Santander Consumer UK plc Reviews 

Ideally should be a zero star option.
Levels of customer service and communication never seen before in my 35 years as an Adult on this planet. Raised a complaint after some shoddy mistakes. That complaint have been moved around over 6 months with zero direct response. Chased many times and just fobbed off. Awful company. I thought the Ant & Dec TV ads were crap...but this is a new level of crap.

Whilst trying to finance a lease for tesla, I was directed to apply via Santander. The details were entered and once complete a message appeared saying there was a problem their end. Unfortunately the application is now in limbo saying pending but hasn't actually been submitted.

‘What went wrong' here is such a litany of failure I don't even know where to start.

So rather than re-live it and bore you with one of the most stressful episodes of my life, I will whittle this down to something digestible for anyone considering taking a Santander consumer finance arrangement; please, listen to everyone here and think very hard before you do.

-- 1.5 hour waits to speak to first-line who can’t answer anything more that what’s already on the FAQs on their site (and will refer you to them even if they don’t answer your question)

-- FAQs that are, at best, rudimentary

-- I needed to write, recorded delivery, with the keyword ‘ombudsman’ to get anyone to begin to take ownership of matters that are a big deal to me

-- emails wholly ignored, including repeated communications for critical, time-sensitive information such as who the owner of the car should be on the V5c document when it is collected. Really basic. Contacted me to provide said information a WEEK after the car had been collected. Useless.

-- no ability to self-serve / log into an account portal, forcing you to the above service options that just don’t work

-- an attempt to close my complaint without it being resolved, presumably to massage ‘resolution’ stats

-- sloping shoulder attitude from some front-line staff

-- having to store the car, including insuring and taxing it, on my drive, for 2 weeks after it was technically no longer mine. I made various contacts over 7 months to try and avoid this

-- receiving an arrears letter, threatening a credit default – demanding the balloon payment for my car – which they have already arranged to collect (2 weeks late)!

-- car was collected. Received two communications, same day, from the contracted collector. Absolutely nothing in confirmation from Santander themselves.

-- discovered that, despite making all the payments and the car being collected, they've actually had the incompetence to slap a ‘late payment’ on my credit score! I owed them no money, and never did after making the last payment and sending the car back mint with a glowing condition report. I've never missed a payment in my life.

Overall, a nightmare – clearing one of their errors is really just paving the way for the next problem in what seems to be a never-ending saga that is affecting my health.

Some of these issues have been blamed on ‘teething troubles in a new system’. These are not teething troubles – it doesn’t work and should never have passed UAT.

These issues affect and ruin people’s lives. Matters are still ongoing and I was going to hold this review until resolution. Since it seems to be one failure after the other, I think it's enough to post and warn people now because I am just not seeing an end in sight.

I will likely refer the matter to the ombudsman.

UPDATE 20/04/26: I wrote, one week ago via Special Delivery (recorded), to ask for the completely erroneous credit default to be removed from my credit file. Letter was delivered with proof, but I haven't had as much as an acknowledgement. Credit damage still intact. Email on the subject also ignored. Additionally, by now, they have had the car back almost a MONTH also without an acknowledgement.

UPDATE 26/04/26: received a letter in the later part of this week, stating the complaint would be looked at. Nobody has been in touch - and I can see my returned car is now listed for sale online! Credit damage has not been corrected.

UPDATE 05/05/26 : no communication at all from SCF. Credit damage still in place, car for sale online.

UPDATE 12/06/26 : matter was taken to 'final resolution' with compensation and assurance that the erroneous credit damage would be removed. After waiting the requested period, it has not been fixed.

UPDATE 28/06/26 : had to write again (fifth time now I think) to point out the above. Something shifted, and last night got a credit score update and the damage is now gone.

October 25 - June (almost July) 26, to carry out a routine car collection and account closure.

Absolutely dreadful company. Too many issues to list here but main one is had a car on PCP, exercised right to VT prior to halfway. Emailed them to arrange payment of remaining balance, was asked to fill out an expenditure form and nake an offer which I did and returned to them within a week or receiving it. Heard nothing back for 2 months. Then saw they had reported a default against my name without sending a 28 default notice as required. They failed to engage with me despite me making a fair offer and multiple communications from me were ignored. I Complained about it, they have opened an investigation into that but have yet to respond to any requests for an update, still haven't responded to my offer of a monthly payment or the sending of an expenditure form that they requested. Yet they have been happy to damage my clean credit score (no defaults on my record until they put one there) and instruct a law firm to come after me for money and payments that I have already offered them months ago! Left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing. Also complained to Ombudsman about them on a separate issue. Ombudsman told them to pay me some money back as they had not handled that complaint fairly, they have ignored Ombudsman on that and not paid me or contacted me at all. Awful, money grabbing company with no customer service whatsoever ever. Will never use them again for anything, ever. Avoid at all costs.

Have had the misfortune to have to contact them a few times - average wait time is 40 minutes.

Received 5 copies of the same letter stating I was expected to make a payment when I had already confirmed to return the car.

Waiting a "few weeks" to tell me what the final charges will be... i'll tell you what.... i'll wait a few weeks to pay you.

I'll give it to them, the finance was cheap - you can see that everything else is too ! avoid unless you have no choice!

Had a lease for 3 years and all was fine (aside from having additional road tax payment taken via direct debit WITHOUT having notified me) and they were very helpful and quick to respond initially.
At the end of the contract, I looked to potentially extend at a reduced price as I didn’t have time to shop for a new car. Despite prior conversations, I was informed (rather rudely) that allowing me to extend the lease was essentially a flexible courtesy to me so they wouldn’t reduce fees. They kindly added that I had to have my MOT completed 8 weeks in advance…with 6 weeks left. I was assured if I returned it before then, I wouldn’t be liable for that - this was incorrect.
That was the beginning of the issues and ended with customer service not knowing what a 1 month deposit was, or why I should be getting £25 back on it, given I’d reduced mileage, and having multiple invoices issued for road tax (and a car I no longer have) and invoices for additional excess days (despite returning the car the day before the contract ended).
Hopefully sorted the outstanding invoices now but I’ve been down this road before so we’ll see!
Lots of hidden elements that they don’t tell you about when signing the agreement, you can’t easily access contracts on the platform, and outside of a few members of staff, the rest tend to be dismissive and rude.
Totally put me off leases going forward and I’d absolutely steer clear of any type of agreement with this finance company going forward.

Wish someone would answer the phone every time I contact them over an hour to answer

Bought a car through PCP first time in my life, during pruchase I was never explained that mileasge cannot be increased once purchased - contact the company not helpful- now the car becomes a headache.

Please please please. For your sanity, do not use this finance company, I would rather pay another £100 per month on a lease then ever deal with this cowboy company again. They pay all parking tickets on your behalf, charge you an extortionate admin fee for doing so, and thus remove your right to appeal directly or via POPLA. I have spent an extra thousands paying fines that were incorrectly issued for overstaying in car parks (I am disabled) despite companies authenticating my stays and attempting to withdraw the ticket! They do this simply to generate further income. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE. This has been absolutely soul destroying for me trying to liaise with them and the companies.

If only there were negative stars.
Handed car back at the end of the PCP. I was told that I had nothing left to pay yet they continue to pursue me for thousands of pounds. When I call them they confirm I owe nothing, but send me letters threatening court action. Do not use Santander to finance a car.

Trying to close my account after a 3 year PCP. Their contact centre takes ages to answer a call; in excess of 45 minute waits. My car is due to be picked up, told someone will call within 3 days, 6 working days I’m holding for an hour to ask what’s going on. The regulator should close them down.

Automated system with no staff to actually talk to dealing with inaccurate days. Avoid these clowns

Received a letter telling me to urgently call Sandtander. After two attempts and over 2 hours on hold, I finally got through — only to get no resolution at all.

I have a PCP agreement due in June and wanted to pay an extra £1,000 per month to reduce the balance. I was told this is not allowed, yet there is no mention of any such restriction in my contract.

Extremely poor communication, wasted hours of my time, and unclear or misleading terms. Very disappointing customer service and experience overall.

This is for the CEO Adam Goldhagen
This company are an absolute disgrace had my car off the road for over 9 weeks while trying to get fixed in the 1st months of ownership for it to be eventually declined nobody answers emails including yourself you have cost me a lot of money and stress with your negligence in this matter you don’t take complaints seriously and even the claim handler Stephen Gilchrist lies to people if you get this gentleman as your call handler give up now he will string you along and give you no truth I have now sold the car at a loss and your finance is now paid off

Have lumbered us with a potential death trap, despite the fact that dangerous faults appeared within 5 months, and us provided evidence, did nothing to help, Santander have the morals of the Third Reich , they don't give a shit about their customers

Santander asked me for more information so they could address my complaint. I supplied them all the information they asked for. They have not had the decency to reply.

Wanted to settle my agreement early. I prefer to do this over the phone personally.
I was waiting over 1 hour to get through. My partner also tried the same number on his phone...he terminated the call after 1 hour as he still didnt get through.
I raised a formal complaimt afterwards about the unacceptable call waiting times.
Received a reply. They apologised. They accept that their call waiting times are unacceptable and are working to rectify it although they didnt say what they are actually doing in this respect.
Its just not good enough. Your customers have more important things to do than sit on the phone for over an hour trying to contact you!.
I will not be dealing with you (Santander) ever again.
Jo Watson

Very unhelpful, they argument with you on the phone and they say that they tried to call you several times,they not calling you or email you and when you calling them not respond back straight away, takes like an hour sometimes and they never call you back for help or advise. Do not be happy for 9.2% APR as if you ever miss a payment they send the hall agreement to a recovery company which cost around £300 fee + the interest after is very high because they want some money from them as well and the recovery company is putting them interest as well. So if you ever encounter for a loan with Santander Consumer Finance, say stop or just go through another company.

I handed my pcp car back at the end of a 2 year contract in perfect condition in September having paid on time with every payment.
Santander then sold the car at auction to a dealer in Canvey Island a month ago.
Today, 18th November I received 2 letters
1 Saying that I have missed a payment for November ? (Contract ended in September)
2. That I must pay the balloon payment of £19k+ within 10 days or court proceedings will start against me.
I spoke on telephone after a long wait and the guy confirmed that they had the car back in perfect condition and all payments made on time and should just ignore the letters.
What sort of company is this?
I will escalate this
to the Financial ombudsman if I do not get a written confirmation and apology within 7 days.

I am writing this because I feel utterly failed, ignored, and mistreated by Santander. What I have experienced over the past year and a half is unacceptable from any company — let alone a major financial institution.

Santander has shown me a complete lack of care, responsibility, and professionalism, and I want other customers to be aware of how badly things can go wrong when you need support.

I financed a car through Santander that turned out to be dangerously faulty from almost the start. It suffered repeated breakdowns, multiple oil issues, and eventually required a full engine replacement — a clear indication it was never fit for purpose.

Despite this, Santander refused to take my situation seriously.

I raised multiple complaints over the year, each with new information and evidence, but Santander repeatedly:
- Marked them as “duplicates”
- Ignored new facts
- Refused escalation
- Failed to provide any senior contact

It is impossible to resolve anything when the finance provider won’t even acknowledge what is happening.

When I turned to the Financial Ombudsman — as Santander themselves told me to — Santander then advised the Ombudsman not to take on my case.

I was stunned! I had nowhere left to turn, no internal support, and my vehicle was unsafe and unusable.

Despite all the above and the fact that we had an open case with the Ombudsman, Santander still went ahead with their proceedings against me and issued me with a 'Default Notice', even though:
- The car was unroadworthy
- I had been updating them constantly
- I was actively trying to resolve the situation

I still paid the arrears by their deadline — yet they still went ahead and issued a 'Termination Notice' the very next month. This felt completely unjustified and deeply stressful.

At no point did Santander show any concern that I:
- Broke down multiple times with my three children
- Experienced a 10-hour tow across the country
- Returned the car to the dealer because it was unsafe
- Nearly lost work due to lack of transport
- Was left without any support for months

Not once did they acknowledge the emotional or financial toll!

The way Santander has handled my case shows a shocking lack of accountability. I followed every process, provided every document, gave every update — yet I’ve been treated as though my situation doesn’t matter.

I am now forced to continue escalating because I refuse to be ignored any longer.

If you ever run into a serious issue with your financed vehicle, be prepared to face:

- Delayed responses
- Dismissed complaints
- No escalation options
- Incorrect investigation reports
- Aggressive account action
- A complete lack of empathy

This has been one of the most stressful experiences of my life, and it is still ongoing.

I cannot recommend Santander based on the way I have been treated. No customer deserves to go through what I have endured and unfortunately still am enduring!

And just to add, today I have found out that my vehicle was repossessed on the 9th of October based on the dealership claiming it was “abandoned,” despite the fact that I was towed to them in July after a 10-hour ordeal with my three young children. I am still awaiting the dealership’s independent investigation report. The vehicle was still under contract, I was still making payments, and by law Santander required my permission or a court order — which they did not have. They are now telling me I will be charged £70 for the tow, and to make matters worse, they were pressuring me only last week to give permission for them to take the car, even though they had already had it in their possession for over a month despite not informing me. The negative impact on my health is growing by the day. This entire experience with such a large, worldwide company has been unbelievable. Do not deal with them at all costs.