Berlin
The savings bank increases the current account fees. Anyone who doesn’t agree will be fired. What customers need to know and when a change is worthwhile
Thousands of customers are currently experiencing this checking account quit. Affected are customers who have not agreed to the new terms and conditions and the associated price increases.
Many banks had already increased their account management fees last year. Also the checking account of many savings banks became more expensive. Just a few years ago, such a price increase was possible without obtaining the explicit consent of customers. If the customers did not actively object to the price increase, this was already considered consent.
Higher account fees: Sparkasse obtained approval
According to a judgment by the Federal Court of Justice in April 2021, this tacit consent is inadmissible. banks must therefore obtain active consent from their customers when increasing their prices.
That’s what the savings banks did last year, by email, letter, app, at the counter – customers should be able to find out about the new ones everywhere Costs have been made aware. In this way, the savings banks managed to obtain the consent of most customers. According to a survey by the finance portal “Bloomberg” among the regional savings bank associations, the approval rate in the summer of 2022 was already around 90 percent in most regions.
Sparkasse: What to do in the event of termination?
Despite efforts, the savings banks could not reach all customers – or persuade them to agree. You will now be fired. The Sparkasse KölnBonn, one of the largest associations, is about 38,000 people, as “Tagesschau” reports. About 10,000 customers of Sparkasse Nuremberg are also affected. Also at the Hamburger Sparkasse and the East German associations, not all customers could be persuaded to agree.
However, customers of the savings banks have the option of keeping their account even if they have already received notice of termination. The Sparkasse KölnBonn, for example, speaks them termination Although, if customers continue to use the account within one month after the notice period, this is also deemed to be acceptance of the new terms and conditions.
Free checking account: Alternatives to the savings bank account
Nevertheless, it can now be worthwhile to look around for a new checking account. Because with many online direct banks this is still free of charge, for example at the DKB, Consorsbank, Comdirect or the ING. The disadvantage: direct contact with the customer advisor is not possible here.
That the banks their account fees continue to increase in the future is considered unlikely. On the contrary: by raising key interest rates, banks are likely to increasingly court savers’ money again. That means higher interest rates and lower account fees. A change can also be worthwhile for overnight and fixed-term deposit accounts. (lro)
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