The FCA is investigating concerns that consumers may have been signed up during the period April 2025 to December 2025 without their consent, with some allegations that signatures have been forged. The FCA is investigating the full customer journey, including how customers were contacted, what they were told during and after sign-up, and the information they were given about exit fees. 

Announcing the investigation allows consumers who may have unknowingly been signed up or who may have been presented with documents purporting to be signed by them when they have not, to complain to CCL. If those customers are not happy with the firm’s response, they should complain to the Claims Management Ombudsman.

The FCA has not reached any conclusions as to what has happened or as to whether CCL has breached any relevant requirements.

What you need to know:

1. The FCA notified CCL of its intention to announce that it had opened an enforcement investigation on 11 May 2026.
2. If you’ve used a claims management company (CMC) authorised by the FCA, and you're unhappy with how it's handled your case or the fees it’s charged, you should complain. If you’re dissatisfied with the response, you can take your complaint to the Claims Management Ombudsman.
3. If you’ve used a law firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and you're unhappy with how it's handled your case or the fees it’s charged, you should complainLink is external. If you’re dissatisfied with the response, you can take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.  
4. CCL agreed a Voluntary Requirement (VREQ) with the FCA, effective from 8 December 2025 to 2 March 2026. As part of the VREQ, CCL temporarily stopped taking on new customers and wrote to all of its customers offering them a chance to cancel their arrangements free of charge. After CCL had complied with the FCA’s requirements, including by taking action to prevent the practice of customers being sent contracts which may have included false signatures, the VREQ was removed and the FCA permitted CCL to resume taking on new customers.
5. The FCA's enforcement guide sets out its policy on publicising investigations, stating that 'the FCA will not normally make public the fact that it is or is not investigating…' but may do so in exceptional circumstances.
6. The FCA considers that the exceptional circumstances test has been met in relation to this announcement, as it is desirable to maintain public confidence in the UK financial system or the market, protect consumers or investors, and prevent potential widespread malpractice.
7. A joint taskforce between the FCA, SRA, ICO and ASA was announced on 30 March 2026 to tackle poor handling of motor finance claims by some CMCs and law firms.
8. On 6 May 2026, the FCA announced that it is launching a review of the claims management market. Some of the concerns noted include consumers being signed up without their consent.
9. The FCA has removed or amended over 1,000 misleading motor finance adverts, more than 28,000 consumers have been able to exit contracts free of charge, and 3 CMCs reduced their unreasonable fees protecting over 500,000 consumers. Formal investigations are also under way, with 1 previously announced by the FCA in January 2026.