Martin Lewis has called out Mercedes’ apparent reaction to a car finance complaint amid the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) ongoing investigation into mis-selling.
The Money Saving Expert founder claimed the German manufacturer was talking “absolute nonsense” after a customer claimed the brand had refused to help them after filing a complaint.
Chris in Southampton texted into the BBC’s Martin Lewis Money Show suggesting he had made a claim to Mercedes around a previous car finance agreement.
However, he told Martin that the car manufacturer would not deal with the issue because of GDPR concerns.
Chris asked: “Mercedes say they can’t deal with me because they don’t have my contact details on record so can’t take it any further because of GDPR.”
However, Martin called out the German marquee’s apparent stance and urged motorists in a similar situation to push back against the move.
Martin responded: “Oh that’s absolutely nonsense. This is a regulatory complaint under the FCA.
“You need to go back to them and say ‘I am making a formal complaint. I would like my complaint to be registered, if you don’t have my contact details then we need to find out a route so I can prove my identity so that you can deal with me, can you tell me the best way to do that please’.”
Podcast host Nihal Arthanayake claimed Chris could send Martin’s tip straight to Mercedes to look into.
He commented: ‘What you can do Chris in Southampton is you can record this from the podcast and maybe even email it to them. A recording of the actual Martin Lewis telling them they have to sort this out.”
But Martin continued to fire back, suggesting customers should not have to provide manufacturers with this information,
He explained: “You can but you shouldn’t have to do it, If you are who you say you are… This is not an issue, ‘we can’t talk to you because we haven’t got your details on file’.
“That’s just nonsense. You’re making a formal complaint and assuming you’re not lying, you are who you say you are and you have an agreement with them and you’ve got details of that agreement.”
“What you need to do is how can I prove the ID here, that’s what needs to happen.”
The FCA is looking into “widespread misconduct” around motor finance agreements with motorists expected to receive compensation in the Autumn.
The regulator is looking into whether customers were charged discretionary commission arrangements which were previously banned.
Martin has previously warned motorists who purchased cars on finance between April 2007 and January 2021 could be affected.
Express.co.uk has contacted Mercedes for comment.
