Not upheld: Investment mis-selling complaint against TSB Bank plc

Decision detail

Summary

Mr T applied for a credit card online in August 2025 and claims he applied for a Platinum 0% Purchase Credit Card expecting 19-25 months interest-free on purchases, but received a Balance Transfer Card with only 3 months 0% interest on purchases instead. When charged interest in December 2025, Mr T complained to TSB and subsequently to the FOS. The ombudsman reviewed the TSB website, application evidence, and documentation presented during the application process and found that the Balance Transfer Card and Purchase Card were clearly distinguished, and that the pre-contract information and terms and conditions made clear Mr T was applying for a Balance Transfer Card with 3 months 0% on purchases. The complaint was not upheld as the ombudsman was satisfied that Mr T applied for the Balance Transfer Card and that TSB correctly charged interest in accordance with the agreed terms.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman reviewed the TSB website and found that the Balance Transfer Card and Purchase Card were clearly identified as separate products in distinct boxes. The ombudsman examined the documents presented to Mr T during the application process and found that the pre-contract information sheet and terms and conditions specifically referred to the Balance Transfer Card and stated 0% interest on purchases for 3 months. TSB's evidence showed that Mr T had applied for a Balance Transfer Card, not a Purchase Card. The ombudsman concluded that the information was sufficiently clear and that Mr T should have reviewed the documents before confirming he had read them.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website