If the account balance is shrinking, the next loan installment can get tight. But that doesn’t seem to be a big problem in the region.
Image: Petra Hartl
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In rows, orders broke off almost overnight in March, and for countless employees of the Amberg and Amberg-Sulzbach companies there was hardly any or no work left. This meant an enormous challenge for companies in all industries. For many who were affected during the first lockdown, the fear of having to accept severe financial cuts, no longer being able to pay bills or not being able to service loans grew noticeably. Now, more than six months later, Andreas Reindl, CEO of the Volksbank-Raiffeisenbank Amberg, all clear: “I don’t know of a single private customer who would have extreme problems being able to pay his installment for the house.”
Reindl can only guess why that is the case. On the one hand, there were no opportunities to spend money for weeks – except in the supermarket: “People didn’t go on vacation and couldn’t go out to eat.” Larger purchases have not been made or postponed. On the other hand, the industry in the Amberg-Sulzbach region is export-oriented, but: “We are too far away from really large sectors such as the automotive industry. In the past, we often felt disadvantaged or even left behind because of this. Now, in Corona times, we are but almost happy about it. “
I don’t know of a single private customer who would have extreme problems paying his rate for the house.
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Image: Petra Hartl
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“Far away” from major industries
The traders would still have felt the crisis. As Reindl said when asked, more than 200 loans from companies and businesses have been deferred. The companies would have saved themselves in some cases five-digit amounts each month. But there is now good news in this segment as well: “Many did it preventively. 90 percent would not have needed it because they got through the crisis well.” But: “Of course we don’t know what to do next.” The situation at Sparkasse Amberg-Sulzbach is somewhat different, as board member Alexander Düssil lets know: Since the beginning of the Corona crisis, the bank has made deferral agreements “with various borrowers” for around 350 loans. In contrast to the Volksbank-Raiffeisenbank, both commercial (around 130) and private (around 220) loans are affected. On average, the deferred rate for private contracts is around 500 euros. These are classic housing and consumer loans. Nevertheless, Alexander Düssil agrees with his colleague Andreas Reindl in the key statement: “The number of deferral agreements has clearly exceeded our original expectation.” In this respect, the effects of the Corona crisis on Sparkasse customers are currently still relatively manageable. With a view to the new lockdown, Düssil says: “With regard to the further development due to the current situation, no reliable forecasts are currently possible.”
The number of deferral agreements has our original number
Well below expectations.–
Image: AMB
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“No permanent imbalance”
Gerd Baumann, who is responsible for corporate communications at Sparda-Bank Ostbayern, can also reassure you: “Overall, the pandemic has not caused any credit customers to get into permanent financial difficulties.” In the Amberg and Amberg-Sulzbach area, only 24 borrowers came to the bank for payment deferrals.
The Targo-Bank, which like the Sparda-Bank operates a branch in Amberg, cannot provide separate figures for the region, according to a spokesman, but: “The bottom line is that our customers’ payment problems are currently limited. ” In terms of the total bank, which is represented nationwide with around 350 branches, the proportion of deferrals is around five percent.
The monthly burdens of companies and private individuals also include the taxes that are to be paid to the city of Amberg – such as dog, property or trade tax. Here, too, there could be bottlenecks due to Corona, but: “Everything is still within the normal framework. It is not that the number of deferrals has increased dramatically,” says press spokeswoman Susanne Schwab.
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