Background
Priya was flagged with a misuse-of-facility marker after a disputed £4,800 overdraft. She was locked out of six banks and lost a mortgage in principle three days before completion.
The challenge
HSBC refused to disclose the reason for the marker and closed all appeals internally. Priya had already complained twice without success.
Actions taken
- Served a Subject Access Request to obtain all internal notes
- Identified a procedural failure in HSBC's marker approval process
- Filed a formal Data Protection Act complaint
- Escalated to the Financial Ombudsman with a full case file
Outcome
HSBC removed the marker in full within 8 weeks and issued written confirmation to all three credit bureaus. The Ombudsman awarded £2,500 for distress and consequential losses.