Thirteen of Metcombank’s customers have already used their right to pay off their mortgage with the help of the so-called maternity money – the 299,000 RUR the state pays a mother for her second child and/or consecutive children. These are five borrowers based in Krasnoturinsk, five people from Kamensk Uralskiy, and three Yekaterinburg dwellers, the spokesperson for the bank reports.

In addition, Metcombank gives its customers a chance to have their loan payments restructured, whereas most other banks only ask for paying one’s debt off in advance.

‘We chose to help our customers, as we understand that a lot of them might find it easier to use the maternity money now to make several installments in time as well as to reduce the amount of money owed to the bank. To do this, a customer has to sign an additional agreement with the bank providing for the transfer of money. The next payment will then be due only in several months’ time,’ says Metcombank’s Deputy Chair Nina Batalova.

The bank’s PR department reports the maternity money can be used to pay both the interest and the debt itself. The sum cannot be used to pay fines or overdue fees.