Sparkasse Berlin: Court ruling allows fees to be refunded

Sparkasse Berlin: Court ruling allows fees to be refunded

Sparkasse Berlin acted without customer consent when adjusting fees, which could lead to a potential claim for refunds. On April 9, 2024, the Berlin Court of Appeal classified this procedure as unlawful, thereby enabling possible reimbursement for millions of those affected. According to the ruling, customers who have paid additional fees to the savings bank since 2018 could claim reimbursement.

In view of the verdict, Sparkasse Berlin is considering appealing the decision and argues that the three-year solution can be transferred to bank fees, which would not result in any claims for reimbursement. However, if the ruling stands, customers not only of Sparkasse Berlin, but possibly also customers of other banking institutions could demand a refund. The consumer advice center is also conducting similar proceedings against Sparkasse KölnBonn, the outcome of which is awaiting the Berlin verdict.

The impact of the ruling could also extend to other banks, such as Deutsche Bank, ING Diba and Commerzbank. These institutions are said to have increased their fees between 2018 and 2022, which could potentially lead to refund claims. It is possible that customers of these banks can also request a refund for fees paid so far. It is recommended to use sample letters from the consumer advice center to assert reimbursement claims after legally binding judgments have been made.

It remains to be seen what the revision process and further developments will be like with regard to refund claims for bank customers. Likewise, the reaction of other banking institutions to the Berlin ruling will be interesting to determine whether similar charging practices in other companies could also be challenged.