Not upheld: Service failures generally complaint against OakNorth Bank plc

Decision detail

Summary

Mrs M complained that OakNorth Bank Plc disrupted her ability to manage her savings online by requiring her to provide a separate email address (previously she and her husband shared one) and insisting she call the bank to do so. She also reported experiencing login difficulties. The ombudsman found that OakNorth's terms permitted the variation, the requirement to call was reasonable and one-off in nature, and the login difficulties were caused by Mrs M entering her credentials incorrectly rather than any bank failing. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that OakNorth's terms and conditions permitted the variation requiring separate email addresses, and that the change was not unfair or unreasonable given its legitimate security goals. While Mrs M prefers online management, the ombudsman found that a one-off telephone call to update her email address was not an unreasonable requirement, particularly as it would enable her to return to her preferred method of account management. The multiple reminder emails, while numerous, were justified given the potential consequences of Mrs M failing to provide an alternative address. Regarding the login difficulties, the ombudsman found these were caused by Mrs M's own actions (incorrect credential entry and incomplete password reset process) rather than any failing by the bank, and OakNorth provided prompt assistance when contacted.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website