Loan has long been repaid? You can get a refund of up to several hundred thousand
Customers sue banks for loans repaid years ago. Growing claims can cost a billion zloty sector – banks want clear terms.
Banks in Poland face the growing problem of lawsuits filed by customers who have repaid their loans many years ago. More and more people are choosing their rights, demanding that the financial institutions return the overpaid installments.
The number of claims is growing
As he explains in an interview with the Wyborcza portal.biz, legal advisor Wojciech Bochenek from Bochenek, Ciesielki and Partners, the number of court cases regarding loans that have already been paid off. Customers want to recover money, the sum of which exceeded the value of funding received. These claims often reach several dozen to even several hundred thousand zlotys.
Representatives of the banking sector see in this phenomenon the actions of law firm specialized in pursuing claims. According to the industry, such lawsuits are becoming more and more popular, especially in the context of loans indexed to the Swiss franc. They concern both people who have concluded settlements and those who repaid their liabilities many years ago.
The analysis carried out by the Warsaw Institute of Banking shows that by the end of 2025, loans in francs should disappear from the balance sheet of banks. However, their consequences may still be burdened with financial institutions. Only in 2025, the legal risk associated with these loans can cost banks up to PLN 10 billion.
Not only mortgages
Not only mortgages are the subject of disputes. Customers can also question cash loans. In the case of detecting prohibited provisions in the contract, it is possible to refer to the so -called free loan sanction. In response to these activities, some banks offer a conversion of old obligations to new ones, without collecting commissions.
Industry representatives call for the introduction of provisions that would clearly specify the date to which lawsuits can be brought against banks. The Ministry of Justice supports the idea of unifying the provisions of loan agreements. As indicated by Dr. Aneta Domagalska-Wiewiórowska, the goal is to create exemplary conditions that could reduce the number of disputes and relieve the courts. These patterns would have the form of provisions excluded from court review.
