Chamber court confirms: Customers can demand money back from Berliner Sparkasse

Chamber court confirms: Customers can demand money back from Berliner Sparkasse

Berliner Sparkasse suffered a legal defeat after consumer advocates sued over unannounced cost increases. The Chamber Court ruled in favor of the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations and decided that the savings bank was not allowed to introduce or increase fees without the consent of the customers. This means that customers can now expect repayments as soon as the judgment becomes final.

Berliner Sparkasse had increased the costs several times without obtaining active consent from customers. This happened, for example, through the conversion of the 'Comfort current account' to 'Giro flat rate' at the end of 2016 and a unilateral increase in the monthly fee by three euros. Despite the Sparkasse's resistance to repaying the excess amounts, around 1,200 customers joined a class action lawsuit brought by consumer advocates. However, the court declared that the claims were time-barred and that consumer advocates were now considering an appeal.

The latest ruling could also affect customers of other banks that have made similar unlawful fee increases. Bank customers should check their bank statements from January 2018 to see if they are affected. Niels Nauhauser from the Baden-Württemberg consumer advice center emphasized that the fee increases of recent years were ineffective and that customers were entitled to claim them back from their bank or savings bank. The consumer advice center provides a sample letter that customers can use to request a refund.