Not upheld: service failure, system outage, customer service failure complaint against The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6006056 of 2026-04-22T00:00:00+00:00. service failure, system outage, customer service failure complaint against The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC. Outcome: Not upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6006056 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-04-22T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC |
| Product | Current account |
| Claim type | service failure, system outage, customer service failure |
| Outcome | Not upheld |
| Remedy | No further remedy ordered. RBS's £100 compensation payment was deemed sufficient. |
Summary
Mr D complained to RBS about being unable to view transactions on the mobile app between 9 and 26 August 2025 due to a known IT issue. He also complained about long wait times when contacting RBS and a failed callback promise from 13 August 2025. RBS acknowledged the known issue, the service failures, apologised, and paid £100 compensation. The ombudsman found RBS's response fair and reasonable, noting that alternative access methods were available and the compensation was appropriate, and did not uphold the complaint.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman acknowledged that while the mobile banking issue was frustrating, IT system issues are a feature of modern business and RBS was attempting to resolve it. Alternative access methods were available to Mr D through telephone banking and branch visits. Regarding customer service failures, RBS had acknowledged its errors, apologised, and paid compensation. The ombudsman found the £100 compensation fair and reasonable in light of the circumstances and FOS published guidelines, despite Mr D's view that it was insufficient.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC, all decisions | 6,054 | 23% |
| Current account, all decisions | 45,590 | 19% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website