Polish watchdog fines four banks 147 million PLN over unfair fee hikes of up to 200 percent
Poland's competition and consumer protection watchdog UOKiK has imposed 147.09 million PLN in fines on four retail banks. The regulator found that contractual terms allowed lenders to arbitrarily raise fees by up to 200 percent.
⚡ Key numbers:
- 147.09 million PLN — total fines issued across four banking institutions
- 80.68 million PLN — largest fine, issued to Erste Bank Polska
- 63.26 million PLN — penalty imposed on ING Bank Śląski
- 200 percent — potential fee increase triggered by an inflation bump of just 0.3 percentage points
Drastic fee increases triggered by minor metrics
The competition authority scrutinised contractual modification clauses across personal accounts, credit cards, consumer loans and mortgages. Regulators found that the rules left customers unable to anticipate what circumstances would permit contractual alterations.
Under one challenged clause, an inflation uptick of just 0.3 percentage points or an average salary gain of 1 percent allowed the lender to raise charges by as much as 200 percent. The watchdog highlighted that this structure practically enabled fee adjustments on a monthly basis.
Financial penalties across the four lenders
The regulatory sanctions targeted Erste Bank Polska, ING Bank Śląski, Bank Pocztowy, and Plus Bank. Each institution received two distinct penalties: one concerning contract modification clauses and another targeting fee revision policies.
Erste Bank Polska received the heaviest fine at 80.68 million PLN, followed by ING Bank Śląski at 63.26 million PLN. Bank Pocztowy was fined 2.71 million PLN, while Plus Bank received a penalty of 453,000 PLN.
Legal rights and institutional pushback
UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny noted that consumers enter agreements based on specific terms, meaning ongoing cost changes cannot depend purely on the lender's discretion. The watchdog stated that routine cost increases belong to regular commercial business risk.
ING Bank Śląski announced to news agency PAP that it disagrees with the regulator's findings and intends to appeal. All sanctioned lenders have the right to challenge the decisions before the Court of Competition and Consumer Protection.
What to watch next
- Appeals submitted by the affected banks to the competition court (SOKiK)
- Timing of final binding rulings following prolonged court proceedings
- Potential customer claims for refunds of disputed charges and commissions
Frequently asked questions
Which banks were penalised by UOKiK?
The sanctioned lenders are Erste Bank Polska, ING Bank Śląski, Bank Pocztowy, and Plus Bank.
What prompted the 147 million PLN fines?
Lenders used clauses allowing unilateral contract modifications and fee hikes up to 200 percent based on tiny economic fluctuations.
Can the penalized banks dispute the ruling?
Yes, all four banks can file appeals with the Court of Competition and Consumer Protection.
Sources: Interia Biznes, Business Insider Polska, money.pl, RMF24, Bankier.pl.
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