Not upheld: handling of financial hardship, customer service failings, treatment of vulnerable customer complaint against Capital One (Europe) plc

Decision detail

Summary

Miss A complained about how Capital One handled her credit card account when she was experiencing financial hardship with no income and mental health issues. She was upset at having to repeat information during calls and being told a payment plan was not available and that her account would be restricted or defaulted. Capital One upheld her complaint regarding customer service failings between 21-28 October 2025 and paid £100 compensation. The ombudsman found that while Capital One's service fell short, the firm acted reasonably in requiring information before giving advice and that the limited options were due to Miss A's lack of income. The ombudsman concluded the £100 compensation was fair and reasonable and did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman acknowledged that Capital One's customer service between 21-28 October 2025 fell short of expectations and that Miss A's distress was exacerbated by having to repeat information and being told a payment plan was not available. However, the ombudsman found that Capital One acted reasonably in requiring information to be provided before giving advice, and that the limited options available were due to Miss A's lack of income rather than Capital One's failings. The ombudsman noted that while Miss A was already distressed due to personal circumstances, Capital One was not responsible for all of her distress. The ombudsman also found that Capital One's initial response to Miss A's financial difficulties (agreeing breathing space) was fair and that the decision to warn of account restriction after the breathing space period ended was reasonable. The ombudsman concluded that the £100 compensation was fair and reasonable given the circumstances.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website