Snows strive to ensure that the experience of buying, leasing or servicing and maintaining a vehicle is always as smooth as possible. However, in what we know can be a stressful transaction, occasionally things may not always go according to plan. With this in mind, we have a rigorous process to ensure any problems that may arise are resolved as quickly as possible.
All Snows colleagues treat customer satisfaction very seriously and you have our assurance that we will endeavour to resolve any concerns with your best interests in mind.
If you wish to get in touch with us directly in order to address any issues or queries that you may have faced, please select from the links below:
Dealership investigation
In the first instance we try to resolve any issues within the dealership by involving the people who know you and your vehicle best. Please initially contact the Management team at your local dealership to raise any concerns, the relevant manager will then ensure your complaint is dealt with as effectively as possible.
Logging formals complaints
If you feel that your complaint has not been handled appropriately by the team in the dealership, the Customer Services Team at our Head Office would like to know about it, so that we can ensure it is resolved in a timely manner by a member of our Senior Management team.
Management Review
On receipt of your complaint, the Customer Service Team will acknowledge your email, at the very latest within three working days. We will then ask the senior management team (for the dealership involved) to investigate and respond accordingly. The relevant individual investigating will contact you directly to discuss your experience in more detail and work with you personally to bring the matter to a satisfactory close.
Independent Review
We genuinely hope that all concerns raised can be settled amicably between us. However, if you remain dissatisfied you may wish to consult The Motor Ombudsman, who provide a free, independent service for dealing with unresolved disputes. Please note, The Motor Ombudsman will not consider your complaint until you have allowed us eight weeks to respond.
Should you require any support or wish to discuss this process in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact the Customer Services Team - Customer.Services@snows.co.uk
IMPORTANT NOTE: This procedure does not apply to finance agreements or insurance products that you have received. Details of this process can be found on page 2 of this document.
The below procedures apply only for complaints relating to a finance agreements or insurance product.
Initial investigation
In the first instance we will acknowledge your complaint and provide details of who is handling the case and how to contact them within 1 business day (Monday to Friday). If your complaint is resolved by close of the third business day following receipt of your complaint, we will send you a Summary Resolution Letter.
If we have been unable to resolve the matter within three business days, we will continue to keep you updated on the progress of your complaint and within 8 weeks* of receiving your complaint, we will either:
In each case you will be provided with the contact details for the Financial Ombudsman Service.
*For complaints specifically relating to payment services, a full response will be sent within 15 days.
Independent Review
We aim to resolve all concerns raised as quickly and efficiently as possible, however, if you remain dissatisfied you may wish to seek redress through The Financial Ombudsman, who provide a free, independent service for dealing with unresolved disputes. Please note, The Financial Ombudsman will not consider your complaint until you have allowed us eight weeks to respond.
Should you require any support or wish to discuss this process in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact the Customer Service Team - Customer.Services@snows.co.uk
Finance Commission Arrangements
The Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) announced it is reviewing the historical use of ‘discretionary commission arrangements’ between lenders and car dealers who act as credit brokers. Generally, discretionary commission arrangements were arrangements where the credit broker was allowed by the lender to adjust the interest rates they offered customers for car finance and the credit broker’s commission was linked to the interest rate that was set. The review is not focused on any particular dealer or lender but is a review of the motor finance sector generally.
Whilst it carries out its review, for complaints that could be affected, the FCA has introduced a temporary pause to the 8-week deadline that we usually have to respond to complaints. This pause started on 11 January 2024 and will continue until after 4 December 2025.
On 25 October 2024, the Court of Appeal issued a judgment on three car finance claims, deciding that it was unlawful for brokers (car dealers) to receive a commission from the lender without obtaining the customer’s informed consent to the payment. This includes being told all relevant facts, including the amount of the commission and how it would be calculated. The decision affects car finance lending involving any type of commission, not just finance commission subject to a discretionary commission arrangement. The lenders have appealed the judgment in two of the cases, which will be reviewed by the Supreme Court in 2025.
In response to the Court of Appeal’s judgment, the FCA have extended the time firms have to respond to complaints about all car finance commission and we now have until 30 January 2026 to provide our final response.
The FCA has also implemented an extension to the usual 6-month period that complainants have to escalate their complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Complainants will have 15 months to escalate their complaint to FOS instead.
If you would like any further information about car finance complaints, you should visit www.fca.org.uk/car-finance-complaints.
Finance Commission Enquiries
If you would like to know if your purchase had an associated finance commission payment that we received from the Lender for introducing you to them, your enquiry should be submitted to the lender behind your finance agreement as only they can respond to this query. We are aware that most lenders have established dedicated website pages and online forms to assist you further, you can find contact details below.
BMW Financial Services, please visithttps://www.bmw.co.uk/en/footer/contact/contact-bmw-financial-services.html
Email:commissiondisclosureenquiries@bmwfin.com
CA Auto Finance
Email:customer-relations@ca-autobank.com
KIA Finance, please visithttps://www.kiafinance.co.uk/contact
Lexus Financial services, please emailcommissioncomplaints@toyota-fs.com
Mazda Finance, please visithttps://www.santanderconsumer.co.uk/discretionary-commission-arrangement-complaints/
PSA Finance, please emailcommissiondisclosure@stellantis-finance.com
Stellantis Financial Services
Email:commissiondisclosure@stellantis-finance.com
Toyota Financial Services, please emailcommissioncomplaints@toyota-fs.com
Vauxhall Finance, please emailcommissiondisclosure@vauxhallfinance.com
Volkswagen Financial Servies (Seat Finance), please visit https://customer.vwfs.co.uk/discretionary-commission.html
Email: commissionclaims@vwfs.co.uk
Volvo Car Financial Services
Email: CustomerRelations@vcfsuk.co.uk
For any other queries please emails us on financeenquiries@snows.co.uk
If it is about any other product or an alternative finance house, we will respond to you in line with the amended FCA guidelines.