I would not recommend Startline Motor Finance based on my experience.
I purchased a vehicle through HP finance via Zuto, which was later found to be unfit for purpose. Despite reporting faults early on, the process of resolving the issue was unnecessarily long, stressful, and difficult.
It took months of chasing, providing evidence, arranging an independent inspection, and escalating the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service before a fair resolution was reached. At several points, communication was poor and progress appeared to stall, particularly when the supplying dealer failed to cooperate.
While the complaint was eventually upheld and my finance was cleared off, Startline accused me of causing excessive cosmetic damage to the vehicle (the vehicle had been stationary for 4 months waiting for collection and I did under 500 miles in it). It took another 3 months after challenging this and demanding proof the damage happened in my care and the ombudsman involvement for them to then refund me what they had taken. They also charged me for an extra 200+ miles and refused to freeze my HP payments whilst the dispute was ongoing, after I explained from the start my financial situation. It should not take this level of persistence (for clarity, 7 months all together of chasing and fighting) for a customer to receive what they are legally entitled to.
I would advise anyone considering finance to be aware of how challenging the process can be if something goes wrong. Fight for your rights and contact citizens advice and the financial ombudsman for further guidance. Do not let them win.
It’s concerning to read the amount of reviews from other customers in my situation. I had to report the vehicle to the DVSA for a suspected fraudulent MOT (after breaking down a month after a ‘clear’ MOT pass certificate) and trading standards on the dealership.
Be wary.
Claim your business profile now and gain access to all features and respond to customer reviews.
