Partially upheld: satisfactory quality of goods; misrepresentation; treatment during financial difficulties complaint against Startline Motor Finance Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6110199 of 2026-04-29T00:00:00+00:00. satisfactory quality of goods; misrepresentation; treatment during financial difficulties complaint against Startline Motor Finance Limited. Outcome: Partially upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6110199 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-04-29T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Startline Motor Finance Limited |
| Product | hire purchase agreement |
| Claim type | satisfactory quality of goods; misrepresentation; treatment during financial difficulties |
| Outcome | Partially upheld |
| Remedy | 1. Reimburse £90.98 for tyre repairs. 2. Replace missing engine under shield and broken front under tray or reimburse costs upon provision of invoice and proof of payment. 3. Reimburse wheel alignment costs upon provision of invoice and proof of payment. 4. Pay £100 compensation for distress and inconvenience. |
Summary
Mr B purchased a used car via hire purchase from Startline Motor Finance in January 2020 for £12,700. A February 2020 vehicle health check revealed multiple faults including leaking tyre valves, misaligned wheels, and missing/broken undercarriage components. Mr B complained in June 2025 (over 5 years later) alleging misrepresentation, defects, and unfair treatment during financial difficulties after suffering a shoulder injury. The ombudsman partially upheld the complaint, finding the car was not of satisfactory quality and awarding compensation for repairs and distress, but rejecting the misrepresentation claim and finding Startline Motor Finance had responded appropriately to his financial difficulties.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that the car was not of satisfactory quality at the point of supply based on the February 2020 vehicle health check identifying multiple faults shortly after delivery. However, the misrepresentation claim was rejected as there was insufficient evidence and Mr B had possessed the car for over 6 years and 30,000 miles before complaining. The ombudsman found Startline Motor Finance responded positively and sympathetically to Mr B's financial difficulties by offering payment arrangements, referring to specialist support, providing vulnerable customer status, and not repossessing the vehicle.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Startline Motor Finance Limited, all decisions | 495 | 50% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website