Not upheld: Service failures generally complaint against West Bromwich Building Society

Decision detail

Summary

Mr P complained that a portal update by West Bromwich Building Society prevented him from viewing his account information for approximately one day in early October 2025, causing him worry and a reported angina attack. WBBS did not uphold the complaint, and Mr P referred the matter to the FOS. The ombudsman accepted that Mr P experienced the issue but found that the brief duration and limited impact, even considering Mr P's health vulnerability, did not warrant compensation or further action, and determined that WBBS's handling of the complaint was fair and reasonable.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman accepted that Mr P experienced the portal access issue but found the impact was limited to approximately one day of uncertainty about account status. While acknowledging Mr P's vulnerability at the time due to health concerns, the ombudsman determined that the brief duration and limited nature of the issue did not warrant compensation. The ombudsman also found that WBBS's call handler was understanding, empathetic, and professional in handling the complaint, providing reasonable explanations for why evidence could not be obtained and offering helpful advice.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website