Not upheld: Account administration errors complaint against American Express Services Europe Limited (AESEL)

Decision detail

Summary

Mr D complained that American Express unfairly applied interest to his credit card account following a late payment he attributed to technical issues with the online login system on 7 November 2025. AESEL rejected the complaint, stating no technical issues were reported on that date and that the interest was applied in accordance with the account terms. The ombudsman found insufficient evidence of technical issues, noting that AESEL's records showed no reported problems and Mr D's screenshot did not demonstrate any login errors. The ombudsman also noted that alternative payment methods were available and Mr D had ample time to check his payment requirement before the due date. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found insufficient evidence of technical issues preventing payment on the due date. AESEL's records showed no reported system issues on 7 November 2025, and the screenshot provided by Mr D did not demonstrate any login errors. Even if technical issues had occurred, alternative payment methods were available (manual bank transfer or phone payment). Mr D had ample time to check his payment requirement before the due date, and the interest was applied in accordance with the account terms and conditions.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website