Not upheld: incorrect charges and poor customer service complaint against Prepay Technologies Ltd trading as Monese

Decision detail

Summary

Miss S complained that Monese incorrectly charged her £4.95 for a replacement debit card when her existing card expired, and that the firm initially provided incorrect information about the charge. Monese acknowledged the error and offered £50 compensation and an apology. The ombudsman upheld the firm's offer as fair and reasonable, noting that the amount involved was small and that the compensation was proportionate to the error and inconvenience caused. The ombudsman clarified that it could not investigate wider systemic issues or regulate the firm's general practices, as its role is limited to resolving individual customer disputes.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman determined that while Monese did not treat Miss S fairly by charging an incorrect fee and providing misleading information, the £50 compensation and apology offered by Monese was proportionate and fair given the circumstances. The ombudsman noted that the amount involved was only £4.95, and that the firm's offer was as much as the ombudsman would have awarded independently. The ombudsman clarified that its role is to resolve individual disputes, not to regulate the firm's wider practices or investigate systemic issues.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website