Brighter Consultancy Blog

Motor Finance Redress Is Not a Complaints Exercise. It’s an Operating Model Test.

Written by Darren Temple | Feb 23, 2026 12:04:32 PM

The proposed motor finance redress scheme is being described as the largest consumer remediation programme since PPI.

An estimated 14+ million agreements may be within scope. Typical compensation is expected to be calculated on a standardised basis. Consumers who have already complained may be included automatically once the scheme launches

From a consumer perspective, the scheme has been framed as simple. For lenders, it is anything but!

This is not a spike in complaint volumes. It is a full-scale operating model stress test.

The Illusion of Simplicity

On the surface, the scheme appears administratively straightforward:

  • Defined categories of non-disclosure
  • Standardised redress methodology
  • Time-bound outreach obligations
  • Structured inclusion and opt-in rules

But beneath that structure sits complexity that will challenge even well-run institutions:

  • Legacy data gaps stretching back to 2007
  • Multiple commission models and distribution arrangements
  • Liability determination at scale
  • Fraud and claims management company activity
  • Intense media scrutiny
  • Regulatory oversight requiring demonstrable fairness

Industry-wide processing costs alone are expected to reach into the billions. The firms that underestimate the operational burden will find cost and conduct risk escalating quickly.

Why Traditional Remediation Models Will Struggle

Historically, large-scale remediation programmes have been delivered through rapid hiring and manual file review.

That model worked, just about, in slower, less transparent regulatory environments. This environment is different.

The motor finance scheme will run in parallel with:

  • Real-time media commentary
  • Social amplification
  • Consumer guidance on how to claim
  • Political sensitivity around fairness

A staffing-heavy response will likely create:

  • Inconsistent decision-making
  • Quality assurance rework
  • Escalating per-case cost
  • Slow claim-to-pay cycles
  • Governance strain

In a high-visibility scheme, those weaknesses become reputational events. The real risk is not just operational failure; it is loss of control.

The Strategic Question: Capacity or Control?

Many lenders are currently asking: “How much additional resource will we need?” The more important question is: “How do we maintain control at an industrial scale?”

Control means:

  • Consistent application of redress methodology
  • Embedded audit trail from data source to payout
  • Real-time management information
  • Fraud and identity checks integrated into the workflow
  • Clear governance lines from operations to the Board

In other words, this is not about claims handling. It is about designing a remediation operating model that is:

  • Scalable
  • Automated where appropriate
  • Exception managed intelligently
  • Regulator ready by design

The institutions that approach this as an operating model redesign exercise rather than a temporary programme will be in a materially stronger position.

The Opportunity Hidden in Remediation

Remediation programmes are often seen purely as cost centres, which is understandable. But they also provide a rare opportunity to demonstrate conduct leadership.

A well-executed programme can:

  • Improve customer transparency
  • Reduce friction in legacy processes
  • Modernise data and workflow capability
  • Strengthen regulatory credibility
  • Protect brand trust during a public event

Handled poorly, the scheme will erode margin and confidence. Handled well, it becomes proof of operational maturity.

The difference lies in architecture and not headcount!

Designing for the Reality Ahead

An effective response to motor finance redress requires:

  • Early loan book and data impact assessment
  • Automated eligibility and redress logic
  • Integrated fraud and identity controls
  • Clear, customer-focused communication journeys
  • FCA-aligned reporting and governance embedded from day one
  • A commercial model that avoids uncontrolled cost escalation

The institutions that industrialise intelligently now will avoid reactive firefighting later.

A Conversation Worth Having

At Brighter Consultancy, we bring together specialist remediation expertise and proven digital platforms to deliver a fully managed, end-to-end remediation solution. Our approach combines automated eligibility assessment, redress calculation, intelligent document processing, digital customer journeys, workflow orchestration, integrated identity and fraud controls, and FCA-ready reporting. This is all underpinned by strong governance and oversight.

We integrate people, process and technology into a controlled operating model that scales efficiently while maintaining regulatory confidence and customer trust. If you are preparing for motor finance redress and want to move beyond a reactive, staffing-heavy claims response, now is the time to define a technology-enabled operating strategy.

Contact Brighter Consultancy to discuss how to build a remediation model that protects capital, customers and reputation, not just capacity.