Most people don’t want to cause a fuss.
They don’t complain. They don’t demand compensation. Even when something goes wrong, they try to be understanding. They carry on quietly and often blame themselves.
That used to be my mum. Until her Volkswagen ID.3 broke down in the middle of the road without warning. One moment she was driving, the next she was completely stuck, stranded in a live lane. When she contacted the dealership, their response was to ask her for £800 just to investigate the issue – into their own product, serviced only by them.
She didn’t want an argument. But she knew this wasn’t right. So I helped her write a letter. And she sent it.
That simple act, pressing ‘send’ on an email, was a shift. Not just in the case, but in her mindset. She felt in control. She felt heard. And she was proud of herself. I was proud too.
It made me think about all the clients we help at Claim My Loss. The ones who do not feel in control. Clients who have lost money through mis-sold pensions, failed investments, poor advice or financial products they were told were safe. Many never really understood the risks because no one took the time to explain them. They trusted someone – a broker, a bank, a platform, and got burned.
And time and again, they think it’s their fault.
But it isn’t.
What’s heartbreaking is that the people who should be making claims are often the least likely to. They’re the ones who try to be reasonable. Who think they should have known better. Who assume they made a mistake.
The truth is, they were let down.
There are rules in place to protect consumers. But those rules aren’t the same for everyone. If you’ve worked in finance, have investing experience, or own over £250,000 in assets (not including your home or pension), you’re classified as a ‘sophisticated investor’. The assumption is that you know what you’re doing.
But if that’s not you, if you’re just someone trying to plan for retirement or make sensible decisions with your savings, then the law says you deserve protection.
What if you have had a mortgage or a loan with a sub-prime lender, how can you possibly recognise if you have been overcharged or if they paid somebody a hidden commission? You can’t.
So why do so many people stay quiet?
Because they feel embarrassed. Or ashamed. Because they don’t want to make accusations.
They think it’s their fault. It isn’t.
The people quickest to claim are often the ones who knew the risks and understood the system well enough to complain when things went wrong. The people who truly need support are the ones who hesitate, and the worst thing is, that if they hesitate too long then they could miss the window of time in which they have to make a complaint.
It’s time to stop making this about shame.
There is no shame in trusting someone who should have acted in your best interest. No shame in being misled, especially in a system designed to be hard to navigate.
And if the money you’ve lost doesn’t affect your life, that’s your call. But if it has changed your plans, caused you stress, or left you feeling powerless, it’s worth finding out if it can be recovered.
It costs nothing to check.
No win, no fee. No pressure. No judgement. Just someone who knows the process, ready to take the weight off your shoulders.
And if all you need is help writing your own letter, hopefully a call with one of experts will at the very least help you do that.
