The code agreed at the end of last year between the Government and the banks to help mortgagees in difficulties has started with barely 9,000 applications in its first two months of life. The figure is far from the million people who are protected by the new protocol, but the Minister of Economic Affairs, Nadia Calviño, specified two things yesterday. The first, that the number of requests "multiplies the average figure by 15" to date. And the second, that "the bulk of mortgage reviews will take place throughout 2023", so it is early to determine whether the coverage is adequate or not. “We did well to anticipate,” she said.
Calviño made these considerations at yesterday's meeting between the Government, banking associations, consumer advocates and platforms for the elderly to monitor the different codes of good practice approved to date.
At the meeting, the banks promised to maintain the savings books for those over 65 years of age and the Government asked them to be more proactive in informing clients with a variable mortgage that, if they wish, they can change to a fixed mortgage of free way.
The Government, banks and consumers did not agree to extend the aid protocols in progress, but they did agree to follow up. The Bank of Spain will publish a report in May on requests for aid to mortgagees and all parties will meet again in June to analyze "the effect of the rises in the Euribor" on consumers.
Deposits were also discussed at the meeting, although in a generic way. "They are market decisions" and there was only "an exchange of views without reaching any kind of conclusion," Calviño acknowledged.
In what there was unanimity was in assessing the progress since a year ago the Government and the banks began to close agreements on the elderly, financial inclusion, rural areas and mortgages. In the last year, according to the figures presented at the meeting, the number of offices with face-to-face care for the elderly has doubled, telephone assistance has increased by 50% and the points to withdraw cash in rural areas have been expanded.
Carlos San Juan, the retiree who forced banks to improve care for the elderly, described the meeting as "cordial" and congratulated himself on the progress made in the passbooks and in the parliamentary process of the new authority for the defense of financial clients. “I have observed empathy and we have insisted that the elderly have to remain in an analog bubble”, since banking digitization is a risk of exclusion.
José María Álvarez, the president of the association of old boxes CECA, explained that "concern had been detected in the notebooks", which are a "very suitable instrument".
Alejandra Kindelán, president of the AEB banking association, said that in the meeting "progress was made in solving problems that are challenges for the country" and recalled that the bank fee of 250 euros for each complaint intended to finance the new financial customer ombudsman it creates “wrong incentives”.
Calviño also expressed yesterday his willingness to review this rate during its parliamentary process.
