The Volvo Group is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation. Its core activity is the production, distribution and sale of vehicles. Volvo’s XC40 SUV has been named the UK’s best-selling premium SUV, with 25,023 sales in 2020. The brand is one of the fastest-growing premium car brands in the country, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Purchasing a Volvo using a personal contract purchase is a common method used in the UK.
A personal contract purchase (PCP) is a form of hire purchase vehicle finance for individual purchasers. Unlike a traditional hire purchase, where the customer repays the total debt in equal monthly instalments over the term of the agreement, a PCP is structured so that the customer pays a lower monthly amount over the contract period. The customer is the registered keeper and legal owner of the vehicle, whilst the finance company retains an interest in the vehicle.
What is the issue with buying a Volvo vehicle on a PCP finance agreement?
Sales teams at dealerships may have been using a practice that has since recently been banned by the Government-backed watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This practice involved earning more commission if customers signed up for a more expensive PCP finance agreement.
Customers were often not told about the amounts of commission paid, even though the commission may have in effect increased the cost of the car to the customer. This is known as a ‘secret’ or ‘hidden’ commission and meant customers were paying more than they should.