The President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) charged three banks – BNP Paribas Bank Polska, Getin Noble Bank and Bank Pocztowy – with allegations of violation of collective consumer interests in connection with credit holidays, the Office announced.
BNP Paribas Bank Polska, Getin Noble Bank and Bank Pocztowy in the electronic banking system still do not allow the submission of one application for all selected periods. The President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has accused them of violating collective consumer interests. They are threatened with penalties of up to 10% of the entrepreneur’s annual turnover, it was announced.
UOKiK reminds you that the provisions introducing the so-called credit holidays leave the consumer free – he can enter all 8 months in one application or submit successively separate applications to suspend one or more installments.
“After our summons, most banks also leave the choice to consumers whether they want to suspend all installments permitted by law in one application, or to do it gradually in several separate applications. Three banks that have not changed this yet have received allegations of violating the collective interests of consumers,” said the president UOKIK Tomasz Chróstny.
UOKiK emphasizes that from the very beginning it has been monitoring banks’ practices regarding granting and informing about credit holidays. According to the announcement, explanatory proceedings are pending against 17 banks.
Consumers also complain to the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection about incorrect repayment schedules after taking advantage of credit holidays, indicating that interest continues to be charged or showing new and overstated installments (the problem concerns 8 out of 17 analyzed banks), refusal to suspend the repayment of the “mortgage loan” without substantive examination whether the product it is not a mortgage that meets the criteria provided for in the act, lack of justification or laconic justification by banks of refusal to suspend loan repayment, long processing time of applications.
“We are observing these practices and asking the banks for explanations on an ongoing basis. At the same time, we do not rule out taking further actions, including filing charges in relation to violations of the law,” said Chróstny.
According to the data of the Credit Information Bureau (BIK), 876,000 were covered by credit holidays by August 30. loans worth PLN 228 billion and 44% of those eligible took advantage of them. This pool includes only 0.1% of the value of loans whose holders have problems with repayment (delays over 90 days), which means that the possibility of suspending installments may still be afraid of people who need credit holidays the most.
About 900 complaints were submitted to UOKiK, including those indicating that banks may make it difficult for consumers to take advantage of credit holidays or discourage them from doing so.
Source: UOKiK and ISBnews
