Not upheld: account restrictions and service failures complaint against HSBC UK Bank Plc
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6228429 of 2026-04-02T00:00:00+00:00. account restrictions and service failures complaint against HSBC UK Bank Plc. Outcome: Not upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6228429 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-04-02T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | HSBC UK Bank Plc |
| Product | current account |
| Claim type | account restrictions and service failures |
| Outcome | Not upheld |
| Remedy | No additional remedy ordered. HSBC's payment of £75 was deemed sufficient. |
Summary
Miss C complained about account blocks and restrictions applied by HSBC, which were incorrectly maintained due to an incomplete internal process. The bank had also failed to provide a promised return call and had given incorrect information about Global Money account documents being available online. HSBC acknowledged these failures and paid Miss C £75 in compensation. The ombudsman found this payment sufficient and did not uphold the complaint, rejecting Miss C's assertion that the bank was obligated to produce all relevant documents to the FOS.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman applied the FOS's flexible approach to evidence, noting that the service is not bound by court rules of evidence and that it is primarily for the ombudsman to decide what evidence is needed. The ombudsman was satisfied that HSBC had acknowledged its errors, that access to accounts had been restored, and that the £75 payment was proportionate compensation for the service failures. While the bank had provided incorrect information about Global Money account documents, the ombudsman was not persuaded this error merited additional compensation beyond what had already been offered.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| HSBC UK Bank Plc, all decisions | 7,532 | 23% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website