The monthly round-up of news, guidance, legislation, and case law from Shelter's Specialist Debt Advice Service.
News and legal updates
This month's legal round up includes the scrapping of the fee for PARV order applications, confirmation of the fee for varying a possession order, and details of the FCA motor finance compensation scheme.
Fee to withhold address abolished
When an individual enters an insolvency procedure, either through the approval of a DRO, the making of a bankruptcy order or an IVA, their address is usually available online via the Individual Insolvency Register.
An individual can apply for a Persons at Risk of Violence (PARV) order to withhold their current address from the insolvency register.
The Ministry of Justice has announced that the £318 fee to apply for a PARV order will no longer apply from November 2025.
Ministry of Justice fee announcement
County Court fee for varying a possession order
An adviser recently asked Shelter’s Specialist Debt Advice Service to confirm the county court fee for an application to vary an outright possession order.
We confirmed that the fee is £15, under Schedule 1 of The Civil Proceedings Fees Order 2008, as it is an application to suspend enforcement (fee 2.7).
However, the adviser told us that Portsmouth Combined Court was insisting that the fee was £313. We sought clarification from the Ministry of Justice and received a response from HM Courts & Tribunals Service confirming that the fee is £15. They also said that they had contacted Portsmouth Combined Court to make them aware of this.
Schedule 1 of The Civil Proceedings Fees Order 2008
Read more about Court and tribunal fees on Shelter Legal.
FCA compensation scheme expected for 14 million consumers
On 1 August 2025, the Supreme Court held that not all undisclosed commissions were unlawful. It also decided that motor finance companies might have entered unfair relationships with motor finance customers.
Following this judgment, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced that through its newly proposed compensation scheme, it expects payouts on an expected 14 million motor finance agreements.
The scheme would cover motor finance agreements taken out between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024 where commission was payable by the lender to the broker. The FCA estimates an average payout of £700 per agreement, and total compensation paid out could reach £8.2 billion.
The FCA is asking for feedback on its proposed scheme by 18 November 2025.
FCA motor loans compensation proposed scheme
Spotlight
This month's article is from Alexa Jensen, senior legal editor at Shelter.
A guide to the Renters' Rights Act for debt advisers
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduces seismic changes to housing law, with knock on effects for debt advice to private tenants.
Read more about the Renters' Rights Act for debt advisers on Shelter news and updates.