HSBC down updates — Thousands of customers left furious as ‘online banking goes down’ following major bank app outage

What happens if HSBC refuses to compensate me?

If you’re unhappy with how the bank dealt with your problem, you can contact the free Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

It is an independent body which will look at the evidence you present, and make a fair decision about the action a bank should take.

The FOS can usually get involved 15 days after you’ve raised concerns with the bank.

In the case of an IT system outage at a bank, the FOS says any compensation depends on your circumstances and whether you lost out as a result.

If it thinks you did, then it has the power to tell the bank to reimburse any fees, charges or fines you were hit with, for example if you were unable to make a payment for a credit card bill or to your mortgage provider.

It could also tell a bank to pay you for any money you didn't receive, such as interest, if you weren't able to pay money in.

If your credit score was affected, it may tell the bank to correct your credit file.

The FOS might also tell the bank to reimburse you for any extra costs you had to make, such as phone calls or trips to your local branch, as well as a payment for any inconvenience it caused.

Customers still facing issues

According to DownDetector, customers are still facing issues with their online banking.

Over 500 users are still reporting problems despite HSBC claiming to services have resumed to "normal".

Can I claim compensation for an outage?

Banks aren't obliged to pay compensation to customers if there's been an outage or if they've experienced technical issues.

But you might be entitled to some money back depending on how much the disruption affected you.

You'll have to present evidence of how the outage negatively affected you, including any extra costs incurred through possible late payment fees.

You should make a note of when you were unable to access the services and the names of the people you spoke to at the company that suffered the outage.

You can find more detail about how to complain to Santander on its website.

If your bank doesn't resolve any complaint, you can take your case up with the Financial Ombudsman Service.

It is an independent body which will resolve any issues based on what it thinks is "fair and reasonable" depending on the circumstances of the case.

The service can resolve your issue over the phone, by email or by post depending on what best suits you.

In the case of an IT system outage at a bank, the FOS says any compensation you may receive will be dependent on your circumstances and whether you lost any money as a result.

If it finds the bank was at fault, you may see any fees, charges or fines reimbursed.

Users rage as banking app faces outage

One person on Twitter said: "HSBC what's going on? Can't access the app - ' service unavailable.'

A second wrote: "HSBC nothing working online or app for HSBC. Not ideal."

A third complained: "@HSBC_UK what's wrong with HSBC App and website?"

What issues are customers facing?

Thousands of users have reported issues with the bank on DownDetector this morning.

According to the site, around 57% of issues reported are in relation to mobile banking.

Elsewhere, 28% of issues are associated with online banking.

How can I check if HSBC is down?

HSBC has a dedicated web page where you can check the status of its various services, including mobile, telephone and internet banking, and its ATMs.

Banks often update their customers on social media, so definitely check out HSBC's Facebook and Twitter pages for updates.

You can also check websites such as Down Detector, which will tell you whether other people are experiencing problems with a particular company online.

What should I do if I can't access my money online?

In the first instance, HSBC encourages you to contact it via Twitter.

But if you urgently need access to your money, go to your local HSBC branch. You can find your local branch using its store locator.

If you don’t have a local bank branch nearby or don't have transport to get to it, you can try and contact the bank and ask for its guidance on what to do.

There are more details about how to contact HSBC on its website here.

Is internet and mobile banking safe?

Internet and mobile banking is a more convenient way to manage your money and is generally safe as long as you keep your details secure.

Banks and building societies have plenty of processes to keep their websites and apps secure or they could get in trouble with the Financial Conduct Authority.

Their websites are encrypted so only you can view your account page and they are programmed to time out after a period of inactivity.

They will have strict login processes that may require a card reader or sending a code to your mobile phone.

There are steps you can take such as setting up a login and password that cannot be easily guessed and only logging into your account from a secure and private wi-fi connection.

Also, check who you are transferring money to and ensure they are legitimate.

The rise of online banking has also encouraged scammers to try to dupe account holders with emails and text messages.

Always check details with your bank separately.

The main providers also offer a service that verifies the details of someone you are transferring money to, which gives you an extra layer of security and ensures that person or company is genuine.

Is HSBC down?

Hundreds of customers at a major bank are locked out of online banking.

Access to HSBC online banking is down according to customers who have complained on social media.

Problems started shortly after 10am, according to Downdetector which logs outages, with more than 3,000 reports of issues.