Consumer Rights This Week: Motor Finance Redress, Council Tax Reform & Booking.com Breach

15th April 2026 | Consumer News

It's been a packed week for UK consumer rights. From a £7.5 billion motor finance redress scheme going live to a major overhaul of council tax debt collection, here are the stories that matter to you.

Motor Finance: £7.5 Billion Coming Back to Consumers

The FCA has confirmed its Motor Finance Consumer Redress Scheme is now active. If you took out a car, van, or motorbike finance deal between April 2007 and November 2024, and commission was paid from the lender to the broker, you may be owed money.

Key dates you need to know:

• 30th June 2026: Firms must have implemented the scheme
• 30th September 2026: Firms must tell you if you're owed money and how much
• 31st October 2026: Deadline to accept or challenge the offer
• November 2026: Payment must be made

This covers PCP deals, Hire Purchase, and any motor finance where a broker received commission. The FCA expects millions of claims to be settled this year alone.

What to do: If you had car finance in this period, you don't need to do anything yet: firms are required to contact you. But if you want to get ahead, gather your original finance agreement and check whether commission was disclosed.

Council Tax: The Biggest Reform in 30 Years

The Government announced sweeping changes to how council tax debt is collected: the first major overhaul since 1993. Currently, if you miss a single monthly payment, many councils demand the full year's amount within three weeks, and bailiffs can follow within six weeks.

What's changing:

• 63-day payment window before enforcement action (up from as little as 3 weeks)
• 12-month payment default (currently 10 months, front-loading costs)
• £100 cap on liability order costs (currently uncapped in many areas)
• Universal discount form across all councils in England (from April 2027)

Martin Lewis called it a "huge first step" in ending what he described as "vicious" debt collection practices.

Booking.com Data Breach: What You Need to Know

Booking.com confirmed on 13th April that hackers accessed customer data including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and booking details. Financial information reportedly wasn't compromised, but the breach has triggered a wave of phishing scams.

Protect yourself:

• Be suspicious of any emails about your bookings: go directly to Booking.com rather than clicking links
• Booking.com has forced PIN resets for existing reservations
• If you receive suspicious communications, report them to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040)
• You have the right to request a Subject Access Request under UK GDPR to find out exactly what data was accessed

Faster Telecoms Complaints

Good news if you're battling your broadband or mobile provider: Ofcom has cut the escalation timeline from 8 weeks to 6 weeks. From 8th April 2026, if your complaint hasn't been resolved within six weeks, you can take it straight to the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS.

Product Safety: 85,000 Tumble Dryers Recalled

The Office for Product Safety and Standards issued an urgent safety notice for 85,000 tumble dryers manufactured by Haier and sold under multiple brands including Candy, Hoover, Baumatic, Caple, Lamona, and Montpellier. The issue is a fire risk from internal short circuits.

If you own one of these dryers, stop using it immediately and contact 0808 178 0516. Free in-home modifications are being offered.

EvenStance helps you fight back when companies let you down. Whether it's a motor finance claim, a data breach complaint, or a telecoms dispute, we give you the tools and templates to stand stronger.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. AI-assisted content: reviewed by our team before publication.