A Dundee couple have revealed how hopes of landing their dream home were put hold by an ongoing IT crisis at one of the country’s biggest banks.
Kimberley Logan, 23, and her partner Shaun Donald, 25, were told by TSB they were unable to access an account or set up any new lending, despite a looming deadline to finalise all payments for the property by Friday.
Local tellers have reportedly also been told no further borrowing will be done by TSB branches until next month, despite growing outrage from customers over the way the “upgrade” to its banking systems has been managed.
Mr Donald, who is an existing customer with the bank, had been trying to secure finance since last week and spent Tuesday and Wednesday dealing with staff at one of the company’s Dundee branches.
Ms Logan said: “My partner was back in the branch yesterday to set up a loan but they said they wouldn’t let us until next week and now we can’t get on to online banking again.
“We’ve been trying to sort it out since last week and they’ve told him to go back next Friday instead, as they can’t deal with a loan right now due to the systems.”
The couple have now been forced to scramble to borrow funds from family members to try and avoid missing out on the property but questions remain over how the bank will address thousands of other customers locked out of their accounts.
TSB has continued to provide limited access to online banking in an attempt to manage the scale of traffic using their systems – despite promises that issues with the botched IT upgrade had been resolved.
Mike Begg, director at Dundee-based Beat the Banks, said he believes people impacted financially are “definitely” entitled to compensation.
“I can tell you that customers continue not to have access to their business banking – they can not make payments or pay wages,” he said.
“Branches have also been told that the issues mean that they will be unable to provide any lending until after the end of this month.”
A spokeswoman for TSB confirmed an investigation would be launched into Mr Donald’s case.
Chief executive Paul Pester has promised to provide redress for any customers left financially worse of as a result the IT crisis.
He said: “Of course, customers can rest assured that no one will be left out of pocket as a result of these service issues.”
