Not upheld: Card / payment disputes complaint against Aldermore Bank PLC

Decision detail

Summary

D, a company represented by director Mr S, complained that Aldermore Bank PLC failed to advise it could amend bank details in time for pension contributions before the tax year ended. Mr S requested the update on 26 November 2025, was advised it would take until 5:00-6:00 pm on 28 November, but Aldermore completed it by 1:40 pm and sent an email notification. Mr S did not see the email until after 2:00 pm as he had gone to lunch without his phone. The ombudsman found Aldermore acted fairly by completing the task faster than promised and providing appropriate notification, and that Mr S bore responsibility for the timing risk given his prior knowledge of the process duration.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Aldermore provided clear, fair and not misleading information. The bank completed the amendment faster than the standard timeframe it had advised, and promptly notified Mr S by email. The ombudsman considered it important not to give false hope that exceptions could be made. Mr S was responsible for organising the pension contributions and was aware from previous experience that the process takes time. Leaving the request until a couple of days before the tax year end was a risk Mr S took. The ombudsman found Mr S's failure to check his email after going to lunch was not Aldermore's responsibility.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website