When you buy a car on a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), it’s easy to assume the dealership is the one responsible if something goes wrong. After all, they’re the people who handed you the keys. But the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) makes it very clear that this isn’t how the law works.
According to the FOS, in a PCP or hire‑purchase agreement:
- The dealer sells the car to the finance company, not to you
- The finance company becomes the legal owner
- You are essentially hiring the car from the finance provider
- Because of that, your contract is with the finance company, not the dealer
This structure is important because it determines who is responsible when the car doesn’t perform as expected — and it’s the finance company who carries that responsibility.
Read more here https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/credit-borrowing-money/car-finance
How this links directly to the Consumer Rights Act 2015
The Consumer Rights Act (CRA) sets out your protections when goods are supplied by a “trader”. Under the Act:
- A trader is any business supplying goods to a consumer
- In a PCP agreement, the finance company is the trader, because they are the one supplying the car to you
- Your legal rights — including the right to reject — apply against the finance company, not the dealer
The Act requires that any goods supplied must be:
- Of satisfactory quality
- Fit for purpose
- As described
If the goods fail to meet those standards, Section 19 of the Act states that the consumer’s rights are against the trader who supplied the goods — in this case, the finance provider.
So when a car bought on PCP develops a fault or becomes subject to a limitation that affects its use, the finance company is the one legally responsible for putting things right.
Here is a link to the Consumer Rights Act 2015 on the .gov website – https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15
How this applies to the Volvo EX30 70% battery‑charge limitation
For an electric vehicle, the battery is central to its purpose. If owners are advised to charge only to around 70%, that has immediate consequences:
- Reduced range
- Reduced practicality
- Reduced value
- A car that no longer performs as advertised
Under the Consumer Rights Act, a vehicle that cannot be charged to its intended capacity may not meet the standard of being:
- Fit for purpose (because range is compromised)
- As described (because the advertised battery capacity isn’t fully usable)
- Of satisfactory quality (because the limitation affects everyday use)
And because the EX30 is often bought on PCP, the responsibility for addressing this sits squarely with the finance company, not the dealer and not Volvo directly.
Your Rights: Rejecting a Volvo EX30 on PCP When It Won’t Charge Above 70%
The bottom line
The FOS guidance and the Consumer Rights Act work together to give PCP customers strong protection. If a car supplied under a finance agreement develops a significant limitation — such as being advised to charge only to 70% — the finance company must deal with it.
What makes the situation more difficult for EX30 owners is that Volvo has still not provided a clear update or long‑term fix. It may be early days, but owners can’t be expected to wait indefinitely while living with reduced range, increased charging costs, and the uncertainty of not knowing when the issue will be resolved.
If you’re affected, don’t hesitate to seek independent legal advice. Understanding your rights early can make a huge difference in how quickly things get resolved.
And finally — let’s hear your experiences. If you’re living with the 70% charging limit, how is it affecting your day‑to‑day use? Are you getting updates from your dealer or finance provider? Real stories from owners help build a clearer picture of what’s happening on the ground.
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