Partially upheld: account closure and data subject access request compliance complaint against Santander UK Plc

Decision detail

Summary

Mr F complained that Santander blocked and closed his personal accounts after he refused to complete KYC checks, and that Santander failed to fully comply with his DSAR by providing incomplete call logs and unnecessary documents. The ombudsman found Santander was entitled to block the accounts due to Mr F's non-compliance with KYC requirements and to close the remaining accounts in line with its legal obligations and account terms. Regarding the DSAR, while the call log was incomplete, Santander provided the calls Mr F requested including the disputed 19 April 2025 call, and the omission appeared to be an oversight. The complaint was partially upheld with £50 compensation awarded for the incomplete call log.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

Santander has legal and regulatory obligations to monitor accounts and verify customer information on an ongoing basis. The firm was entitled to block accounts when Mr F failed to provide required KYC information and to close accounts when Mr F refused to cooperate. The block did not cause undue delay as Mr F stated his intention to close accounts on the same day they were blocked and proceeded to do so within weeks. Regarding the DSAR, while the call log was incomplete, Santander conducted thorough searches and provided the calls Mr F requested, including the 19 April 2025 call. The inclusion of additional documents was not unreasonable given the broad nature of the request.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website