Upheld: Account administration errors complaint against Marsh FM LLP
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6059671 of 2026-01-13T00:00:00+00:00. Account administration errors complaint against Marsh FM LLP. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6059671 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-01-13T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Marsh FM LLP |
| Product | Motor finance (PCP / HP) |
| Claim type | Account administration errors |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | Marsh FM LLP must: (1) Pay Miss L £200 compensation for distress and inconvenience caused; (2) Ensure the account and portal correctly reflect the settled status with no further payments due once the outstanding £50 is paid, or alternatively provide written confirmation of full settlement if portal updates are not possible. |
Summary
Miss L complained that Marsh FM LLP provided inconsistent and inaccurate information about her hire purchase agreement after the account was transferred from the original lender. The main error was Marsh incorrectly entering the agreement start date as November 2021 instead of April 2021, which caused incorrect balance calculations, misleading arrears letters, and confusing portal information showing different balances and end dates. The ombudsman found Marsh was responsible for the data entry error and failed to provide accurate information as required. The ombudsman upheld the complaint and ordered Marsh to pay £200 compensation and ensure the account correctly reflects settlement once the outstanding £50 is paid.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that Marsh was most likely responsible for the incorrect start date entry into their system, as they would have had access to Miss L's hire purchase agreement from the administrator showing the correct start date. The incorrect date caused cascading errors including incorrect balance calculations and misleading arrears letters. Marsh failed to provide clarification when requested about the source of the incorrect date. The portal information was confusing and inaccurate over an extended period, causing Miss L distress and inconvenience. Marsh had a responsibility to provide accurate, clear, and not misleading information.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Marsh FM LLP, all decisions | 8 | 62% |
| Account administration errors, all decisions | 25,844 | 25% |
| Motor finance (PCP / HP), all decisions | 19,455 | 38% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website