Not upheld: customer service and complaint handling complaint against National Westminster Bank Plc (NatWest)
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6255811 of 2026-06-08T00:00:00+00:00. customer service and complaint handling complaint against National Westminster Bank Plc (NatWest). Outcome: Not upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6255811 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-08T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | National Westminster Bank Plc (NatWest) |
| Product | Personal loan |
| Claim type | customer service and complaint handling |
| Outcome | Not upheld |
| Remedy | None. The complaint was not upheld. |
Summary
Mr F complained about NatWest's customer service after experiencing difficulty setting up online banking for a migrated loan, and subsequently about how his complaint was handled, including delays beyond 56 days and concerns about a data breach. The ombudsman found that NatWest appropriately resolved Mr F's initial issue and offered suitable signposting for his general enquiry, which Mr F declined. The ombudsman determined that complaints about complaint handling procedures fall outside FOS jurisdiction and found no evidence of a data breach. The complaint was not upheld.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman found that NatWest's initial customer service was fair and appropriate, as Mr F's specific issue (online banking setup) was resolved and he was signposted to another team for his general enquiry. Regarding complaint handling, the ombudsman determined that complaints about how a complaint was handled do not fall within FOS jurisdiction as they do not relate to a financial service. The ombudsman also found no data breach, as NatWest's records contained Mr F's correct details.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| National Westminster Bank Plc (NatWest), all decisions | 4 | 25% |
| Personal loan, all decisions | 22,070 | 30% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website