complaint
Ms T complains that charges applied by Santander UK Plc to her bank accounts have
contributed to her experience of financial hardship. She seeks a full refund of these charges,
or an appropriate alternative remedy.
background
Ms T says she first approached Santander for assistance in late 2008 – when her personal,
employment and financial circumstances changed – but found them unhelpful. She says that
she contacted the bank on several occasions subsequently and, in July 2012, she made a
written complaint. She told the bank that she was in financial difficulties and sought a refund
of fees and charges for the previous four years. Santander responded on 21 July by waiving
charges applied in June 2012, and due to be applied in July and September.
Ms T has two accounts. Santander’s response helped one account to return to credit, and it
was not used again after July 2012. The second account was in credit on 21 July, but moved
into deficit on 28 August, and was £402.99 in deficit on 26 December. Ms T agreed a
repayment plan with the bank’s Collections team in December, and the account is no longer
being used.
Santander says that, although it agrees there have been a series of contacts with Ms T since
2008, she did not mention her financial difficulties until July 2012. It reviewed its response in
January 2013 and offered, as a goodwill gesture, to clear the outstanding balance on her
second account and then to close both accounts.
Our adjudicator considered this offer to be reasonable. She noted that, while Santander is
expected to respond positively and sympathetically to cases of financial difficulty, it is not
obliged to refund any charges or to prevent further charges being applied. Ms T disagreed
saying that the bank had not helped her sufficiently, and had contributed to her suffering
stress and other illness.
my findings
I have considered all the available evidence and arguments, in order to decide what is fair
and reasonable in the circumstances of this complaint. I sympathise with Ms T, but I find that
I have come to the same conclusion as our adjudicator, for exactly the same reasons.
my final decision
My decision is that Santander UK Plc should clear the outstanding balance on Ms T’s
second account.
Roy Mawford
ombudsman
Ms T complains that charges applied by Santander UK Plc to her bank accounts have
contributed to her experience of financial hardship. She seeks a full refund of these charges,
or an appropriate alternative remedy.
background
Ms T says she first approached Santander for assistance in late 2008 – when her personal,
employment and financial circumstances changed – but found them unhelpful. She says that
she contacted the bank on several occasions subsequently and, in July 2012, she made a
written complaint. She told the bank that she was in financial difficulties and sought a refund
of fees and charges for the previous four years. Santander responded on 21 July by waiving
charges applied in June 2012, and due to be applied in July and September.
Ms T has two accounts. Santander’s response helped one account to return to credit, and it
was not used again after July 2012. The second account was in credit on 21 July, but moved
into deficit on 28 August, and was £402.99 in deficit on 26 December. Ms T agreed a
repayment plan with the bank’s Collections team in December, and the account is no longer
being used.
Santander says that, although it agrees there have been a series of contacts with Ms T since
2008, she did not mention her financial difficulties until July 2012. It reviewed its response in
January 2013 and offered, as a goodwill gesture, to clear the outstanding balance on her
second account and then to close both accounts.
Our adjudicator considered this offer to be reasonable. She noted that, while Santander is
expected to respond positively and sympathetically to cases of financial difficulty, it is not
obliged to refund any charges or to prevent further charges being applied. Ms T disagreed
saying that the bank had not helped her sufficiently, and had contributed to her suffering
stress and other illness.
my findings
I have considered all the available evidence and arguments, in order to decide what is fair
and reasonable in the circumstances of this complaint. I sympathise with Ms T, but I find that
I have come to the same conclusion as our adjudicator, for exactly the same reasons.
my final decision
My decision is that Santander UK Plc should clear the outstanding balance on Ms T’s
second account.
Roy Mawford
ombudsman