Upheld: failure to record vulnerability information and provide appropriate support complaint against Bank of Scotland Plc trading as Halifax
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6243066 of 2026-04-07T00:00:00+00:00. failure to record vulnerability information and provide appropriate support complaint against Bank of Scotland Plc trading as Halifax. Outcome: Upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6243066 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-04-07T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Bank of Scotland Plc trading as Halifax |
| Product | current account |
| Claim type | failure to record vulnerability information and provide appropriate support |
| Outcome | Upheld |
| Remedy | Bank of Scotland plc trading as Halifax to pay Mr H £100 compensation for distress and inconvenience caused. Halifax to provide Mr H with guidance on how to share vulnerability information via email, which will be registered on a 'without consent' basis until full process completion. |
Summary
Mr H complained that Halifax failed to record vulnerability information he shared during an online chat between April and December 2024. While the e-chat records were unavailable due to a 13-month retention policy, the ombudsman found that Halifax should have identified Mr H as vulnerable from July 2024 onwards when a solicitor's letter detailed the impact on Mr H's health. Halifax's own complaint notes referenced these health issues but the firm failed to take action to record vulnerabilities or identify necessary adjustments. The ombudsman upheld the complaint and ordered £100 compensation for distress and inconvenience, recommending Mr H use Halifax's email process to register his vulnerabilities going forward.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
While the original e-chat records could not be verified due to the 13-month retention period, the ombudsman found that Halifax should have identified Mr H as vulnerable from July 2024 onwards when the solicitor's letter detailed the health impact on Mr H. The firm's own notes referenced these health issues, which should have triggered a process to record vulnerabilities and identify necessary adjustments. The failure to do so from that point forward caused distress and inconvenience.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of Scotland Plc trading as Halifax, all decisions | 143 | 9% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website