date of 29 August 2019 for submitting PPI mis-selling or commission complaints has now passed.

New complaints will not be considered unless you can submit a significant reason for being unable to complain prior to the PPI deadline of 29 August 2019, or you’ve received correspondence from us advising you to submit a complaint about the level of commission on a PPI policy.

Click here for more information.