Terms of Service

1. Introduction

These Terms of Service (the "Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you (the "User", "you", or "your") and ABC Bank Plc, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the "Bank", "we", "us", or "our"). These Terms, together with any applicable product-specific terms and conditions, fee schedules, and other policies referenced herein or otherwise made available to you, govern your access to and use of our banking and financial products, services, websites, mobile applications, and digital platforms (collectively, the "Services").

Our Services are designed to provide you with a comprehensive range of personal and business banking solutions, including current and savings accounts, lending facilities, payment services, investment products, and related financial services. These Terms set out the rights and obligations of both you and us in relation to the provision and use of the Services. It is essential that you read these Terms carefully before you apply for, open, or use any of our Services, as they contain important information about your legal rights, remedies, and obligations.

By applying for, opening, or using any of our Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms in full, without modification. If you do not agree to these Terms, or any part of them, you must not apply for, open, or use any of our Services. If you have any questions about the content of these Terms or would like further explanation of any provision, please contact our customer services team before proceeding.

These Terms apply to all users of our Services, including but not limited to personal customers, business customers, sole traders, partnerships, limited liability partnerships, companies, unincorporated associations, and any other legal or natural person who accesses or uses our Services in any capacity. Additional product-specific terms may apply to particular products or services, and in the event of any inconsistency between these general Terms and any product-specific terms, the product-specific terms shall prevail in respect of that product or service, unless expressly stated otherwise.

2. Acceptance

Your acceptance of these Terms occurs at the point at which we confirm in writing (including by electronic communication) that we have approved your application for a product or service, or at the point at which you first use or access any of our Services, whichever occurs first. By proceeding to use or access any of our Services after being notified of these Terms, you are deemed to have accepted these Terms in full.

If you are entering into these Terms on behalf of a company, partnership, limited liability partnership, or other legal entity, you represent and warrant that you have full legal authority to bind that entity to these Terms, and that your acceptance of these Terms will be deemed as acceptance by the entity on whose behalf you are acting. If you do not have such authority, you must not accept these Terms or use the Services on behalf of the entity.

We may, in our sole and absolute discretion, request that you acknowledge and accept these Terms, or any revised version thereof, by electronic signature, by clicking an "accept" or "agree" button presented to you through our digital channels, by signing a hard copy of these Terms, or by such other means of acceptance as we may reasonably require. Where we make such a request, your continued use of the Services following such request shall not constitute acceptance until you have provided the explicit acknowledgement required.

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and us in relation to the subject matter hereof, and supersede and extinguish all previous agreements, promises, assurances, warranties, representations, and understandings between us, whether written or oral, relating to such subject matter. You acknowledge that you have not relied on any statement, representation, assurance, or warranty (whether made innocently or negligently) that is not set out in these Terms or the documents referred to in them.

3. Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for and use our Services, you must meet the following eligibility criteria. By applying for or using our Services, you represent and warrant that you meet all of these criteria and will continue to meet them for the duration of your relationship with us. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to refuse applications or to terminate or suspend access to the Services if we reasonably believe that you do not or no longer meet these criteria.

General Eligibility Requirements

Age: You must be at least 18 years of age to apply for most of our Services. Certain products, such as junior savings accounts, may be available to individuals under 18 subject to the consent of a parent or legal guardian, and such accounts will be subject to specific additional terms and conditions.
Capacity: You must have full legal capacity to enter into binding legal contracts, and you must not be subject to any legal disability that would prevent you from doing so, including but not limited to bankruptcy, debt relief order, individual voluntary arrangement, mental incapacity, or being the subject of a court order that restricts your ability to open or operate financial accounts.
Residency and Jurisdiction: You must be resident in a jurisdiction in which we are authorised to provide the relevant Services. Unless expressly stated otherwise, our Services are directed at individuals and entities resident in the United Kingdom. We do not offer our Services to residents of jurisdictions where such offer or provision would be contrary to local law or regulation.
Regulatory Requirements: You must meet all applicable regulatory requirements, including but not limited to anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, know-your-customer, and sanctions screening requirements. You must not be named on, or directly or indirectly associated with any person named on, any sanctions list maintained by the United Nations, the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, the European Union, the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control, or any other applicable sanctions authority.
Identity Verification: You must successfully complete our identity and verification procedures, which may require you to provide valid government-issued photographic identification, proof of address, and such other documentation or information as we may reasonably require to verify your identity, source of funds, and source of wealth in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations.

For business customers, additional eligibility criteria apply, including but not limited to requirements that the business entity is duly incorporated, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation; that all necessary corporate or other authorisations have been obtained to enable the business to enter into agreements with us and to use the Services; and that all individuals authorised to operate accounts or give instructions on behalf of the business have been properly designated and have provided appropriate specimen signatures and evidence of their authority to act.

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion and without incurring any liability to you, to decline any application for our Services, to impose limits on the use of the Services, to require additional information or documentation at any time, and to decline to process any instruction or transaction if we have reasonable grounds for doing so, including but not limited to concerns relating to fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions compliance, or the security of your account or our systems.

4. Our Services

ABC Bank Plc provides a range of retail and commercial banking and financial services, which may be varied from time to time. The specific Services available to you will depend on the products for which you have applied and which we have approved, your customer segment (personal, business, private, or commercial), and your eligibility for particular products. Not all Services will be available to all customers, and the features and functionality of individual products may be updated or modified in accordance with these Terms.

We offer a range of sterling and foreign currency deposit accounts, including but not limited to current accounts, instant access savings accounts, notice savings accounts, fixed-term deposit accounts, cash ISAs, junior ISAs, and business deposit accounts. Each account is subject to its own specific terms, features, interest rates, minimum and maximum balance requirements, and access conditions, which will be disclosed to you at the point of application and in the product literature provided to you. Interest rates are variable unless expressly stated as fixed, and are payable in accordance with the applicable product terms.

We provide a variety of secured and unsecured lending products for personal and business customers, including personal loans, home purchase mortgages, remortgage facilities, buy-to-let mortgages, secured loans, business loans, commercial mortgages, asset finance facilities, invoice finance, revolving credit facilities, overdrafts, and credit cards. All lending is subject to application, status, credit assessment, affordability checks, and valuation of any security offered. Lending facilities are governed by separate facility letters, loan agreements, mortgage deeds, or other credit agreements which will set out the specific terms, interest rates, repayment schedules, fees, charges, and conditions applicable to each facility.

We offer a comprehensive suite of payment services, including UK domestic payments via Faster Payments, CHAPS, BACS Direct Debits, and Standing Orders; international payments and foreign exchange services in multiple currencies; debit card, credit card, and prepaid card services; contactless and mobile payments including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay; online and mobile banking payment initiation services; and direct account-to-account payment initiation services where available. Payment execution times, cut-off times, currency conversion rates, limits, and charges vary by payment type and are detailed in our fee schedule and product documentation.

We provide secure online banking accessible via our website, mobile banking applications for compatible smartphone and tablet devices, and telephone banking services, through which you can access and manage your accounts, initiate payments and transfers, view statements and transaction history, update your personal details, apply for additional products, and utilise other self-service functionalities. Access to digital banking channels requires compatible hardware, software, and internet connectivity. You are responsible for ensuring that you have access to appropriate equipment and connectivity to use these channels, and we are not liable for any failure to access or use the Services arising from your failure to maintain such equipment or connectivity.

All Services are provided subject to the specific product terms, conditions, limits, and restrictions applicable to each product, as communicated to you at the point of application, in your product offer documentation, in your account terms, on our website, and in any other documentation provided to you from time to time. We reserve the right to modify, discontinue, or withdraw any product or service, or any feature or functionality of any product or service, at any time and without prior notice, except where such modification is material or detrimental to you, in which case we will provide you with reasonable advance notice in accordance with Section 13 of these Terms.

From time to time, we may offer promotional products, preferential rates, or limited-time offers. Any such offers will be subject to their own specific terms and conditions, which will override these general Terms to the extent of any inconsistency, and which will be made available to you at the time of the offer. Promotional rates are time-limited and will revert to the standard applicable rates at the expiry of the promotional period, as specified in the promotional terms.

5. Responsibilities of Users

As a user of our Services, you have certain responsibilities to ensure the safe, lawful, and proper operation of your accounts and your use of the Services. It is essential that you understand and comply with these responsibilities, as failure to do so may result in the suspension or termination of your access to the Services, the reversal of transactions, the imposition of additional fees or charges, or legal liability on your part. Your key responsibilities are set out below.

Accuracy of Information

You are responsible for providing us with complete, accurate, and up-to-date information and documentation in connection with your application for, and ongoing use of, the Services, including your personal details, address, contact information, employment details, income, financial circumstances, tax residency, and beneficial ownership information. You must notify us immediately of any changes to such information by updating your details through our digital channels or by contacting our customer services team. We are not liable for any loss, damage, or inconvenience arising from your failure to provide accurate information or to notify us of changes in a timely manner.

Compliance with Laws

You must use the Services in compliance with all applicable laws, statutes, regulations, and codes of practice in force from time to time in any jurisdiction that applies to you, including but not limited to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing legislation, sanctions regulations, data protection legislation, tax legislation, consumer protection laws, and financial services regulations. You must not use the Services for any purpose that is unlawful, fraudulent, or that would constitute a criminal offence, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any law or regulation.

Personal Use Only

For personal customers, the Services are provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not permit any other person to use your accounts or access the Services on your behalf, except where such person has been formally authorised by us in accordance with our procedures, such as an attorney under a registered Lasting Power of Attorney or a deputy appointed by the Court of Protection. You will be liable for all transactions and activities conducted through your accounts, whether authorised by you or not, except where such liability is expressly excluded by law or by these Terms.

Instructions and Liability

You are responsible for all instructions given to us through any channel, including via digital banking, telephone banking, in-branch, or in writing. You must ensure that all payment instructions you provide to us are complete, accurate, and correctly reference the intended recipient's account details, sort code, and payment reference. We are not liable for executing instructions that appear to have been validly authorised by you or using your security credentials, and you will be liable for any resulting loss or damage, except in circumstances where we have failed to take reasonable care in verifying the authenticity of instructions.

You are responsible for reviewing your account statements, transaction confirmations, advices, and any other communications we send to you promptly upon receipt. You must notify us immediately if you identify any unauthorised transactions, errors, discrepancies, or omissions in any statement or communication, or if you suspect any fraud or security breach relating to your account or the Services. Failure to notify us of such matters within the timeframes specified in these Terms or by applicable law may result in you being liable for any resulting losses.

It is also your responsibility to ensure that you have sufficient cleared funds in your account to cover all transactions, standing orders, direct debits, and other payment instructions before the relevant due date. You are responsible for paying any applicable fees, charges, interest, taxes, and duties associated with your accounts and use of the Services in accordance with our fee schedule and the product-specific terms applicable to your accounts. Any unpaid amounts may be subject to additional interest, charges, and recovery action, as detailed in Section 8 of these Terms.

6. Account Security

Maintaining the security of your accounts and of your personal and financial information is of paramount importance to us. We implement a comprehensive range of technical, procedural, and organisational security measures designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your information and to prevent unauthorised access to your accounts. However, you also play a critical role in ensuring the security of your accounts, and it is essential that you comply with the security requirements and responsibilities set out in this section.

Your Security Obligations

Passwords and PINs: You must keep all personal identification numbers (PINs), passwords, passphrases, security questions and answers, one-time passcodes, authentication credentials, and any other security information or devices issued to you or used to access your accounts or the Services (collectively, "Security Credentials") strictly confidential at all times. You must never disclose your Security Credentials to any person, including any person claiming to be from the Bank, from the police, or from any regulatory authority — our staff will never ask you to disclose your full passwords, PINs, or authentication codes.
Strong Authentication: You must use unique, strong passwords for all of your accounts with us, which are at least 12 characters in length and include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. You must not use the same password for your accounts with us that you use for any other online service or website, and you must not choose passwords that are easily guessable, such as names, dates of birth, or sequential numbers.
Device Security: You must ensure that any device you use to access our digital channels (including computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices) is protected by up-to-date antivirus software, anti-malware software, firewall protection, and the latest operating system and browser security patches. You must enable passcode, fingerprint, or facial recognition lock functionality on all mobile devices used to access our Services.

Phishing and Social Engineering: You must remain vigilant against phishing attacks, social engineering scams, and other fraudulent communications that may purport to be from us or from legitimate organisations. You must never click on links, download attachments, or provide personal or financial information in response to unsolicited emails, text messages, telephone calls, or social media communications, even if they appear to be genuine. If you receive a communication that you suspect may be fraudulent, do not respond to it and instead report it to us using our official contact details.
Public and Shared Devices: You must exercise extreme caution when accessing our digital channels from public computers, shared devices, public Wi-Fi networks, or other insecure environments. We strongly recommend that you do not access sensitive account information or initiate payment transactions from public or shared devices, and that you use a secure, private, password-protected internet connection whenever accessing our Services. You must always fully log out of your online banking session after use, particularly when using a shared or public device.
Suspicious Activity Reporting: You must notify us immediately by telephone on our fraud reporting line if you suspect or become aware of: (a) any loss, theft, or unauthorised disclosure of your Security Credentials or any security device; (b) any unauthorised access to or use of your accounts or the Services; (c) any discrepancy between your records of transactions and those shown on your account statement; or (d) any other actual or potential compromise of the security of your accounts or information.

Our Security Measures

We maintain a comprehensive information security management system aligned with international best practices, which includes multi-factor authentication for access to digital banking, encryption of data in transit using TLS 1.2 or above, encryption of sensitive data at rest, regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing, strict access controls based on the principle of least privilege, continuous monitoring of our systems and networks for suspicious activity, regular staff training on security and fraud awareness, and incident response and business continuity procedures designed to minimise the impact of any security incident. However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure, and while we take all reasonable steps to protect your personal information and accounts, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

If you fail to comply with the security obligations set out in this section, you may be liable for any resulting losses, up to the maximum extent permitted by law. Specifically, in accordance with the Payment Services Regulations 2017, if you have acted fraudulently or have intentionally or with gross negligence failed to keep your Security Credentials safe, you may be liable for the full amount of any losses resulting from unauthorised payment transactions. In other cases of unauthorised transactions where you are not at fault, your liability will be limited to the amounts prescribed by applicable law.

We may, from time to time, implement additional security measures or require you to use enhanced authentication for certain types of transactions or activities, in line with evolving regulatory requirements and security standards. We may also suspend or restrict access to your accounts if we detect suspicious or unusual activity, or if we reasonably believe that there has been or may be a breach of security, and we will notify you of such suspension or restriction as soon as reasonably practicable, unless doing so would compromise the security of our systems or would be contrary to the instructions of law enforcement or regulatory authorities.

7. Prohibited Uses

You must not use our Services for any of the activities described in this section. If we reasonably believe that you are using or have used the Services for any prohibited purpose, we reserve the right to take all such action as we consider necessary or appropriate, including but not limited to suspending or terminating your access to the Services immediately, reporting you to the relevant law enforcement, regulatory, or tax authorities, freezing or blocking the funds in your accounts, reversing transactions, and pursuing legal proceedings against you for any losses or damages we may incur as a result of your actions.

Prohibited Activities

Money Laundering and Financial Crime: Using the Services to engage in or facilitate money laundering, terrorist financing, the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, tax evasion, sanctions evasion, bribery, corruption, insider dealing, market abuse, or any other form of financial crime or unlawful activity.
Fraud and Deception: Using the Services for any fraudulent, deceptive, or dishonest purpose, including obtaining or attempting to obtain goods, services, money, or property by means of deception, false pretences, impersonation, or forgery.
Sanctions Violations: Engaging in any transaction or activity that directly or indirectly involves, benefits, or is for the benefit of any person, entity, country, or territory that is the subject of applicable financial sanctions, or that would otherwise cause us to be in breach of any applicable sanctions legislation or regulation.
Illicit Goods and Services: Using the Services to purchase, sell, advertise, or otherwise deal in goods or services that are illegal under the laws of any applicable jurisdiction, including but not limited to controlled drugs, counterfeit goods, stolen goods, weapons, ammunition, explosives, endangered species, and obscene material.
Gambling and Gaming: Using the Services to fund, participate in, or facilitate any form of illegal gambling, gaming, or betting activity, or to make payments to or receive payments from any unlicensed gambling operator.

Intellectual Property Infringement: Using the Services to upload, download, transmit, or otherwise deal in any material that infringes the copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other intellectual property rights of any third party.
Harmful Content and Activity: Using our digital channels to upload, post, transmit, or otherwise distribute any content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable, or that would constitute a criminal offence, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any law.
Interference with Systems: Attempting to gain unauthorised access to our computer systems, networks, or data; attempting to interfere with or disrupt the operation of our Services, systems, or networks; introducing viruses, worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware, or any other malicious or harmful code or material into our systems or via our Services; or conducting or facilitating any form of denial-of-service or distributed denial-of-service attack against our systems or infrastructure.
Scraping and Automated Access: Using any robot, spider, scraper, script, crawler, or other automated means or interface to access, extract, scrape, monitor, or copy any content or data from our website or digital platforms, or to attempt to reverse engineer any aspect of our Services, except as expressly permitted by law or with our prior written consent.
Unauthorised Resale or Commercial Use: Using the Services for commercial purposes not expressly authorised by us, including reselling, renting, leasing, licensing, or otherwise making the Services available to any third party for consideration, or using the Services to process payments on behalf of third parties, unless you are an approved merchant or payment service provider with us.

We may, in our absolute discretion, refuse to process, block, or reverse any transaction or instruction if we suspect or have reasonable grounds to believe that the transaction or instruction involves, is connected with, or may facilitate any of the prohibited activities listed above, or any other unlawful activity. We may be prohibited by law from disclosing the reasons for our refusal to process or block a transaction, and we shall not be liable to you for any loss or damage you may suffer as a result of such refusal, blocking, or reversal, provided that we have acted in good faith and in accordance with our legal obligations.

You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless on a full indemnity basis from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, costs, charges, expenses, fines, penalties, and other liabilities of any kind whatsoever, including reasonable legal fees and professional costs, that we may directly or indirectly incur, suffer, or become subject to as a consequence of or arising out of your use of the Services for any prohibited purpose, your breach of this Section 7, or any unlawful act or omission by you in connection with the Services.

8. Fees & Charges

In consideration for the provision of the Services, you agree to pay the fees, charges, interest, and other amounts applicable to the products and services you use, as set out in our published Tariff of Charges and Fee Schedule (the "Tariff"), which forms part of these Terms. Our Tariff is available on our website, from our branches, and on request from our customer services team, and is updated from time to time. Different fees and charges apply to different products, account tiers, customer segments, and transaction types, and it is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the charges applicable to your specific accounts and services.

Types of Fees and Charges

Account Fees

Monthly or annual account maintenance fees, where applicable to your account type or tier
Minimum balance fees, where your account balance falls below the required minimum threshold
Account closure fees, where applicable and permitted by law
Inactive account or dormant account fees, in accordance with applicable regulations

Transaction Fees

Fees for CHAPS payments, international payments, and non-standard payment types
Foreign exchange conversion charges and spread applied to currency conversions
Fees for cash deposits, cash withdrawals, and cheque processing, where applicable
Over-the-counter transaction fees for services that are available via self-service channels
ATM withdrawal fees, particularly for overseas withdrawals and usage of non-network ATMs

Lending and Credit Fees

Arrangement fees, booking fees, product fees, and completion fees for lending facilities
Valuation fees, legal fees, and administration charges relating to mortgage and secured lending
Late payment fees, arrears charges, and default interest applicable to missed or late repayments
Early repayment charges and redemption fees applicable to fixed or early settlement of lending
Annual fees, cash advance fees, balance transfer fees, and foreign usage fees for credit cards
Overdraft arrangement fees, unauthorised overdraft fees, and excess charges

Other Service Fees

Fees for duplicate statements, duplicate certificates, and copy documentation
Administration fees for chequebook and paying-in book orders
Stop payment fees, cheque cancellation fees, and indemnity fees
Fees for third-party references, bank confirmation letters, and other certification services
Debit and credit card replacement fees for lost, stolen, or damaged cards

Unless otherwise expressly stated, all fees and charges are quoted in pound sterling and are inclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) at the prevailing rate, where applicable. Any fees, charges, or other amounts due to us under these Terms or under any product-specific terms may be debited directly from any of your accounts with us, without prior notice, on the due date. Where there are insufficient funds in your primary account to meet the charges due, we may debit any other account you hold with us, in any order we see fit, and you irrevocably authorise us to do so.

If any amount due to us remains unpaid after the due date, we reserve the right to charge interest on the outstanding amount at the rate(s) specified in the applicable product terms or, if no specific rate is specified, at the equivalent of the Bank of England Base Rate plus 8% per annum, compounded daily, from the due date until the date of actual payment. In addition to interest, we may also charge you for all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by us in the recovery of any unpaid amounts, including but not limited to debt collection agency fees, solicitors' fees, court costs, and enforcement expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

We may amend our Tariff and fee structure from time to time, including by introducing new fees, increasing existing fees, or applying fees to services that were previously provided free of charge. Where such changes are to your material disadvantage, we will provide you with at least two months' prior personal notice in writing, or such longer period as may be required by applicable law or regulation, and we will inform you of your right to close your account or switch to an alternative product without incurring any penalty or additional charges if you do not wish to accept the revised fees.

9. Payments & Transfers

This section sets out the terms and conditions applicable to payment services and funds transfers processed through your accounts. The provision of payment services by us is also subject to the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (as amended), the Electronic Money Regulations 2011, the FCA's Payment Systems and Settlement Systems rules, the rules of the relevant payment schemes (including Faster Payments, CHAPS, BACS, Visa, Mastercard, LINK, and other applicable schemes), and any other applicable legislation, regulation, or scheme rule, all of which are incorporated into these Terms by reference.

You may give us payment instructions through any of the channels we make available for that purpose, including via online banking, mobile banking, telephone banking, in-branch, by post, or through such other channels as we may specify from time to time. A payment instruction is deemed to have been received by us at the time it enters our systems, and not at the time you transmitted it. If an instruction is received outside of our business hours or on a non-business day, it will be deemed to have been received on the next business day.

You are responsible for ensuring that all payment instructions you provide are accurate, complete, and contain all necessary information, including the correct payee account number, sort code, payment reference, and payment amount. We are not required to verify the accuracy of payee details and may execute a payment instruction based solely on the account number and sort code provided, even if these do not match the payee name specified. If you provide incorrect information, the payment may be delayed, misdirected, or applied to the wrong account, and we will not be liable for any resulting loss or damage.

Payment execution times vary depending on the type of payment, the currency, the destination, and the time and date the instruction is received. Faster Payments are typically executed within two hours of receipt, provided that the payment is within the applicable scheme limits, the recipient's bank is a direct participant in the Faster Payments Scheme, and the instruction is received within the scheme operating hours. CHAPS payments received before our cut-off time on a business day will be executed the same day. International payments will be executed in accordance with the cut-off times and execution periods specified in our Tariff for the relevant currency and destination country.

We may require that any payment instruction be authenticated through multi-factor authentication or by such other method as we prescribe from time to time, before we are obliged to execute it. We may refuse to execute a payment instruction if: (a) the instruction has not been validly authenticated in accordance with our requirements; (b) there are insufficient cleared funds in your account to cover the payment amount plus any applicable fees; (c) the instruction is unclear, incomplete, or ambiguous; (d) we reasonably suspect that the instruction is fraudulent or unauthorised; (e) execution would cause us to breach any legal obligation, regulatory requirement, or scheme rule; or (f) there are exceptional circumstances beyond our reasonable control that prevent execution.

If you wish to revoke or amend a payment instruction, you must contact us as soon as possible. You may revoke a standing order or future-dated payment instruction at any time before the end of the business day preceding the scheduled execution date. For immediate payment instructions (including Faster Payments and CHAPS), the right of revocation is lost once the instruction has been accepted and transmitted by us to the payment system, which occurs immediately upon submission of the instruction via our digital channels. Revocation of direct debit instructions must be made by contacting us at least one business day before the collection date, and we recommend that you also notify the originating organisation directly.

In the case of unauthorised payment transactions, or payment transactions that were incorrectly executed due to error on our part, your rights and remedies shall be as set out in the Payment Services Regulations 2017. You must notify us immediately upon becoming aware of any unauthorised or incorrectly executed transactions, and in any event no later than 13 months after the debit date, to be eligible for a refund. We will investigate all claims of unauthorised or incorrectly executed transactions and will provide you with a written outcome within the timescales prescribed by law.

Where a payment requires currency conversion, we will apply our prevailing exchange rate at the time of execution, plus any applicable conversion margin or charge as set out in our Tariff. For foreign currency transactions made using your debit or credit card, the conversion will be performed by the card scheme (Visa or Mastercard) at their applicable wholesale rate, and we may apply an additional foreign usage fee as detailed in our Tariff. We will make the details of the exchange rate and any applicable charges available to you before you confirm a transaction, and we will provide the final applied rate on your transaction receipt and statement.

We may apply limits on the value, volume, and frequency of payment transactions that you can initiate through your account, for security, risk management, and regulatory compliance purposes. These limits may vary by customer segment, account type, transaction type, and channel, and may be adjusted by us from time to time based on your account activity, risk profile, and other relevant factors. Details of your current transaction limits are available to you through your digital banking profile or on request.

Funds deposited into your account will be available for withdrawal and for outgoing payments in accordance with our funds availability policy. Cash deposits made in-branch are typically credited to your account and available for withdrawal immediately. Cheque deposits are subject to standard clearing cycles and will normally be available for withdrawal no later than the end of the sixth working day after the day of deposit, though withdrawals may be permitted earlier at our absolute discretion in accordance with the Cheque and Credit Clearing Company rules. Funds received by electronic transfer (including Faster Payments, CHAPS, and BACS) are typically credited to your account on the same day they are received, and become available for withdrawal once the transfer has been finalised and confirmed as irrevocable.

Direct debits and standing orders are subject to the rules of the BACS Direct Debit Scheme and the BACS Standing Order Scheme respectively. In particular, the Direct Debit Guarantee protects you against errors made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by either the Bank or the organisation you are paying, and entitles you to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your Bank if a Direct Debit is paid in error. If you receive a refund under the Guarantee that you are not entitled to, you must pay it back to the organisation you were paying when requested to do so.

We are members of the Financial Ombudsman Service and subscribe to the Lending Code, the Standards of Lending Practice for Personal Customers, and the Business Finance Charter, as applicable. If you have a complaint about any aspect of our payment services, please refer to our Complaints Handling Procedure or contact our customer services team. If we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you may be eligible to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service for independent review, free of charge.

10. Electronic Communications

Where it is necessary or permitted for us to provide you with information, notices, statements, confirmations, disclosures, agreements, or other communications under these Terms, under any product-specific terms, or by applicable law or regulation, we may provide such communications to you in electronic form, unless you have validly opted out of electronic delivery in accordance with the procedures set out below or as otherwise required by law. This section sets out the terms applicable to electronic communications between us.

Methods of Electronic Communication

We may deliver communications to you by any one or more of the following electronic methods, at our discretion, unless you have validly opted out:

Secure message through digital banking: By posting a message in your secure inbox within the online banking or mobile banking application, which will trigger a notification to your registered email address or mobile phone number.
Email: By email to the most recent email address you have provided to us as your primary contact email address.
SMS or text message: By SMS text message to the most recent mobile telephone number you have provided to us as your primary contact number.
In-app notification: By push notification through our mobile banking application, where you have enabled such notifications on your device.

Website publication: By posting the communication on a designated, password-protected area of our website accessible through your online banking session.
Document upload: By making electronic copies of statements, tax certificates, and other documents available for download through your digital banking account, replacing the physical mailing of such documents.
Audio recordings: By means of recorded voice messages delivered to your telephone number (automated or personal), for service-critical communications.

Communications delivered by email are deemed received by you 24 hours after the email is sent, regardless of whether you actually access or read the email. Communications delivered by SMS are deemed received by you one hour after the message is sent. Communications posted to your secure inbox or made available for download through digital banking are deemed received by you at the time of posting, provided that we have sent you a notification of availability by email or SMS. It is your responsibility to regularly check your email, text messages, and secure digital banking inbox for communications from us, and to ensure that your contact details on record are accurate and up to date.

For the avoidance of doubt, we may also communicate with you by telephone, by post to your registered address, or in person at any of our branches, in addition to or instead of electronic communication, particularly for matters of significant importance or where required by applicable law. You may contact us by telephone, by secure message through digital banking, by email, by post, or in-branch, using the contact details provided in Section 15 of these Terms and on our website. Please note that communications sent by unencrypted email or unsecure channels are not guaranteed to be secure, and you should not send sensitive personal or financial information through such channels.

You consent to us recording and monitoring telephone conversations, video calls, live chat sessions, and other electronic communications between you and our staff for the purposes of quality assurance, staff training, compliance monitoring, fraud prevention, security, evidence of instructions, and the prevention or detection of crime. All such recordings are our sole property and will be retained for such period as is necessary for the purposes for which they were made, in accordance with our data retention policy and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

You may opt out of receiving electronic communications (other than legally required service communications) at any time by updating your communication preferences through your digital banking profile, by contacting our customer services team, or by following the unsubscribe instructions contained in marketing communications. However, opting out of electronic delivery may result in you being charged a fee for paper-based communications where such a fee is permitted by applicable law and our Tariff, and we may require you to confirm your preference for paper delivery in writing.

11. Limitation of Liability & Disclaimers

This section sets out the limits of our liability to you in connection with the provision of the Services and your use of them, and sets out important disclaimers and exclusions of liability. Nothing in this section shall operate to exclude or restrict our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, for any breach of the obligations implied by Section 12 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 or Section 2 of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded or restricted by applicable law, all of which liabilities are expressly preserved.

Disclaimers

"As Is" and "As Available" Basis

The Services are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without any representations, conditions, warranties, or terms of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory, to the fullest extent permitted by law. We expressly disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of satisfactory quality, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of intellectual property rights, and compatibility with your equipment, software, or systems.

Availability and Interruptions

We do not warrant or represent that the Services will be available without interruption, that access will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses, malware, or other harmful components, that defects will be corrected, or that our website, digital platforms, or underlying systems are free of vulnerabilities or security risks. From time to time, we may need to carry out scheduled maintenance, upgrades, or repairs to our systems, which may result in temporary unavailability of the Services. We will endeavour to provide you with reasonable advance notice of any planned downtime that is likely to materially affect your use of the Services, where practicable.

Information and Content

All information, data, content, and materials provided through the Services (including but not limited to website content, product literature, financial tools and calculators, illustrative projections, market commentary, research, and analysis) are provided for general informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, tax, legal, or other professional advice. Such information is not tailored to your individual circumstances, objectives, or financial situation, and should not be relied upon by you in making any financial, investment, or other decisions. We recommend that you obtain appropriate independent professional advice before making any such decisions.

Third-Party Links and Content

Our Services may include links to third-party websites, platforms, content, and services (including those of our partners, affiliates, and service providers) that are not owned, operated, or controlled by us. Such links are provided for your convenience only and do not imply any endorsement, recommendation, approval, affiliation, or sponsorship by us of the third-party website, content, product, or service. We have no control over, and accept no responsibility for, the content, accuracy, legality, security, privacy practices, or any other aspect of any third-party websites or resources, and you access and use such third-party content and services entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of the relevant third party.

Limitation of Liability

Subject to the opening paragraph of this Section 11, which preserves certain liabilities that cannot be excluded by law, our total aggregate liability to you, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, restitution, or otherwise, arising out of or in connection with these Terms or the provision or use of the Services (including all acts and omissions done or omitted to be done by us, our employees, agents, or subcontractors in connection with these Terms) shall in no circumstances exceed the greater of: (a) the total amount of fees and charges paid by you to us in respect of the relevant Service during the 12 months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim; or (b) the sum of £100,000.

Subject as aforesaid, we shall not be liable to you, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, for any of the following losses, damages, costs, or expenses, whether direct or indirect, and whether or not such losses were foreseeable or within the contemplation of the parties at the date of these Terms: (a) indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages; (b) loss of profits, loss of revenue, loss of anticipated savings, loss of business, loss of goodwill, or loss of reputation; (c) loss of or corruption to data or information; (d) loss of use of money, loss of opportunity, or loss of investment; (e) any costs, expenses, or losses incurred as a result of changes in law, regulation, or taxation; (f) any loss or damage arising from inaccurate or incomplete information provided by you or by any third party; or (g) any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with your obligations under these Terms.

You acknowledge and agree that the limitations and exclusions of liability set out in this section are reasonable, having regard to the nature of the Services and the respective bargaining positions of the parties, and that the limitations and exclusions reflect a fair and reasonable allocation of risk between you and us. In particular, you acknowledge that the fees charged for the Services reflect the exclusion and limitation of liability set out herein, and that we would not be able to provide the Services on an economically reasonable basis without such limitations and exclusions.

We shall not be in breach of these Terms nor liable to you for any delay or failure in performing any of our obligations under these Terms, if and to the extent that such delay or failure is caused by an event or circumstance that is beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, war, civil unrest, terrorism, pandemic, epidemic, fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural disaster; failure or interruption of public or private utilities, including power, telecommunications, and internet connectivity; failure of third-party services, systems, networks, or payment infrastructures; strikes, lockouts, or industrial action; changes in law, regulation, or the imposition of sanctions; or any order, directive, or requirement of any government, regulatory authority, or court of competent jurisdiction (each a "Force Majeure Event"). In the event of a Force Majeure Event, our obligations under these Terms shall be suspended for the duration of the event, and the time for performance shall be extended accordingly. We shall use reasonable endeavours to minimise the effects of any Force Majeure Event and to resume performance of our obligations as soon as reasonably practicable.

Nothing in these Terms shall confer, or purport to confer, on any third party any enforceable benefit or any right of enforcement of any provision of these Terms, whether under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 or otherwise, save that our parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensors, service providers, and payment system operators and their respective successors and assigns shall be entitled to enforce the limitations and exclusions of liability contained in this Section 11 as if they were parties to these Terms. In all other respects, the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 shall not apply to these Terms.

12. Suspension & Termination

Either party may terminate their relationship under these Terms and close any accounts you hold with us, subject to the terms set out in this section and any applicable product-specific terms. We may also suspend or restrict your access to or use of the Services, or any part of them, in the circumstances set out below, without incurring any liability to you. Suspension or restriction of the Services does not terminate these Terms, and all provisions of these Terms that by their nature are intended to survive termination or suspension shall continue in full force and effect.

Suspension and Restriction by Us

We may, at our reasonable discretion, immediately suspend or restrict your access to and use of the Services, or any part of them, and may freeze the funds held in any of your accounts, without prior notice to you and without incurring any liability, if we reasonably believe that:

There has been or is likely to be a breach of security, including actual or suspected unauthorised access to or use of your accounts, Security Credentials, or the Services
We have reasonable grounds to suspect fraudulent activity, money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions evasion, or any other unlawful activity in connection with your account or use of the Services
You have breached or are in breach of any of your obligations under these Terms or any product-specific terms, including but not limited to failure to pay amounts due to us, failure to provide requested information, or use of the Services for prohibited purposes
We are required to do so by order of a court of competent jurisdiction, by regulatory directive, by law enforcement request, or by any other applicable legal or regulatory obligation
There are exceptional circumstances relating to your account, your financial position, or your conduct that in our reasonable opinion require immediate action to protect our legitimate interests or the interests of other customers

Termination by Us

In addition to our right of suspension, we may terminate our relationship with you and close any or all of your accounts, either immediately or on such notice as we consider appropriate in the circumstances, in the following situations:

By giving you at least two months' prior written notice, for any reason whatsoever, in our absolute discretion, without having to give you a reason for such termination, subject to any contrary requirements of applicable law or regulation
Immediately without prior notice if you have committed a material or persistent breach of these Terms or any product-specific terms, including if we reasonably believe that you have used or are using the Services for any unlawful, fraudulent, or prohibited purpose
Immediately without prior notice if you become insolvent, bankrupt, or subject to any form of insolvency proceeding, are unable to pay your debts as they fall due, enter into an individual voluntary arrangement or other composition or scheme of arrangement with your creditors, or if a receiver, administrator, liquidator, or similar officer is appointed over any of your assets
Immediately without prior notice if you have provided us with false, misleading, inaccurate, or incomplete information, or have failed to provide information or documentation that we have reasonably requested from you within the specified timeframe
Immediately without prior notice if maintaining your relationship with us would cause us to be in breach of any legal or regulatory obligation, or if continuing the relationship would expose us to unacceptable levels of risk, in our reasonable opinion

You may terminate your relationship with us and close your accounts at any time by giving us written notice (including via secure message through digital banking) and returning any cards, chequebooks, security devices, and other property belonging to us. We will process your account closure request as soon as reasonably practicable, subject to completion of any outstanding transactions, resolution of any pending disputes, and satisfaction of any amounts you owe to us. Early closure of certain fixed-term or contractual products may be subject to applicable early closure charges, exit fees, or loss of interest, as specified in the relevant product terms.

On termination of our relationship with you and closure of your accounts, we will pay or transfer to you the balance of cleared funds held in your accounts, less any amounts you owe to us (including fees, charges, interest, and any contingent liabilities that have crystallised). We may, at our absolute discretion, require you to provide us with acceptable instructions as to the method of remittance of the closing balance, and we may deduct any applicable remittance charges from the amount payable. If we are unable to contact you or to effect payment of the closing balance within a reasonable period after account closure, the balance will be held in a suspense account and may be classified as unclaimed property in accordance with applicable law.

Termination of these Terms and closure of your accounts shall not affect any rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities that have accrued to either party up to the date of termination, including but not limited to your obligation to pay any amounts due to us, our rights and remedies in respect of any security you have provided to us, and any indemnities, limitations of liability, or confidentiality obligations that are expressed to survive termination. Any transactions that are initiated before termination but are still pending at the date of termination will be completed in accordance with these Terms, and you will remain liable for all such transactions and any related fees, charges, or interest.

13. Changes to Terms

We may update, amend, supplement, or modify these Terms and any product-specific terms, tariffs, policies, or procedures referenced herein from time to time, for any of the reasons set out below or for any other valid reason, provided that such changes are fair, transparent, and not contrary to applicable law. This section sets out how and when we will make changes to these Terms and your rights in relation to such changes.

Reasons for Changes

To comply with changes in applicable law, regulation, guidance, or code of practice, or to reflect decisions or requirements of the courts, the FCA, the PRA, the ICO, the Payment Systems Regulator, or any other competent regulatory authority
To implement changes required by payment scheme rules, including changes to the Faster Payments Scheme rules, CHAPS rules, BACS rules, or the operating rules of card schemes such as Visa or Mastercard
To reflect the introduction of new products, services, features, functionalities, or channels, or the withdrawal of existing products or services
To make the Terms clearer, fairer, or easier to understand, or to correct any typographical, grammatical, or drafting errors, ambiguities, or omissions

To reflect changes in our operational processes, procedures, systems, or technology, including changes made for security, risk management, fraud prevention, or efficiency purposes
To reflect changes in market conditions, the competitive environment, or in the cost to us of providing the Services, including changes to the Bank of England Base Rate or other benchmark rates
To respond to changing customer needs, expectations, or usage patterns, or to align with industry best practices and standards
To give effect to any reorganisation, restructuring, merger, acquisition, or rebranding of the Bank or any part of our business

The notice periods and methods for communicating changes to these Terms will depend on the nature of the change and its effect on you. Where a change is to your material disadvantage, increases your liability, imposes additional charges or fees, materially reduces your rights or benefits, or otherwise materially affects your use of the Services, we will provide you with at least two months' prior personal notice of the change, in writing (including by electronic communication in accordance with Section 10 of these Terms), before the change takes effect. For changes to interest rates that are to your disadvantage, we will provide you with at least two months' prior personal notice, unless the rate is a tracker rate linked to a publicly available base rate, in which case any increase will take effect in accordance with the mechanism set out in your product terms.

Where a change is to your advantage (such as a reduction in fees or an increase in interest rates), is neutral in its effect on you, is required by law or regulation, is a change to a variable interest rate in your favour, relates to the addition of a new feature or benefit at no additional cost to you, or is a minor clarification or correction that does not adversely affect you, we may make the change with no prior notice or with such shorter notice period as we consider reasonable in the circumstances, and we will notify you of the change either personally or by posting the revised Terms on our website within 30 days of the change taking effect.

If we notify you of a material change to these Terms that is to your disadvantage, you have the right, at any time before the date on which the change is due to take effect, to reject the change by notifying us in writing and to close your accounts, switch to an alternative product, or terminate your relationship with us, without incurring any penalty, charge, or loss of interest, and without the need to provide any reason. If you do not reject the change before it takes effect, and you continue to use or access the Services after the effective date of the change, you will be deemed to have accepted the revised Terms in full. If we do not receive notice of rejection from you, and you do not close your account before the effective date, we may treat this as acceptance of the change on your behalf.

The latest version of these Terms will always be published on our website with a prominent indication of the date on which they were last updated. We recommend that you review these Terms regularly when you access our Services to ensure that you are aware of the current version in force. Previous versions of these Terms are archived and are available on request from our customer services team.

14. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms and any dispute or claim (including non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter or formation shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, unless you are resident in Scotland in which case Scottish law shall apply, or unless you are resident in Northern Ireland in which case the law of Northern Ireland shall apply. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we retain the right to bring proceedings against you for breach of these Terms in your country of residence or any other competent jurisdiction.

Each party irrevocably agrees that, subject as provided below, the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim (including non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with these Terms or their subject matter or formation. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this clause shall prevent us from bringing any action or proceeding, or applying for any interim or protective measure, in any other court of competent jurisdiction as may be permitted by applicable law, or as may be necessary to enforce any judgment obtained from the courts of England and Wales.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

If you are a consumer (that is, an individual acting for purposes which are wholly or mainly outside your trade, business, craft, or profession), and we are unable to resolve any complaint or dispute you may have with us through our internal complaints handling procedure, you may be eligible to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service for independent, free, and impartial resolution. The Financial Ombudsman Service can deal with most types of complaint relating to financial products and services, including banking, lending, payment services, and investment services, and their determinations are binding on us if you accept them.

The contact details for the Financial Ombudsman Service are: Exchange Tower, Harbour Exchange Square, London, E14 9SR. Telephone: 0800 023 4567 (from UK landlines) or 0300 123 9123 (from UK mobiles). Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk. Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk. Please note that there are monetary and time limits for referring complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service, and not all complaints are eligible — further information about eligibility criteria and referral procedures is available on the Financial Ombudsman Service's website. For business customers and other non-consumers, we are happy to discuss alternative dispute resolution options on a case-by-case basis, but we are not a member of any alternative dispute resolution scheme for non-consumer complaints and are not required to be.

These Terms are drawn up and executed in the English language. All communications between you and us relating to these Terms shall be conducted in the English language, unless we expressly agree otherwise. No translation of these Terms into any other language shall be binding or have any legal effect for any purpose whatsoever, and in the event of any inconsistency between the English language version and any translation, the English language version shall prevail to the fullest extent permitted by law.

If any provision or part-provision of these Terms is or becomes invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason under the law of any jurisdiction, it shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid, legal, and enforceable. If such modification is not possible, the relevant provision or part-provision shall, to the extent required, be deemed deleted and severed from these Terms, and the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions of these Terms and the remainder of such provision shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, provided that the deletion would not materially alter the commercial bargain between the parties. If the severance would materially alter the commercial bargain, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to replace the invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision with a valid, legal, and enforceable provision that achieves, so far as possible, the same commercial effect as the original provision.

No waiver by either party of any breach of, or default under, any provision of these Terms shall be deemed a waiver of any subsequent or continuing breach or default, or of any other provision of these Terms. No single or partial exercise by either party of any right, power, or remedy under these Terms shall preclude or impair any other or further exercise of that or any other right, power, or remedy. Except as expressly provided otherwise in these Terms, the rights, powers, and remedies provided in these Terms are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, powers, or remedies provided by law.

15. Contact

If you have any questions, comments, or complaints about these Terms, if you require further information about any aspect of the Services, if you wish to exercise any of your rights, or if you need to report any security incident, suspected fraud, or unauthorised activity on your account, please contact us using any of the channels listed below. Our customer services team is available to assist you and will respond to all enquiries in a prompt, professional, and courteous manner.

Contact Channels

Telephone Banking

Refer to contact page

Email

support@abcintplc.com

Head Office

100 King Street, London EC2V 8AH, United Kingdom

Live Chat & Secure Message

Available 24/7 via online and mobile banking (log in required)

Fraud reporting line: Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — please call the number on the back of your card to report suspected fraud immediately.

Full contact details, branch locator, and opening hours are available on our website.

Protection and Compensation

Eligible deposits held by ABC Bank Plc are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), the UK's statutory fund of last resort for customers of authorised financial services firms. Deposits are protected up to a total of £85,000 per person, per authorised firm (or up to £170,000 for joint accounts). Most deposits are automatically covered, and no application is required. Further information about the FSCS is available at www.fscs.org.uk.

We are also covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), which provides free, independent dispute resolution for eligible consumer complaints. Details of the FOS are set out in Section 14 of these Terms and in our Complaints Handling Procedure, which is available on request.

Thank you for taking the time to read these Terms of Service. We are committed to building and maintaining a transparent, fair, and long-lasting relationship with all our customers, based on mutual trust and respect. If you have any concerns or questions about any of the provisions set out above, please do not hesitate to raise them with our customer services team before proceeding to use our Services. It is our goal to ensure that you fully understand your rights and obligations, and that you are entirely comfortable with the terms of our relationship.

By continuing to use or access our Services following notification of these Terms, you confirm that you have read, understood, and accept these Terms in full, without reservation or modification. We look forward to serving you and supporting your financial journey.

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