Upheld: Service failures generally complaint against Gatehouse Bank Plc
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-5275093 of 2025-02-12T00:00:00+00:00. Service failures generally complaint against Gatehouse Bank Plc. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-5275093 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2025-02-12T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Gatehouse Bank Plc |
| Product | Savings / ISA |
| Claim type | Service failures generally |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | Gatehouse Bank Plc to pay Mr R a further £100 compensation, making total compensation of £315.03 (comprising the original £215.03 already paid plus the additional £100). |
Summary
Mr R complained that Gatehouse Bank Plc failed to pay profit due on his savings account, failed to close the account when required, and provided misleading and inaccurate information on multiple occasions between May and July 2024. Gatehouse accepted the errors and paid £215.03 in compensation and interest. The ombudsman upheld the complaint, finding that the compensation was insufficient given the multiple failures, the considerable effort Mr R had to expend to obtain resolution, and the inadequate assistance from staff and systems. The ombudsman ordered an additional £100 compensation, bringing the total to £315.03.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman considered that while individual compensation per error would not be appropriate, the multiple opportunities Gatehouse had to correct the issue, the number and duration of calls, the considerable effort required by Mr R to obtain resolution, the inadequate staff assistance, and the non-robust systems information all pointed to insufficient compensation. The ombudsman was not satisfied Mr R would have received the money due without pursuing the complaint. Taking all factors into account, the distress was not fairly reflected in the £200 already paid, and a further £100 was reasonable and in line with FOS guidance.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gatehouse Bank Plc, all decisions | 10 | 35% |
| Service failures generally, all decisions | 32,767 | 33% |
| Savings / ISA, all decisions | 7,667 | 22% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website