Not upheld: account closure / failure to provide requested information complaint against Starling Bank Limited

Decision detail

Summary

Mr T complained that Starling Bank closed his account prematurely after requesting bank statements from two other banks (M and L). Starling requested these statements on 30 July and 31 July 2025 as part of its regulatory monitoring obligations, and closed the account on 13 August 2025 with seven days' notice. Mr T argued he was still obtaining the statements, particularly from M which was closed and could only send them by post. The ombudsman found that Starling was entitled to request the information and close the account in accordance with its terms and conditions, that Mr T failed to provide L's statements despite having access via app, and that no specified deadline had been agreed. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

Starling has strict legal and regulatory requirements to monitor accounts and is entitled to set its own risk criteria and request supporting information. The bank's request for bank statements was not uncommon or unfair. Mr T failed to provide L's statements despite having access via the mobile app, and no persuasive reason was given for this failure. Starling provided seven days' notice of closure, which is not unreasonably short. No specified period was agreed between the parties for keeping the account open. Even if Mr T had been given more time, the statements he later provided would not have satisfied Starling's concerns.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website