A family grieving the loss of their teenage son say Metro Bank is compounding their distress by refusing to remove damaging late payment markers from their credit file.
A Family's Agony Compounded by Banking Bureaucracy
The customers, who wish to remain anonymous, explained that their 19-year-old son passed away in July 2025 following a long illness. They described the final years of his life as immensely challenging, as they struggled to support him while maintaining normality for their other children.
Amid this profound stress, the family fell behind on their Metro Bank mortgage repayments on two occasions: in February and March 2025. They have, however, been fully up to date with all payments since April.
The Financial Fallout of a Personal Tragedy
The real consequence of those two missed payments emerged recently when the family's application to remortgage their home with Nationwide was rejected. The refusal was directly linked to the late payment markers that Metro Bank had placed on their credit file.
In August, after the mortgage refusal, the family contacted Metro Bank. They outlined the tragic circumstances and, pointing to their previous good repayment history, asked the bank to remove the markers as a gesture of goodwill. Metro Bank refused their request.
"This is causing extreme stress to us as we rebuild from our loss," the family stated.
Metro Bank's Response and Official Advice
When approached for comment by the Guardian, a Metro Bank spokesperson said, "We understand not all customers want to talk to their bank about personal circumstances. However, for individuals facing financial challenges, we’d advise speaking to us as early as possible to discuss support options available."
The bank's website urges customers to make contact at the earliest opportunity if they are concerned about payments, stating: "Your home may be at risk if you don’t keep up your mortgage repayments." It also recommends seeking independent financial advice.
For this family, however, the damage to their credit file is now done, adding a layer of financial insecurity to their ongoing emotional recovery.
