Not upheld: customer service failures, operational errors, accessibility and disability support, DSAR handling delays complaint against Monzo Bank Limited
Financial Ombudsman decision DRN-6383316 of 2026-06-02T00:00:00+00:00. customer service failures, operational errors, accessibility and disability support, DSAR handling delays complaint against Monzo Bank Limited. Outcome: Not upheld.
Decision detail
| Reference | DRN-6383316 |
|---|---|
| Decision date | 2026-06-02T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Firm | Monzo Bank Limited |
| Product | current account |
| Claim type | customer service failures, operational errors, accessibility and disability support, DSAR handling delays |
| Outcome | Not upheld |
| Remedy | £165 compensation paid by Monzo directly into Ms B's account. System note added to flag that Monzo should attempt telephone verification for Ms B wherever possible. |
Summary
Ms B, representing a business account with Monzo Bank Limited, complained about multiple service failures over 18 months including three replacement debit card requests due to worn numbers, significant delays in responding to a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) with incomplete information, poor live chat support, failure to provide requested callbacks, and inadequate accommodation of her disability-related needs. Monzo acknowledged making mistakes, apologized, and offered £165 in compensation. The ombudsman found that while Monzo could have performed better in several areas, the firm's response was reasonable and the compensation fair, and therefore did not uphold the complaint.
The Ombudsman's reasoning
The ombudsman acknowledged that Monzo made multiple mistakes including poor DSAR handling, inadequate communication about self-service card ordering, failure to consistently provide requested callbacks, and not adapting sufficiently to Ms B's specific needs. However, the ombudsman found that Monzo's response—accepting the mistakes, apologizing, and offering £165 compensation—was reasonable. The ombudsman determined that while Monzo could have done better on several points (particularly DSAR delays and communication), the firm's standard procedures and legal compliance under the Equality Act 2010 were adequate, and the compensation fairly reflected the inconvenience caused.
How this compares
| Group | Decisions | Uphold rate |
|---|---|---|
| Monzo Bank Limited, all decisions | 170 | 11% |
Source
Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website