Not upheld: dispute handling and customer service complaint against Co-Operative Bank P.L.C.

Decision detail

Summary

Mr K complained to Co-op about three disputed transactions: a £50 PlayStation 4 purchased from a friend which he claimed was faulty, and £7.51 and £4.84 transactions to McDonald's and eBay for items he claimed not to have received. Co-op declined to refund the PlayStation 4 as a civil dispute and refunded the other two amounts on 24 November 2025. Mr K disputed that Co-op made the refunds and complained about poor customer service. The ombudsman found that Co-op correctly handled all disputes, provided professional customer service, and did not act wrongly. The complaint was not upheld and no remedy was ordered.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Co-op correctly declined the PlayStation 4 refund as it was a civil dispute between friends with no chargeback rights available. The ombudsman accepted Co-op's evidence that the McDonald's and eBay refunds were issued on 24 November 2025, rejecting Mr K's claim that he made the credits himself. The ombudsman reviewed the telephone call recordings and found the Co-op agents were professional, affable, and supportive, with correct advice given regarding the 15-day dispute window and the unlikely success of the PlayStation 4 claim.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website