Santander UK

Retail bank. Products & services: Banking, Insurance.

Updated: 3 August 2026

Company Overview

Industry: Retail and commercial banking
Parent company: Banco Santander SA (via Santander UK Group Holdings plc)
Regulator: Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority (FRN 106054)
Ombudsman: Financial Ombudsman Service
Legal entity: Santander UK plc (Companies House 02294747)

2.5per 1,000Banking & credit cards - complaints per 1,000 accounts
44%Banking complaints closed within 8 weeks

What customers complain about

Customers most often complain to Santander UK about banking and credit-card servicing, with the bank recording that 'other general administration / customer service' is the single biggest cause of banking and credit-card complaints. Mortgage (home finance) complaints have the highest uphold rate of the bank's product areas. Common themes reported across UK banks include account access and app problems, payment and transfer errors, fraud and scam disputes (authorised push payment fraud), and delays or poor handling of complaints. Santander is one of the most-complained-about UK banks by volume. To complain, contact Santander first; if it cannot resolve the matter or you are unhappy with its final response, you can take the complaint to the free, independent Financial Ombudsman Service within six months.

Complaint categories

1
General administration and customer service
Santander records 'other general administration / customer service' as the single largest cause of complaints in its Banking & Credit Cards area - covering servicing errors, delays, and how the bank handles queries.
Santander UK published complaints data, H2 2025.
2
Mortgage (home finance) handling
Home finance complaints are the most likely of Santander's product areas to be upheld in the customer's favour (65% upheld in H2 2025), pointing to recurring problems with mortgage servicing decisions.
Santander UK published complaints data, H2 2025.
3
Fraud and scam disputes (APP fraud)
Disputes over authorised push payment (APP) scams and whether Santander reimburses the loss are a significant theme across UK banks; Santander must reimburse most in-scope APP scam victims up to £85,000 for payments made on or after 7 October 2024.
Payment Systems Regulator mandatory reimbursement rules; Santander UK fraud page.
4
Account access, app and payment problems
Digital-banking access issues and payment/transfer errors are reported themes across current-account providers; current accounts are the single most-complained-about product across the banking sector.
FCA aggregate complaints data 2025 H1 (reported theme, sector-wide).

Latest statistics

60,432(45% upheld)Banking & credit cards - complaints openedH2 2025
44%Banking complaints closed within 8 weeksH2 2025

Two official sources. (1) Santander UK's own published complaints data for H2 2025 (1 July - 31 December 2025), which breaks down volumes, per-1,000 rates and uphold rates by product area. (2) The FCA firm-level complaints table for 2025 H2, which records the aggregate total for the registered firm Santander UK plc. The two totals differ because they use different reporting scopes; both are shown with their source. Figures are 'per 1,000 accounts/balances' as defined by the FCA.

Contact methods

Complaint journey

1
Contact Santander first
Raise your complaint directly with Santander before anything else.
Typical responseImmediate
What happens
Call the complaints line on 0800 171 2171, use the in-app or Online Banking chat (type 'speak to complaints'), visit a branch, or write to Complaints, Santander UK plc, Sunderland, SR43 4GD. Include your name, address, account details, a clear description of the problem, when it happened and how you would like it resolved.
2
Quick resolution (within 3 business days)
Santander tries to settle simpler complaints almost straight away.
Typical response3 business days
What happens
If Santander can resolve your complaint by the end of the third business day after the day it received it, it will send a summary resolution communication confirming the outcome and your right to go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
3
Acknowledgement and investigation
For complex cases Santander logs the complaint and investigates.
Typical responseVaries
What happens
If the complaint cannot be resolved quickly, Santander sends an acknowledgement with a reference number and keeps you updated in writing throughout its investigation.
4
Final response
Santander issues a written final decision explaining its findings.
Typical response15 days (payments) / 8 weeks (other)
What happens
For payment-services complaints Santander aims to give a final response within 15 business days (extendable to 35 in exceptional cases). For other banking complaints it must send a final response within 8 weeks. The final response explains the investigation, the decision, and what (if anything) it will do to put things right.
5
Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service
Take an unresolved complaint to the free, independent ombudsman.
Typical responseWithin 6 months of final response
What happens
If you are unhappy with Santander's final response, or 8 weeks have passed with no resolution, you can refer the complaint free of charge to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You normally have 6 months from the date of Santander's final response to do so.

Response times

Santander aims to resolve simpler complaints by the end of the third business day after receiving them (a summary resolution communication). For payment-services complaints (for example faulty transfers, direct debits or card payments) it works to a final response within 15 business days, extendable to 35 business days in exceptional circumstances. For all other banking complaints the FCA's 8-week final-response deadline applies. Santander should keep you updated in writing while it investigates. If it has not resolved matters within 8 weeks, or you disagree with its final response, you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

If your complaint isn’t resolved

If Santander UK can’t put things right, you can escalate — free of charge — to an independent body:

Financial Ombudsman Service

Recent news

29 January 2026
Santander announced the closure of 44 UK branches in 2026-27 (40 in 2026, 4 in early 2027; 33 in England, 5 in Wales, 4 in Northern Ireland, 2 in Scotland), following 95 branch closures in 2025.
Read more
1 August 2025
The Supreme Court ruled on the motor finance commission cases; the FCA then consulted (from August 2025) on an industry-wide redress scheme for historic motor finance commission arrangements, with an estimated sector liability of £9bn-£18bn.
Read more
7 October 2024
The Payment Systems Regulator's mandatory APP fraud reimbursement rules took effect, requiring banks including Santander to reimburse most authorised push payment scam victims for in-scope payments, up to £85,000, with claims made within 13 months.
Read more

Earlier cases

1 August 2025
Historic: The motor finance commission dispute (Supreme Court judgment, 1 August 2025) forms the backdrop to a proposed FCA redress scheme; Santander's consumer-finance/motor-finance unit is among the lenders exposed, and Santander has signalled it may ring-fence that unit from Santander UK plc.
Read more

Know your rights

FCA Handbook - DISP (Dispute Resolution: Complaints) rules
As an FCA-regulated firm, Santander must handle your complaint under DISP: acknowledge it, investigate fairly, and issue a final response within the set deadlines (generally 8 weeks; 15 business days for most payment-services complaints), and tell you about your right to the Financial Ombudsman Service. This is general information, not legal advice.
Payment Systems Regulator APP scam mandatory reimbursement rules (from 7 October 2024)
If you were tricked into authorising a payment to a fraudster on or after 7 October 2024, Santander must reimburse eligible in-scope losses up to £85,000, subject to the rules (claim within 13 months; a possible excess that does not apply to vulnerable consumers). This is general information, not legal advice.
Consumer Credit Act 1974 (incl. section 75)
For credit-card purchases between £100 and £30,000, section 75 can make Santander jointly liable with the retailer if goods or services are faulty or not provided - relevant to card-related complaints. This is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the quickest way to complain to Santander?

Call the dedicated complaints line on 0800 171 2171, or use the chat in the Santander Mobile or Online Banking app and type 'speak to complaints'. You can also write to Complaints, Santander UK plc, Sunderland, SR43 4GD.

How long does Santander have to respond?

Santander tries to resolve simpler complaints within 3 business days. For payment-services complaints it aims for a final response within 15 business days (up to 35 in exceptional cases); for other banking complaints the 8-week FCA deadline applies.

When can I go to the Financial Ombudsman about Santander?

Once Santander sends its final response, or after 8 weeks with no resolution. You normally have 6 months from the date of Santander's final response to refer the complaint free of charge to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Will Santander refund me if I was scammed?

For authorised push payment scams on payments made on or after 7 October 2024, Santander must reimburse most eligible victims up to £85,000 under the Payment Systems Regulator's mandatory rules, provided you claim within 13 months and meet the criteria.

Is Santander really one of the most-complained-about banks?

Yes. In the FCA's firm-level data for H2 2025, Santander UK plc recorded 78,349 complaints - the third-highest total among the major high-street banking groups, behind Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays.

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