The Finance & Leasing Association has started to promote its website www.financingyourcar.org.uk that now lists about 500 SAF approved dealerships around the UK.

Approved dealerships have voluntarily put all of their showroom staff who discuss finance with customers through the SAF test.

The FLA has more than 9,500 people registered for the online SAF competence test.
There are now enough approved sales points to give customers details of their five nearest points with a map and contact details. The FLA’s objective for its lender members is to increase point-of-sale loans.

Launched in 2007 the FLA’s SAF (specialist automotive finance) initiative is raising the standard of finance advice given by hundreds of staff working in retail outlets.

Paul Harrison, FLA head of motor finance, said: “The dealer directory only lists dealerships that have reached the SAF Approved standard. This means that car buyers visiting one of them can be confident they will speak to knowledgeable staff that can provide reliable advice on their car finance options.”

Harrison hopes the standard of car finance advice will continue to improve as more dealers sign up to SAF and the directory helps to raise consumer awareness of what the brand represents.

“We want SAF to help people get the best possible car finance deal,” he said.

SAF’s objective is to raise standards of finance knowledge, not to train dealership staff how to sell. Funded by FLA members the SAF scheme is free for dealers – staff selling finance need to retake an online test each year.

www.specialistautomotivefinance.org.uk is the SAF portal for the industry.