Upheld: account management error and data handling failure complaint against Nationwide Building Society

Decision detail

Summary

Mrs K and Mr K complained that Nationwide Building Society incorrectly added another relative's contact details to their joint account, resulting in Mrs K's relative receiving communications intended for Mrs K and complaint confirmation being sent to the wrong email address. Although Nationwide claimed the mobile number was provided for a home insurance application in 2021, it provided no evidence. The ombudsman found Nationwide responsible for the account profile error and the inconvenience caused to both complainants through multiple calls and lack of direct communication with Mrs K, who speaks very little English. The ombudsman upheld the complaint and ordered £125 compensation for distress and inconvenience, rejecting the additional claim for time spent on complaint handling.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Nationwide was responsible for the incorrect contact details being linked to Mrs K's account profile, though the exact mechanism could not be determined due to passage of time. While the text message about the members' offer did not contain account information and therefore did not constitute a data protection breach, Nationwide failed to maintain accurate contact details and sent complaint confirmation to the wrong contact. The ombudsman considered the inconvenience to both Mrs K (not receiving information directly) and Mr K (making multiple calls and taking corrective action). The ombudsman rejected the claim for compensation for time spent on complaint handling, as complaint handling is not a regulated activity.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website