Metro Bank faced a significant technical failure this morning that saw customer payments processed twice, plunging some account holders into negative balances and leaving them unable to access their funds.
The banking glitch, which struck during the early hours, triggered a wave of complaints from frustrated customers who discovered their transactions had been duplicated without warning. The disruption affected both incoming and outgoing payments, with the problem beginning around 6am.
Angry customers took to social media to express their frustration at the banking failure. Writing on Facebook, one account holder revealed the scale of the problem affecting multiple people. Anyone having issues with Metro Bank this morning? I’ve had all my money taken and same with some friends and family,” they wrote.
The technical failure left numerous customers facing serious financial difficulties. One person posted on X.com asking: “What on earth is going on with the app this morning and why is my balance showing -£99?”
The real-world consequences of the outage quickly became apparent, with some customers left unable to buy basic necessities. A third user explained the impact on their household: “My partners got the same issue and he’s out working 14 hours without any food & can’t buy any.”
Another frustrated account holder described how every transaction in their account had been charged twice. “What is going on? All my transactions duplicated and is leaving me in minus/no access to funds,” they complained.
The severity of the disruption extended beyond mere inconvenience for some customers. One person revealed they had been forced to miss a day’s employment because of the banking failure, condemning the situation as “completely unacceptable”.
Metro Bank’s official service status page acknowledged the widespread problems earlier today. “Our payment services are currently unavailable. We’re working to fix the problem and have them up and running as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you,” the message stated.
The bank warned customers they would be unable to transfer money to other accounts whilst the technical issues persisted. Staff also confirmed they were experiencing exceptionally high call volumes as worried customers attempted to reach their helplines for assistance.
Approximately 100 complaints were logged on DownDetector, a website that monitors service outages across various platforms. The reports began flooding in from around 6am as customers woke to discover their accounts in disarray.
By late morning, Metro Bank confirmed the immediate crisis had been resolved, though warned of ongoing delays. A spokesperson for the lender said: “We experienced a short delay affecting inbound and outbound payments earlier this morning. This was resolved and customers can currently make payments as usual.”
However, the bank acknowledged the backlog of transactions would take time to clear. “Some customers may see delays while we process these earlier payments, we are prioritising this and working hard to minimise impact. We apologise for any inconvenience,” the spokesperson added.
Claiming Compensation for Banking Outages
Banks are not automatically required to compensate customers when service disruptions occur. However, account holders who have suffered direct financial losses as a result of an outage have strong grounds to claim reimbursement.
Customers who incurred costs during the failure should keep detailed records. This includes anyone who lost wages, such as the Metro Bank customer who missed a day’s work, or those who faced penalty charges after payments failed to reach creditors on time.
If a missed bill payment resulted in late fees or damage to your credit score, documentation of these consequences strengthens any compensation claim. Keep records of all conversations with bank staff, including names, dates, and the advice provided.
Anyone affected should gather evidence of their losses before submitting a formal complaint through the bank’s official complaints procedure. Details of how to lodge a complaint can typically be found on the bank’s website.
Escalating Unresolved Complaints
Customers dissatisfied with their bank’s response can escalate matters to the Financial Ombudsman Service, an independent organisation with the authority to make binding decisions on financial disputes.
The FOS can become involved 15 days after a complaint has been raised with the bank directly. The service examines evidence from both parties before reaching an impartial conclusion about appropriate action.
In cases involving IT system failures, the Ombudsman assesses whether customers suffered measurable losses directly caused by the outage. If proven, the FOS possesses powers to order banks to refund fees, charges, and penalties customers incurred.
This could cover situations where customers were unable to make credit card payments, mortgage instalments, or other critical financial commitments due to the technical failure.
The Ombudsman may also instruct banks to compensate customers for lost earnings, such as interest that would have been earned on deposits if the system had been functioning properly. Credit file corrections can be mandated if credit scores were negatively affected.
Additionally, the FOS can order reimbursement for expenses customers incurred whilst trying to resolve the problem, including telephone charges and travel costs to physical branches. Payments for general inconvenience and distress may also be awarded depending on the circumstances.
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Image Credit:
Metro Bank, Paradise Street — photo by Phil Nash, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
