NOT being able to access your online banking can be really frustrating, but what can you do if you are a Lloyds Banking Group customer and its brands’ websites or apps crash?
We explain what to do if Lloyds Bank, Halifax or Bank of Scotland go down – and whether you’re due compensation.
How can I check if Lloyds Bank, Halifax or Bank of Scotland are down?
Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland all have dedicated pages on their websites, which show if any services are affected including internet banking, the mobile apps, ATMs, debit cards and credit cards.
You can also check on any future work they have planned and what it might mean for you.
Plus, you can check websites such as Down Detector, which will tell you whether other people are experiencing problems with a particular company online.
Can I claim compensation for outages?
Unlike telecoms companies, banks do not have a fixed compensation scheme for service disruption, although depending on how much it has affected you, you may be entitled to some money back.
It is worth gathering evidence of your problems so you can make a formal complaint to the bank directly.
Try to make a note of when you were unable to access the website or app, plus any costs you incurred as a result.
If your credit rating has been affected by a service outage, because you got a late payment fee after being unable to make a transaction, for example, you should also keep a record of this.
If you spoke to anyone to try and resolve the problem, make a note of their name and when you spoke to them, as well as roughly what you discussed and what they advised you to do.
You can find out more details about how to complain to Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland on their websites.