The experts of Sverdlovsk Region Hygiene and Epidemiology Center’s consumer rights protection department studied the nature of customer complaints received in the second quarter of 2010 and came to the conclusion that companies and organizations keep violating consumers’ rights. Moreover, the number of the unhappy customers’ petitions against various sole traders and legal entities keeps growing.

As far as the financial services sector is concerned, local residents mainly protest against the additional incidental and monthly commissions some banks illegitimately charge for the administration of a loan, for giving out a loan, for the clerk’s attending to the loan, etc. The customers were also dissatisfied with the banks failing to provide them with the necessary and truthful information about the financial services rendered, such as the amount of the loan, the amount of debt, the penalty amount, etc. Besides, some banks’ agreements contain provisos which infringe on the customers’ rights if compared against the regulations set by the consumer rights protection legislation. Finally, certain banks only agree to give a loan if the borrowing party takes out an insurance policy into the bargain and impose a penalty that looks rather disproportionate given the scale of a failed obligation.

The greatest number of complaints has to do with OOO Home Credit & Finance Bank and OOO Renaissance Capital Commercial Bank. The dissatisfied customers laid their claims in person and complained over the phone.