Sparkasse: More than 90 percent agree to terms and conditions – customers accept potential price increases
Created: 11/28/2022, 5:31 p.m
By: Patricia Huber
In order to change the terms and conditions, banks need the consent of the customers.
Initially, the request for this confirmation was sluggish - now the savings banks hardly have a problem with it.
Frankfurt – In the past, banks could push through price increases without customer consent.
They assumed that consent would be given if the customer did not object after the announcement of the higher costs.
However, this method has not been permitted since April 27, 2021.
Sparkasse requires approval for changes to terms and conditions
On this day, the Federal Court of Justice ruled that the increase in fees expressly requires the consent of the customer.
For example, if a bank wants to increase account management fees, the customer must actively accept this.
Since then, the banks have been very keen to get the appropriate approvals from their customers - and after the initial difficulties, things now seem to be going quite well for the Sparkasse.
In January of this year, numerous approvals were still missing.
According to a survey by
tagesschau.de
, the reluctance was even greater at the time.
But now it looks much better.
In most federal states, more than 90 percent of savings bank customers have already agreed to the new General Terms and Conditions (GTC), reports the
Bloomberg
news service , citing a specially conducted survey.
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Sparkasse: Without consent, the account termination threatens
In Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony, Westphalia-Lippe and Schleswig-Holstein, customers have the fewest problems with the new terms and conditions.
Around 95 percent of all customers have already given their consent here - and in doing so have partly paved the way for price increases.
Things are also looking good in the other federal states with an approval rate of around 90 percent.
But what about the other five to ten percent?
You face consequences.
In case of doubt, even the account will be terminated.
For this reason, the Sparkasse Nürnberg recently sent notices to 10,000 customers.
A spokeswoman explains to the
Handelsblatt
that customers were previously contacted in a variety of ways.
By post, in online banking and the associated app, on account statements or even at ATMs.
Termination would only take place in the worst case.
(ph)