Lloyds Banking Group — which owns Halifax and Bank of Scotland — said it will undertake a review of all customer cases which may have been affected by criminal activities linked to the former Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBoS) Impaired Assets Office based in Reading.

The review follows the trial in which a number of individuals were convicted including two former HBoS employees.

“Customer cases will be considered afresh in light of all relevant evidence including new evidence that emerged during the trial,” said Lloyds in a statement.

“Since the investigation began in 2010, it was important that the group did not do or say anything that could subsequently prejudice the trial.

“The group deeply regrets that the criminal actions have caused such distress for a number of HBoS business customers.”

Lloyds said that in consultation with the Financial Conduct Authority, it will appoint an independent third party as part of the review.

Lloyds will contact customers identified “as potentially affected by the criminal activities and provide redress if appropriate.”

But it added: “Whilst this should result in all these customers being contacted proactively, any customer who believes they may have been affected can also raise concerns direct with LBG.”

Customer cases that will be reviewed include:

• those cases referred by the convicted former HBoS employees to Quayside Corporate Services (QCS)
• customer cases that involved or were managed by QCS
• all previous and any new customer complaints regarding the convicted former HBoS employees and / or QCS services as they related to HBoS Impaired Assets based in Reading