TSB Bank plc · DRN-6128044

The complaint Mr H complains that TSB Bank plc (TSB) didn’t honour the switch incentive after he opened his account. He states he was unable to complete his application to switch his account, as he didn’t receive the required credentials to log in and complete this before the offer was withdrawn. What happened Mr H saw an incentive offer that involved him applying for a new TSB Spend & Save account and then switching his account using the current account switch service. This offer was being withdrawn on 8 September, and Mr H started his application on 5 September. Mr H was successful in his application and received a welcome email, this confirmed when he will receive his debit card and the benefits of his account. It also advised if he wants to switch, he needs to log into internet banking. Mr H then tried to log into internet banking, but it required an access code that was sent out in the post. He states he didn’t receive this until 16 September, after the offer was withdrawn. Mr H raised this as a formal complaint to TSB. It stated no error had been made as Mr H didn’t have to log into internet banking to complete the switch, and this could have been done through the website. As the switch wasn’t requested before the offer was withdrawn, it was unable to honour the incentive. Mr H remained unhappy with this outcome, brought his complaint to our service and an investigator looked into things. The investigator didn’t uphold Mr H’s complaint, confirming the switch form is accessible without login requirements and that Mr H didn’t contact TSB for clarification when he was unsure how to request the switch. Mr H was unhappy with this response, he stated he still required a sort code and account number to start the switch and TSB hadn’t provided these. He also confirmed that his welcome email states that the switch is started through internet banking. The investigator asked TSB for further information following these points and sent a further view confirming they are not asking TSB to take any action. TSB said Mr H was aware he only had three days until the switch offer was withdrawn but still applied for this. It also said the account details he needed will have been displayed at the end of his application, and

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TSB had confirmed there hadn’t been system issues preventing these being displayed. Mr H remained unhappy with this outcome and asked for an ombudsman to decide things. In my recent provisional decision, I said: ‘I can confirm Mr H didn’t start the switch application within the required time limit. So, I understand why TSB advised Mr H wasn’t eligible for the incentive. The terms and conditions for the incentive clearly state the switch needed to be submitted before 8 September, but I don’t think Mr H is disputing this. Mr H received a welcome email from TSB following his application, and this email states he would need to log in to internet banking to complete his switch. When Mr H tried to do this, he couldn’t access his account as he required an activation code. TSB sent this activation code by post. Mr H completed his application on a Friday, and the offer was withdrawn at midnight on the Monday, three days later. I don’t think TSB did anything wrong in sending this in the post, but in this circumstance, I think it was unlikely Mr H was ever going to receive this letter before the offer was withdrawn. TSB have confirmed that Mr H could have started the switch process without internet banking. The terms and conditions state Mr H could submit this request through the website or in branch. Mr H’s closest branch is 25 miles away, closes at 4.00pm on Friday’s and isn’t open on a Saturday. I think it would have been difficult for Mr H to have visited a branch to complete the switch based on this. To complete the switch on the website, it requires the sort code and account number of the newly opened TSB account. The website displays this message when attempting to process the switch: ‘Please enter the sort code of the TSB account you wish to switch to. If you have just opened a TSB account and don't have these details yet, please wait until your TSB account details arrive and switch later.’ I think it’s reasonable for Mr H to wait to receive the details following this. Mr H stated when he completed the application, a pop-up window that should have contained the account information failed to open, and he only received the account number and sort code when he received the activation code in the post. TSB advised there had been no known system issues reported regarding this, and they had no call records from Mr H to confirm he had raised this. I don’t think Mr H called TSB to ask for these details, but I don’t think Mr H thought he needed to. TSB have confirmed the account number and sort code is displayed at the end of the application but haven’t provided a screenshot of this. I think this would have displayed the details; however, I can’t determine whether this would have made it clear Mr H should take a

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copy of these details in case he requires them. Mr H’s welcome email doesn’t contain his sort code or account number, so after the application was closed, Mr H wouldn’t have been able to view these details unless he’d noted them down. I don’t think he did this, as he didn’t expect to need these details. Furthermore, Mr H met all the required steps for the switch incentive with the exception of the switch request application we have focussed on within this complaint. This included making five debit card payments and logging onto his internet banking. Based on this, I am persuaded that Mr H completed the steps necessary for the first incentive offer and thought he would be eligible for this. In resolution to his complaint, Mr H asked for full compensation for the incentive – however this was broken down into three offers. Mr H has since switched his account from TSB to another bank, and this means offer two and three of the switch incentive can’t be reviewed. The switching process in the terms and conditions for the switch incentive are different to what Mr H had been advised in his welcome email. Based on this, I think it’s reasonable for Mr H to have followed the welcome email as he received this following his account application. I acknowledge the terms and conditions supplied by TSB confirm the withdrawal date of the incentive. However, I think it’s reasonable for Mr H to expect to start his switch ahead of the withdrawal date as the incentive was still being advertised. I think Mr H followed the instructions provided by TSB in his welcome email and these were different to the terms and conditions for the switch incentive. Due to this, I think a payment of £100 is fair to compensate for this.’ Responses to my provisional decision TSB didn’t agree with my provisional decision. It provided a screenshot to demonstrate Mr H’s sort code and account number were displayed at the end of the account application process. It also stated Mr H had applied for an overdraft which showed his sort code and account number. Mr H didn’t respond to my provisional decision. What I’ve decided – and why I’ve considered all the available evidence and arguments to decide what’s fair and reasonable in the circumstances of this complaint. Within my provisional decision, I confirmed the instructions Mr H received in his welcome email were different to the terms and conditions for the switch incentive, and I thought it was reasonable for Mr H to follow the welcome email instructions. As a result, I said I was likely to ask TSB to pay £100 to compensate for this and I don’t think the response from TSB changes this. TSB supplied a screenshot to demonstrate the sort code and account number were displayed at the end of Mr H’s application. I acknowledged this within my provisional

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decision, and I don’t think this made it clear to Mr H he should take a copy of these details. It also provided a copy of an overdraft application for Mr H. This doesn’t confirm whether this was applied for separately or as part of the account opening, nor demonstrate if this was sent to Mr H. Due to this, I am satisfied that my provisional decision can now become my final decision. My final decision My final decision is that I uphold this complaint, and TSB should pay Mr H £100 compensation. Under the rules of the Financial Ombudsman Service, I’m required to ask Mr H to accept or reject my decision before 20 April 2026. Hannah Edmondson Ombudsman

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