Not upheld: disputed cash withdrawal amount complaint against Lloyds Bank Plc

Decision detail

Summary

E complained that Lloyds Bank failed to provide the full £30,000 in cash they withdrew in April 2025, claiming they only received £15,000 when they counted the bundles in August 2025. Lloyds investigated and declined reimbursement, finding no discrepancies in their records or with the cash delivery firm. The ombudsman upheld Lloyds' decision, finding that the bank had followed proper procedures and that the substantial four-month delay between withdrawal and complaint, combined with the funds being in E's possession during that time, made it more likely than not that the cash was provided correctly by Lloyds.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman applied the principle that banks must demonstrate cash withdrawals were handled in line with usual processes. Lloyds provided evidence of proper procedures, no branch discrepancies, and no issues with the cash delivery firm. The critical factor was the substantial time gap between withdrawal (April 2025) and complaint (August 2025), during which the funds were in E's possession. This made it less likely any shortfall was due to Lloyds' actions. E had the opportunity to count the cash at the branch but chose not to, and only reported the issue months later.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website