Not upheld: account access failure and service complaint complaint against Santander UK Plc trading as Cahoot

Decision detail

Summary

Mr M complained that he could not access his Cahoot savings account on 16 October 2025 due to technical difficulties and had to call the next day to regain access. Cahoot's records showed that Mr M had inputted his security details incorrectly three or more times, causing the account to lock. The ombudsman found that the internal system evidence supported Cahoot's position and that Mr M's screenshot did not establish any technical fault. The ombudsman concluded that Cahoot's requirement for Mr M to call and go through security procedures to reset his locked account was reasonable, and therefore did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman agreed with the investigator that the internal systems evidence clearly showed the account lock was caused by multiple incorrect security detail inputs, not technical issues. The screenshot Mr M provided did not establish a link to his access problem. The ombudsman found it reasonable for Cahoot to require specific information for online reset and to require a telephone call when the customer lacked that information. Once Mr M called and went through security procedures, he regained access without further issue.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website