Is TSB down? How to check if the website or banking app is working

TSB customers who have been affected by an online or telephone banking outage may be worried about what to do next.

Online banking is currently down leaving account holders unable to manage their funds on payday.

You can check TSB's service status on its website — You can check TSB’s service status on its websiteCredit: Getty – Contributor

On top of this, the bank experienced two telephone, mobile, and online banking outages between April 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020, according to the latest Financial Conduct Authority data.

On an annual basis, the bank is currently 19th when it comes to the number of outages reported, although it did suffer a huge IT failure back in 2018.

Here, we take you through what you need to do if a lack of service means you can’t access your cash to stay on top of your finances.

How can I check if TSB is down?

Customers can see if there are any issues with TSB’s services by checking its dedicated page on its website.

Here, you can find out what services have been affected, including mobile, online, telephone banking and card payments.

Websites such as Downdetector will also give you an indication if the problems you’re experiencing are affecting others too.

This is because they rely on customers reporting complaints – they’re not always accurate but can give you an idea of how widespread the issue is.

Can I claim compensation for an outage?

Banks don’t have to pay out compensation to customers if there has been a drop in service, unlike telecoms companies.

What to do if you can’t access your money

If you can’t access your money and you need to urgently, here’s what to do:

Visit your local branch as soon as you can.
If you can’t get there, or it is closed, call your bank and ask for its guidance on what to do.
If the bank’s phone services are also down or busy, try contacting your bank on social media to ask what to do. But remember: don’t ever share your account details over social media.
Try to do this on the day the problem arises so you can show you made every attempt to solve the issue.
If you still can’t access your money, begin gathering evidence for a complaint.

You may, however, be entitled to some money back depending on how much the service disruption has affected you.

To make a claim, you’ll need to present evidence of how the outage negatively affected you, including any extra costs incurred, such as late payment charges.

Make a note of when you were unable to access the services and the names of anyone you spoke to about resolving the issue – record-keeping will strengthen your case.

You can find more details about how to complain to TSB on its website.

What happens if TSB refuses to help?

If you’re not happy with the way the bank has responded to your complaint you can report the case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

It’s free to escalate your complaint to the independent body, which looks at the evidence before deciding on what action is fair.

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 decides that the bank is at fault, it can order it to reimburse any fees, charges or fines you suffered as a result.

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, or any extra costs you had to pay to get the issue sorted, for example the cost to visit your local branch.

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