A piggy financial institution (illustration). – FRANCK LODI / SIPA
The Postal bank is in the viewfinder of the
UFC-What to Choose. The shopper protection affiliation introduced on Wednesday that it had taken authorized motion in opposition to the financial institution. The UFC accuses him of illegally forcing its prospects with a Housing Savings Plan (PEL) to open a present account.
“For a number of months now, La Banque Postale has been forcing its prospects with [PEL] to open a paying present account below penalty of closing their PEL. The UFC-Que Choisir, considers this apply to be unlawful and is now suing the Banque Postale earlier than the judicial court docket of Paris “, Confirms the affiliation in a press launch.
“13.20 euros minimum per year”
“Under the pretext of regulatory requirements, the banking establishment obliges the opening of a current account with her, at a minimum price of 13.20 euros per year and being able to be billed close to 100 euros, ”explains the UFC-Que Choisir, whereas based on her the ELP is a free product and no authorized provision imposes its holder additionally to open a present account in the financial institution involved. “Some customers refused the bank’s request, others demonstrated that they met the only regulatory requirement, namely regular payments. But all of them saw their ELP closed, ”continues the affiliation.
Faced with “numerous consumer reports”, the UFC explains that it intervened with the banking institution to ask it “to respect the legal framework”, with out success, nevertheless, even when the financial institution agreed “to alter the content material of its mail ”. Deeming this response unsatisfactory, the affiliation due to this fact determined to place the financial institution via the justice system.
The financial institution will “examine individual situations”
The Postal Bank requested the prospects involved “to regularize their situation by giving them a period of 2 months”, reacts for its half the banking institution. However, “in the event that this compliance with the regulations would have generated dysfunctions unfavorable to the customer, the Postal Bank will continue to examine individual situations”, she continues.
This case shouldn’t be the first dispute between the affiliation and the banking institution. In April 2010, UFC-Que Choisir had notably sued the Banque Postale for “deceptive commercial practices” on one among its funeral insurance coverage contracts. In 2012, the Paris tribunal de grande occasion, nevertheless, dismissed the affiliation, ruling that the contract supplied by La Banque Postale was “in accordance with the law”.
