Not upheld: unclear account opening process and credit search disclosure complaint against Barclays Bank UK Plc

Decision detail

Summary

Miss S complained that Barclays' process for adding the Blue Rewards package to her account was unclear, resulting in her unknowingly opening a new account via the mobile app rather than upgrading her existing account. She was concerned that the resulting credit search would negatively impact her mortgage application. Barclays explained that her basic current account was not eligible for the Blue Rewards package and that a new account was required. The ombudsman reviewed the account opening journey and found that Barclays clearly disclosed the need for a new account and the credit check at multiple stages, including in the terms and conditions, eligibility screens, and consent requests. The ombudsman concluded that Miss S had sufficient information to make an informed choice and upheld Barclays' position, noting that Miss S provided no evidence of actual financial harm from the credit search.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Barclays provided clear information at multiple stages of the process: the Blue Rewards terms and conditions clearly stated eligibility criteria, the account opening journey showed an eligibility screen explicitly mentioning a credit check, and a pop-up requesting consent for the credit check appeared before the application could proceed. Although Miss S did not intend to open a new account, the ombudsman concluded she had all the information needed to make an informed choice. The ombudsman noted that while Miss S expressed concern about financial detriment from the credit search, she provided no evidence of actual harm.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website