Staff at ACF Car Finance are celebrating after the company gained Specialist Automotive Finance (SAF) Approved status from the Finance and Leasing Association (FLA).

The SAF approval for the specialist sub-prime car dealer means it can now use SAF promotional material in each of its eight showrooms and in local advertising to help attract new buyers and retain existing customers.

The FLA introduced its SAF programme in 2007 to raise professional standards and knowledge on motor finance across the industry and to improve consumer confidence. It extended its SAF-certification for individuals to companies (SAF Approved) in August 2009.

To become SAF Approved, all dealership staff involved in the sale of car finance are required to pass an online competence test of their knowledge on motor finance products and industry regulation.

The dealership earns SAF approval once every employee has passed the test, and once every dealership gains SAF status the dealer group receives SAF Approved accreditation.

Head of motor finance at the FLA Paul Harrison said: The SAF programme is helping to improve customer confidence in motor finance when visiting a car dealership .

By having full SAF approval staff are recognised to have been correctly trained, to a high standard. This also encourages staff to improve their overall knowledge.

According to FLA data, motor dealership finance is the most popular method of buying a new car in the UK.