Not upheld: Account administration errors complaint against Barclays Bank UK PLC

Decision detail

Summary

Miss G complained that Barclays Bank UK PLC provided poor service after her passport was stolen in April 2023, leaving her without valid identification until July 2023. She claimed to have visited a branch with cash for payments and received assurances that identity theft protocols would be applied and escalation activity suspended, but alleged these were not implemented and a default was subsequently applied. Barclays declined to make a cash deposit without re-verified identification and argued it had no wider responsibilities beyond advising of payment methods. The ombudsman found no evidence of the claimed April 2023 branch visit in Barclays' records and determined that requesting re-verified identification following loss of ID was reasonable and consistent with regulatory duties, ultimately not upholding the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found no persuasive evidence to support Miss G's account of events, particularly regarding the April 2023 branch visit and assurances allegedly given. Where conflicting accounts exist, the ombudsman requires persuasive evidence to uphold a complaint. The ombudsman agreed with Barclays that requesting re-verified identification when previous ID has been lost or expired is reasonable and consistent with regulatory duties to protect customer accounts. The ombudsman found no evidence that Miss G requested information about alternative payment methods or that Barclays failed to provide appropriate safeguards.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website