FOS decisions / Credit Card
Credit Card
Financial Ombudsman Service final decisions, reproduced verbatim from the FOS published decisions register.
Decisions
73
Upheld
37
Not upheld
36
Avg redress
£1,175
Upheld complaints (37)
Barclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-6260707A customer is not eligible for promotional points if their account is closed before the points are transferred, regardless of spending requirements being met.
UpheldRedress £75Apr 2026American Express Services Europe Limited
DRN-6258584A consumer is entitled to be restored to the position they would have been in had they received correct information about a key product benefit they specifically requested.
UpheldRedress £300Mar 2026Vanquis Bank Limited
DRN-6258896A financial institution must process account closure requests promptly and accurately, and must not mislead consumers about whether such requests have been actioned.
UpheldMar 2026J.P. Morgan Europe Limited
DRN-6232626Financial institutions must apply fraud-prevention controls fairly and proportionately, taking account of customer circumstances and information available, and cannot reasonably continue to block transactions after manual verification by th
UpheldMar 2026Barclays Bank UK PLC, trading as Tesco Bank
DRN-5734292A financial institution must honour promises made to consumers regarding fee waivers or interest relief, even if the underlying transaction fees were correctly applied under the terms and conditions.
UpheldRedress £2Sept 2025Decision DRN-6108487
A bank should intervene when it identifies compulsive spending patterns, particularly when declining credit facilities that reveal the extent of problematic transactions.
UpheldRedress £28,012Decision DRN-6153826
Goods supplied under a consumer credit conditional sale agreement must be of satisfactory quality, which includes durability, and a reasonable person would expect a brand-new car to be fault-free with trouble-free motoring for a significant
UpheldDecision DRN-6234991
A financial service provider must respond fairly and reasonably when a system failure prevents a customer from accessing services, even when the root cause is beyond their control.
UpheldRedress £150Decision DRN-6267040
A financial services provider is not liable for gambling losses incurred during a delay in activating a gambling block if evidence shows the consumer would have circumvented the block anyway.
UpheldRedress £180Decision DRN-6240793
A lender must not provide credit where the borrower is unlikely to be able to sustainably repay the debt given their financial circumstances.
UpheldDecision DRN-6226204
A lender must carry out proportionate affordability checks that gather sufficient information to understand whether a consumer can sustainably repay open-ended credit facilities without adversely impacting their financial situation.
UpheldDecision DRN-6138151
A supplier of goods under a consumer credit contract must ensure goods are of satisfactory quality, which includes considering durability relative to the goods' age, price, mileage, and condition.
UpheldRedress £150Decision DRN-6232852
A creditor should not increase a customer's credit limit when the customer has exceeded their existing limit in the months preceding the increase, regardless of whether the excess was due to interest charges.
UpheldClydesdale Bank Plc trading as Virgin Money
DRN-6197639A financial institution must handle debt write-off requests fairly by communicating regularly with the consumer and providing timely updates, though the ultimate write-off decision remains a business discretion.
UpheldRedress £150Creation Consumer Finance Ltd
DRN-6020606Credit files must accurately reflect the account status, including periods of reduced payment arrangements and subsequent arrears, in accordance with ICO guidance.
UpheldSantander UK Plc
DRN-6017410A financial institution must take reasonable steps to fully rectify errors it has made, and compensation should fairly reflect the distress, inconvenience and quantifiable losses caused to the consumer.
UpheldRedress £200Clydesdale Bank Plc
DRN-4191741A financial institution must provide sufficiently clear information about changes to transaction classifications and associated fees for consumers to understand their liability.
UpheldHSBC UK Bank Plc
DRN-4252308A bank is not obligated to block credit transfers to spread betting accounts where spread betting is not classified as gambling and the merchant codes used are not gambling codes.
UpheldRedress £150American Express Services Europe Limited
DRN-6123729A lender must clearly inform a customer that late payment markers may be reported to Credit Reference Agencies during an agreed payment break, and if this information is not provided, late payment markers should be removed and the account s
UpheldRedress £100NewDay Ltd
DRN-6255796Lenders must complete reasonable and proportionate affordability checks before increasing credit limits to ensure borrowers can sustain repayments.
UpheldCapital One (Europe) plc
DRN-6068041A financial institution must handle customer queries with reasonable promptness and professionalism, even when the underlying error originates with a third party.
UpheldRedress £120NewDay Limited
DRN-6248084Lenders must carry out reasonable and proportionate affordability checks before providing credit, but are not required to be aware of borrower vulnerabilities not disclosed or evident from credit file searches.
UpheldBarclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-6232221A lender must conduct proportionate affordability checks before granting credit and provide appropriate support when account activity suggests potential financial difficulty.
UpheldRedress £150NewDay Ltd
DRN-6246177A credit card provider is not responsible for notifying a customer that their direct debit instruction has been removed under the dormancy rule, and is entitled to apply interest and charges when payments are subsequently missed.
UpheldNewDay Ltd
DRN-5590230Lenders must make proportionate affordability checks before approving or increasing credit, considering the borrower's income, credit history, and signs of financial difficulty.
UpheldBank of Scotland plc trading as Halifax
DRN-6180604A financial institution must close dormant accounts within the timeframe specified in its notice and provide adequate customer service when responding to complaints about such delays.
UpheldRedress £300Lendable Limited
DRN-6262221Lenders must conduct reasonable and proportionate affordability assessments before providing credit and credit limit increases, considering the borrower's individual circumstances and ability to repay sustainably.
UpheldTSB Bank plc
DRN-6232320A financial institution must communicate clearly with customers about direct debits and payment arrangements, and should compensate fairly for service failures that cause inconvenience.
UpheldRedress £275Capital One (Europe) plc
DRN-6005363A lender must conduct reasonable and proportionate affordability checks to ensure credit is sustainably affordable before lending, which should include obtaining evidence of declared income.
UpheldLloyds Bank PLC
DRN-5700285A lender must carry out proportionate affordability checks before providing credit, considering the customer's ability to repay without financial difficulty.
UpheldNew Day Ltd
DRN-6235489A lender's affordability checks must be proportionate to the circumstances, with less thorough checks acceptable in early lending relationships where the loan amount is modest and the borrower's circumstances appear sound.
UpheldFrasers Group Financial Services Limited
DRN-6171768A consumer's request to close a store card account made within the 14-day cooling-off period should be treated as an effective withdrawal from the credit agreement, even if not expressed in technical legal terminology.
UpheldRedress £80National Westminster Bank PLC
DRN-6194982A bank may restrict card usage for suspected fraud based on its terms and conditions, but must handle the customer communication process fairly and reasonably.
UpheldRedress £150Vanquis Bank Limited
DRN-6045005A firm must follow a consumer's clear instruction to cancel a recurring payment and provide accurate information about payment cancellations.
UpheldRedress £150Vanquis Bank Limited
DRN-6157556A lender must suspend interest and charges when a consumer notifies them of financial difficulties and arrears, and should treat vulnerable consumers fairly when issuing default notices.
UpheldMBNA Limited
DRN-6203370A promissory note has no legal effect to settle a credit card debt, and a creditor is not required to accept one as payment or suspend enforcement activity based on its submission.
UpheldRedress £100NewDay Ltd
DRN-6086442A firm must provide accurate information about its products and handle customer queries with due care, and compensation for distress should reflect the impact on the individual circumstances of the consumer.
UpheldRedress £150
Not-upheld complaints (36)
Barclays Bank UK Plc
DRN-6013703A lender's grace period policy that exempts late payments from credit reporting only applies when the previous payment was made on time, and lenders are not required to apply grace periods to consecutive late payments.
Not upheldApr 2026American Express Services Europe Limited
DRN-6154617A credit card provider may terminate an account without providing reason if the terms and conditions permit it, provided the termination is not retaliatory for a complaint.
Not upheldApr 2025HSBC UK BANK PLC
DRN-6204423Banks are not required to provide payment collection on a specific fixed date each month if their credit card operating model only supports variable billing cycles, provided customers are given sufficient information to understand how the a
Not upheldApr 2025Wise Payments Limited
DRN-6254917A consumer must demonstrate clear evidence of scam or fraud to establish liability for payment loss; an unregulated investment adviser and poor investment outcomes do not alone constitute fraud.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6209956
Lenders must carry out reasonable and proportionate affordability and creditworthiness checks before granting credit to ensure repayments are sustainable.
Not upheldSavvy Loan Products Limited
DRN-6221430A lender's affordability checks must be reasonable and proportionate to the credit offered, and lenders are not required to investigate beyond what applicants declare early in a lending relationship for small short-term loans.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6259611
A lender must carry out proportionate affordability checks before lending, and for revolving credit facilities, must assess whether the credit limit can be repaid within a reasonable period through manageable monthly payments.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6269181
A lender may terminate a hire purchase agreement for arrears even where there have been communication delays, provided the borrower remains responsible for maintaining payments under the agreement.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6088544
A lender is entitled to default and close a credit account when a customer fails to make repayments despite receiving communications about payment obligations and having been offered breathing space support.
Not upheldBarclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-5976351A credit card provider's failure to close an account after balance settlement, while an error, does not entitle a consumer to significant compensation when the account was reported with zero balance and up-to-date payments to credit referen
Not upheldDecision DRN-6139441
A hire purchase agreement's interest rate can be rounded and is notional rather than a primary driver of repayment calculations, which are instead based on total amount payable, cash price, advance payment, and option to purchase fee.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6099398
A card provider should only attempt a chargeback where there is a reasonable prospect of success according to the relevant card scheme rules, and the strict conditions of those rules must be met.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6099063
A lender is not liable for a loan taken in a consumer's name where the consumer was aware of the application, even if they were subject to coercive control, provided the lender had no knowledge of the coercion.
Not upheldBarclays Bank UK PLC trading as Tesco Bank
DRN-6048579A bank may reasonably place a security block on a credit card account when its fraud monitoring system identifies unusual activity, provided it takes reasonable steps to notify the customer.
Not upheldBarclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-6045024A lender may fairly register a default after three months of arrears and is obliged to report accurate information to credit reference agencies, even for vulnerable customers, provided it has engaged sympathetically and offered appropriate
Not upheldBarclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-6055493Lenders must accurately report account status to Credit Reference Agencies when customers fail to make payments in accordance with their obligations, including registering defaults after sustained arrears.
Not upheldNewDay Ltd
DRN-6174689A lender must carry out proportionate affordability checks before approving credit, considering income, credit history, repayment frequency, and personal circumstances, but is not required to verify actual outgoings when checks show low deb
Not upheldClydesdale Bank Plc
DRN-6234681A financial institution is not required to immediately block a credit card account upon closure request if it was unaware of the customer's vulnerability to gambling harm at the time of the request.
Not upheldClydesdale Bank Plc trading as Virgin Money
DRN-6098740A lender must carry out reasonable and proportionate affordability checks before lending to ensure the borrower can sustainably repay the credit.
Not upheldNewDay Ltd
DRN-6018430A lender may default and terminate a credit agreement where there are three or more months of arrears and the borrower fails to meet the terms of a Default Notice.
Not upheldNewDay Ltd
DRN-6259072A lender must report accurate information about payment history to credit reference agencies, regardless of the borrower's personal circumstances.
Not upheldBarclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-5726999A creditor's relationship with a debtor may be unfair under s140A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 if lending decisions were made contrary to applicable rules and regulations at the time.
Not upheldBarclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-6249136A business's error in providing repayment information does not justify extending promotional periods or writing off debt if the consumer retains a reasonable opportunity to repay within the original terms.
Not upheldBarclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-6131025A lender is not obliged to refund payments made to a credit card account; any such refunds are discretionary gestures of goodwill rather than a legal entitlement.
Not upheldCapital One (Europe) plc
DRN-6141044A consumer who agrees to auto-renewal terms and conditions and receives a renewal notice has authorized the recurring charge, even if they later claim they did not understand or could not complete cancellation due to neurodiversity.
Not upheldVanquis Bank Limited
DRN-6172735A lender may register a default on a credit file when contractual payment terms are not met, even if the consumer is maintaining an informal payment arrangement that falls short of those terms.
Not upheldLloyds Bank PLC
DRN-3139694A lender's affordability assessment at the point of credit provision can be reasonably inferred from available financial statements even when the original creditworthiness assessment is not retained.
Not upheldBarclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-6015275A bank is not obliged to offer credit products to a customer, and closing an account does not constitute unlawful blacklisting if the customer remains eligible to apply.
Not upheldLloyds Bank PLC
DRN-6000234A financial institution is not unreasonably at fault for declining to raise chargeback claims for gambling transactions where the chargeback has no reasonable prospect of success under card scheme rules.
Not upheldBarclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-6196499A consumer is not liable for unauthorized credit card transactions unless they consented to them or allowed another person to use their card.
Not upheldBarclaycard Bank Limited
DRN-6209452A lender must carry out proportionate affordability checks to ensure it does not lend irresponsibly, and the overall lending relationship must not be unfair to the debtor under section 140A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Not upheldBarclays Bank PLC
DRN-6238383A creditor's lending relationship with a debtor may be unfair under s140A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 if credit decisions were made without reasonable and proportionate affordability checks.
Not upheldSantander UK Plc
DRN-6087913A creditor's relationship with a debtor may be unfair under s.140A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 if irresponsible lending decisions are made, assessed at the date of hearing or relationship end having regard to the whole history.
Not upheldNewDay Ltd
DRN-6004152Lenders must carry out proportionate affordability checks that are appropriate to the type and amount of credit being offered, and must fairly consider the information obtained to make lending decisions without causing financial harm.
Not upheldNationwide
DRN-6141702A standard offline PIN block security measure is a reasonable safeguard, and a firm is not liable for transaction failures occurring before their systems are reached.
Not upheldBarclays Bank UK PLC
DRN-6117028A creditor must clearly communicate the terms and duration of a payment arrangement, and it is the consumer's responsibility to maintain contact regarding changes in circumstances and address updates.
Not upheld