Used HSBC for the mortgage on a new property. Simply put we were 'porting' our current HSBC mortgage from the old to the new house and taking out a second HSBC mortgage to cover the difference. The maths was Mortgage 1 + mortgage 2 = the price of the new house (minus what we put in in terms of equity on the old property) HSBC applied the following maths. Mortgage 1 - mortgage 2 = £97,000 short of what we needed. I voiced concern this was wrong and this was ignored for 10 weeks straight, despite repeated e-mails and phone calls. 2 days before exchange our lawyers got involved and pointed this out. HSBC finally accepted the mistake as one of the advisors having messed up. I expressed dismay that the mistake wasn't picked up by underwriting and the fact theres a single point of failure that can go all the way through to exchange. I wrote a letter asking HSBC to alter their procedures so no single mistake could go through to exchange without a second check to detect it, a relatively easy process to employ. HSBC refused stating it was 'too difficult' to implement this. From someone that works in a safety related industry where procedures change the whole time I know this not to be true. HSBC then suggested it was the lawyers that were to blame, ironic when it was the lawyers that THEY INSISTED i use. That cost me £1004 in cancelled legal fees from the original lawyers I instructed. Again HSBC denied any wrong doing as it's in their terms and conditions. I might also remind them 'learning from mistakes and putting things right is also in the T&Cs but they failed to do that by refusing to change very poor procedures. HSBC then went on to suggest I was the second line of defence on mistakes and I should have picked up the mistake. I pointed out I was not a financial adviser but I had highlighted a mistake and I had been ignored. Ironically then HSBC seemed to ignore me when I further pushed this point. I would summarise they actively encourage weak procedures so they can use plausible deniability. In the end I was offered £250 and the ombudsman agreed this was fair because the legal issue and the procedures issue they do not look into as it's not their area of responsibility. I contacted the FCA who seemed largely disinterested but 'added it to their statistics'. Now i know how the 2008 financial crash occurred. In my industry this standard would not be accepted. Taking my mortgage and bank elsewhere at the end of my fixed mortgage term. That will cost HSBC a lot more than £1004 i can assure them. In summary a totally incompetent and mismanaged process, and very unlikely to be a one off given the weak procedures to prevent such things happening.