On bank websites, advertising banners and brochures, they are reverently referred to as seniors. Smiling retirees send the message: the bank is a friend who is always ready to lend a helping hand. However, beautiful pictures do not always correspond to reality. The Delfi editorial was approached by a reader who claims that the bank has denied him a small consumer loan because of his age. This loan was needed to buy firewood. We decided to find out at what age people in Latvia lose the opportunity to receive a loan and whether it can not be considered discrimination.
“I recently applied to the bank for a consumer loan. The amount was not large (but, as it turned out, it did not matter, which I will tell you below.) I need money to buy firewood. Let’s consider it as a down payment during the heating season. Pay everything I get a pension and I can repay this loan gradually. But I face real discrimination! ” says Andris.
“It turns out that consumer loans are issued only until the age of 67. I have a little more. The bank also wrote in a text message: we do not issue loans after the age of 67! Absolutely no! I wrote the application via Internet banking, there was no word about such a restriction. application procedure from start to finish, fill in all the forms, answer the questions, even though the bank knew my age through the identification of the Internet bank.Question: why in banners and other temptations to offer credit to whom you do not want to give? And in general – is it legal ? ” wonders man.
“Basically, the bank told me: if you have reached the threshold of 67, you have to lie in a coffin and wait for death. I really want to know why (it happens – ed.) At a time when the fight against discrimination – by gender and other characteristics – is about equal treatment for all (so-called equality), the state and the media talk about raising the retirement age threshold due to the improvement in the quality of life of the same pensioners, as well as the increase in life expectancy.
Residents are customers of the bank, the bank continues to charge a commission on pension transfers. But I can not get the services of a commercial bank! You ask: why? It is interesting to know what other services I cannot receive in our country. Why not tell right away? Yes, we discriminate against you pensioners, you are not interested in us as customers, because you can die at any moment. You are at risk, you are denied the service.
I will say at once that the recommendation to change the bank will not work, we have no competition, it is a systematic, even monopolistic law – not to issue loans to those over 67 years of age. And it doesn’t matter what the purpose of the money is, it doesn’t matter what the credit history is, there is no debt, it doesn’t matter how big the pension is. Everything, you are no longer bound to the banking system! ”Says Andris.
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