Upheld: service failure and lack of empathetic support in emergency situation complaint against Revolut Ltd

Decision detail

Summary

Mr O complained about Revolut's service after being robbed while abroad in May 2025. His account was overdrawn due to an unpaid premium fee from September 2024, and when he requested a replacement debit card, Revolut refused until the account was brought into credit. Although emergency funds of £200 were subsequently deposited, Mr O claimed Revolut failed to provide adequate support during his emergency situation. The ombudsman upheld the complaint, finding that while Revolut's actions were not unreasonable, it could have shown more empathetic support, particularly once funds became available. The ombudsman awarded £150 compensation but rejected Mr O's claim that Revolut was responsible for him remaining abroad longer than expected.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

While Revolut's initial refusal to order a replacement card was technically correct given the overdrawn account, the ombudsman found that Revolut could have shown more empathetic and considered support when funds became available on 4 June 2025. The ombudsman noted that Revolut's responses involved repetitive conversation that did not help Mr O move forward during a stressful period. However, the ombudsman was not persuaded this lack of support caused substantial harm because Mr O was able to access emergency funds by transferring them to another account, and Revolut later refunded the £14.99 charge. The ombudsman rejected Mr O's claim that Revolut was responsible for him remaining abroad longer than expected.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website