A fourth challenger lands on the motor finance scheme, and asbestos turns up in children's craft sand

A few items from the first half of this week that shouldn't wait until Friday's full roundup.

The motor finance scheme picks up a fourth challenger
Crédit Agricole Auto Finance has joined the queue at the Upper Tribunal alongside Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Volkswagen Financial Services and Consumer Voice. The FCA confirmed it on 5th May. All four are challenging different parts of the same redress scheme: the three lenders want the FCA's methodology made narrower, while Consumer Voice (represented by Courmacs Legal) is arguing it excludes most claimants from full refunds.

The press headlines are running with "lender pushback could delay payouts". I think that misreads what's actually happening. The scheme runs while the Tribunal hears it. Lenders still have to start contacting customers from 30th June 2026. The complaint deadline is still 31st August 2027. The complaint-handling pause lifts on 31st May. None of those are moving.

What does change once the lenders pick up the phone in July is queue order. Anyone with a complaint already on file goes into the lender's priority bucket. Without one, you wait. So the practical question for anyone with a PCP, HP or conditional sale agreement between 6th April 2007 and 1st November 2024 is whether to file a complaint this week or sit on it for another two months. Filing it direct to the lender takes about ten minutes and is free. Paying a CMC 30% of any future payout for the same paperwork is, on the FCA's £829 average, around £250 you'd be giving away.

Asbestos in children's craft sand
The Office for Product Safety and Standards has recalled two Crayola craft boxes (Discovery Craft Box, model 35501; Touchy Feely Craft Box, model 35052) and three Home Bargains products (Stretchy Gorilla Toys in two sizes, plus Sand Art Bracelets) after asbestos was found in the sand inside. Stocked across Asda, The Works, Argos, Sainsbury's, BargainMax, CJS Trade and the Scottish Midland Co-operative.

If you've got any of them, stop using them, put them out of reach of children, and take them back to the retailer. The retailer should give you safe-disposal instructions if you can't get to a store. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the retailer owes you a refund. That's the baseline. Beyond that, if a child was actually exposed, you may have a separate personal-injury claim against the manufacturer or retailer. Small-amount exposure is not the same as exposure on a working asbestos site, so this isn't an emergency, but keep the packaging, the receipt and any photos, and ask your GP to put it on the file. If you'd like a second opinion on whether to escalate, get in touch and we'll point you at a specialist.

Worth knowing

• A new statutory right to a complaints process from 19th June. The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 starts biting on 19th June 2026. Every UK organisation that processes personal data has to operate a formal complaints process from that date: a visible link from the privacy notice, an accessible written and electronic complaint form, and a clear explanation of how they'll handle it. Most companies haven't got any of that. From 19th June, that absence is a breach you can take to the ICO.
• Law Commission consultation on UK consumer class actions is open until 30th October 2026. Right now, if a company overcharges a million people by £40 each, no individual has the time or money to sue, and the company knows it. A class actions regime would close that gap, which is why the consultation is worth a serious response. We're submitting one. If you've got a view, drop us a line.
• FCA payments safeguarding rules in force from 7th May. PS25/21 tightens how digital wallets, e-money apps and other payments firms have to look after your money in transit. Matters most if your provider goes into administration. Worth asking yours, in writing, what's changed.

Quick hits

• CMA fined a business over £470,000 for ignoring an information notice. There are 14 B2C investigations live and 100+ firms warned. If you're escalating against a CMA-warned company, that's part of your evidence pack.
• Visa is rolling out AI chargeback tools for issuers. Faster bank-side handling tends to mean faster rejections of weak claims. Tighten the evidence: a clean Section 75 citation if it's a credit card over £100, the right Visa or Mastercard reason code, and a clear timeline.
• DMCC subscription-contract rules (proper cancellation, a cooling-off period for auto-renewals) have slipped from spring to autumn 2026. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 already give you 14 days on most online subscriptions; most companies still don't honour it cleanly.
• FCA unauthorised-firm warnings on 1st May: Bullish Investment Ique, HashVests, Cenor Holdings. None FCA-authorised. No FSCS or FOS protection. Report any contact to the FCA.

Recalls

• GoodHome fridge-freezers (B&Q), models GHBI7030FFUK and GHBI5050FFUK, sold February 2022 to April 2026. Fire risk. Stop using and contact B&Q.
• Sertraline 100mg. A batch was packed with Citalopram 40mg. Check your pack against the gov.uk recall notice.
• Asda fishcakes (290g), use-by dates 1st to 5th May.
• Bababing UNA Highchair: modification programme.
• Chimoo Water Beads (Amazon): listing pulled, ingestion-hazard risk.
• Lights 4 Fun Cloud Silhouette Battery Night Light: high-risk recall.
• TKMaxx American Princess and Couture Princess Occasion Dresses: recall.
• RONTALY Cordless Lawn Mower: destroyed at the border, serious-risk fault.

This article was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor. It is general information, not legal advice for your specific situation.