Frustration as TSB online lockout drags on Ian Harper, a sole trader in the catering equipment repair business, relies on his internet banking to pay supplies and make purchases. He returned from holiday on September 16 to find access to his account denied and has lost a sale as a result. Mr Harper, from West Lothian, said: "I have never been offered a direct line to any person, instead I have to endure the whole process of going through their phone menus then their security every time I contact them (usually twice or three times a day) it is exhausting. The bank now does not even offer a Business Manager who used to be an individual you could at least go to with problems and at least have some continuity in the resolve process. "Instead they have a "Relationship Team" who, after my experience today are only too happy to wash their hands of this huge problem and pass you on to the IT dept! Meanwhile, being a sole trader, I cannot administrate my business the way I have developed it over the years using crucial tools like online banking to quickly buy and pay for equipment in quick sale situations. This has now, following an incident last week, had a financial impact on my business due to a lost sale. Other readers report similar issues. Posting under the name alancraigie, one reader wrote "My password wouldn't work on the new TSB account so I had to phone them from abroad. The solution they provided was to re-register for internet banking but when you do you're informed that the new username has been posted to my UK address. After spending an entire afternoon on the phone, he managed to get access.