Will a PCP claim hurt my credit score?

In short: No. Our eligibility check uses a soft credit search — a record-only enquiry that other lenders cannot see and that does not affect your credit score. The claim itself is about how the finance was sold to you, not your payment history, so the outcome does not change your credit file either.

It’s the single most common worry we hear, so it’s worth being precise about what each step actually does.

Soft search vs hard search

A soft search is a record-only enquiry. You can see it on your own credit file. Other lenders cannot. It does not affect your credit score. Everyday examples: getting an insurance quote, using a “rate check” comparison tool, or checking your own report at Experian, Equifax or TransUnion.

A hard search is a full application enquiry. It is visible to other lenders, stays on your file for around 12 months, and can have a small short-term effect on your score, especially if several hard searches land in a short period. Everyday examples: applying for a new credit card, a personal loan, a mortgage decision in principle, or new car finance.

The eligibility step for a PCP or DCA claim is a soft search. It is not an application for credit. It is a permission-based query against the UK credit reference agencies to find historic PCP or HP agreements in your name.

Why we need a soft search at all

Most people don’t remember every car finance agreement they’ve ever held. They remember “the Audi we got from the local dealer in 2018”, but not the lender, the agreement number, or the rate.

The soft search lets us:

• Find historic PCP or HP agreements on your credit file that may be in scope.
• Match each agreement to its lender (the bank or finance house behind the dealer).
• Flag agreements that are most likely to involve a hidden commission (formally, a Discretionary Commission Arrangement, or DCA).

Without that, you’d be relying on old paperwork most people have long since binned. If yours is gone, that’s fine — see claiming PCP compensation without your finance paperwork.

Does the claim itself affect your credit file?

No. The complaint is about how the finance was sold, not whether you missed payments. Lenders cannot retaliate against a complaint by changing your credit file, and the FCA’s Consumer Duty rules make that obligation explicit.

Worried this will show up on a future mortgage application? It won’t. The soft search is invisible to other lenders, and any settlement paid later does not appear on your credit report.

If you’d like the background on what’s actually being challenged, read our explainer on hidden commission and DCAs, or check which agreements qualify — PCP vs HP.

Belt-and-braces steps for the cautious

• Pull your own credit file at Experian, Equifax or TransUnion — the statutory reports are free. You’ll see our soft search appear in the “searches” section as a record-only entry.
• Avoid starting a new credit application in the same week, purely so you can see clearly which search came from which.
• Ask us in writing which credit reference agency we’ll query. We’re happy to confirm.

Ready to check eligibility?

The eligibility step takes about 60 seconds, runs a soft search only, and tells you whether one or more of your agreements may be in scope.

Start your free eligibility check →

---

You can also complain free of charge by contacting your lender directly, or refer an unsuccessful complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free. No outcome is guaranteed.