TSB is to take down its mobile app and online banking service to fix issues for its customers after a botched upgrade.
The announcement was made by the company’s chief executive, Paul Pester, as part of a personal apology following days of disruption.
The bank switched to new servers over the weekend, preventing its 1.9 million digital customers accessing their accounts.
However, it quickly became clear on Sunday evening that all had not gone as planned as scores turned to social media to complain – with some indicating they could even see other people’s account details prompting scrutiny from financial regulators.
Others reported incorrect balances running to thousands of pounds.
TSB said on Tuesday that “intermittent” problems were continuing to plague account holders and work on a fix continued to be its sole focus.
It has previously blamed high volumes of customers trying to log in to the new systems.
The old versions dated back to TSB’s ownership within Lloyds.
Mr Pester told his Twitter followers he was “deeply sorry” for the problems – seeking to explain his public silence on the issue to date by saying he had “just resurfaced after 48 hours with my teams who have been working as hard and fast as they can to get our services back up and running.”
He added: “We’re still seeing issues with access to our digital services. One of the steps we need to take to resolve this is to take our mobile app and online banking down for a few hours.”
Customers continued to vent their frustration on Tuesday to complain about a lack of information.
Sky News has asked the bank to check whether it had contacted them by email since the login problems began.
TSB has pledged that no one will be left out of pocket, but that was of little comfort to many of those now facing five days of disruption.
Some supported TSB’s assertion that logging in was now possible though full service had not resumed.
One customer called Lauren tweeted: “@TSB Day 5 of your systems being down/incorrect. Can’t get through to anyone on the phone. This is absolutely ridiculous the minute I get through to someone I’ll be closing my account!!”
Another wrote: “@TSB I need help. Please. My wages went in on Friday and I need to pay rent and other DD. My wages are not showing and I cannot login. I may go overdrawn I don’t know what to do. I tried calling was on the phone 45mins and then got cut off. Please help I’m actually in tears.”
The Financial Conduct Authority and Information Commissioner’s Office are in contact with the bank, with investigations widely expected to follow the debacle.
It later emerged that the Treasury Committee of MPs, which has previously demanded better standards of banks following similar IT glitches, had written to TSB’s boss Paul Pester to seek answers.
Nicky Morgan MP, who chairs the committee, said: “The reports of unauthorised transactions, access to other customers’ accounts, and failures of in-branch services have all the hallmarks of an IT meltdown.
“This is yet another addition to the litany of failures of banking IT systems. Potentially millions of customers could be affected by uncertainty and disruption.
“It simply isn’t good enough to expose customers to IT failures, including delays in paying bills and an inability to access their own money.
“Warm words and platitudes will not suffice. TSB customers deserve to know what has happened, when normal services will resume, and how they can expect to be compensated.
“I will be writing to the FCA in due course for their assessment.”
From – SkyNews