Not upheld: unauthorized account changes / administrative error complaint against Santander UK Plc
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6235073 of 2026-04-15T00:00:00+00:00. unauthorized account changes / administrative error complaint against Santander UK Plc. Outcome: Not upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6235073 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-04-15T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Santander UK Plc |
| Product | current account |
| Claim type | unauthorized account changes / administrative error |
| Outcome | Not upheld |
| Remedy | £100 compensation already paid by Santander; no additional remedy ordered |
Summary
Mr and Mrs R complained that Santander changed their registered mobile number without authorization. The bank investigated and found the change resulted from an agent error when processing details from a linked account, ruling out fraud. Santander apologized, corrected the error, and paid £100 compensation. Mr and Mrs R believed this was insufficient given the gravity and impact of the mistake. The ombudsman reviewed call recordings and concluded that Santander's response was reasonable and proportionate, declining to uphold the complaint or order additional compensation.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that while the unauthorized change should not have occurred, Santander took reasonable steps upon being notified, including providing explanation, sincere apologies, correcting the error, and paying £100 compensation. The ombudsman considered the length of calls and overall timeline and concluded the compensation was fair when combined with the apology. No evidence of fraud or ongoing security risk was identified.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Santander UK Plc, all decisions | 14,445 | 22% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website