Not upheld: credit limit increase eligibility and application process accessibility complaint against HSBC UK Bank Plc

Decision detail

Summary

Mr C complained that HSBC prevented him from increasing his credit card limit when he wanted to, requiring him to wait six months from account opening. Mr C also objected to the limited application methods (app, branch, or phone) and believed the six-month restriction should have been more prominently displayed on HSBC's website. The ombudsman found that HSBC's six-month waiting period was reasonable to establish account behaviour, that the application options provided were fair despite Mr C's preferences, and that information about the restriction was available on HSBC's website. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that HSBC's six-month restriction was reasonable as it allows the firm to establish account operation and behaviour. The ombudsman considered that while HSBC did not initially provide all available options for applying, this was quickly rectified within the same call. The ombudsman noted that information about the six-month requirement was available on HSBC's website through a general online search, and that Mr C did not ultimately visit a branch, making any inconvenience hypothetical.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website