Recently, many letters have come from Russia, in which people write that typical loans in Russia are bondage for people. I asked the well-known human rights activist Dmitry Adamov to comment on the situation with mortgage loans.
– The situation with mortgages in Russia amid the crisis caused by the pandemic is a disaster for many people. – thinks Adamov. – I also receive many letters from Chechnya, Bashkiria, Tatarstan and other regions of Russia. The bulk of the borrowers are clients of Sberbank of Russia. Clients of VTB Bank, Rosselkhozbank and other banks use less frequently.
– What do you think is the reason?
– I’ll tell you one case, similar to ten others, similar. This gave me, honestly, a shock. A case from the practice of Sberbank of Russia in the North Caucasus, in the republics of the Volga region and the Urals. So: a family of retirees took out a mortgage loan from Sberbank of Russia. It’s okay. They pay a year, then another … And then one of the old men falls ill. More than 70 percent of lung damage. Coronavirus. An elderly person is taken to the hospital. Russian doctors, we must pay tribute to their courage and professionalism, put the pensioner on his feet within 10-14 days. But … the diagnosis does not indicate Covid-19, but pneumonia, so as not to spoil the reporting on the decrease in the incidence of Covid in the region. So: retirees from their own pockets paid in full for the treatment of one of the spouses (aggregate monthly income of borrowers). The family turns to the local branch of Sberbank of Russia, where they made out a loan with a statement to reduce the interest rate on the loan. But … again, BUT … branches are not entitled to consider such applications, only Moscow or Nizhny Novgorod (!?) After which the pensioners receive an answer from Sberbank of Russia. Not by mail, but by SMS (???) It says: “It is not possible to lower the interest rate, since the bank does not have a program that allows you to reduce the rate.” And at the same time they write further: “in case of financial difficulties, the bank may consider the possibility of debt restructuring.” After filing an application for “debt restructuring”, an answer comes again via SMS stating that “restructuring was refused” without specifying the reasons for this refusal. What we have? The pensioners spent all their money on medicines. They ask to lower the interest rate, provide vacations, and restructure the debt. Refusal everywhere! With a diagnosis of pneumonia, they do not fall under the decree of the President of Russia on assistance to persons affected by Covid. They do not fall under the program of the same Sberbank of Russia on benefits, since the patient was 2 weeks old.
– And what should they do in such a situation?
– Go to court. Take screenshots and print responses from Sberbank of Russia. This will be the evidence base for the legality of going to court.
Yes, the pandemic has brought many problems around the world. But, in the West, for example, they treat with understanding the problems of people who have faced the consequences of the pandemic. In Russia, as always, the first to suffer are the elderly, pensioners who have given their whole lives to work for the good of the country. Where is the justice? I would like to appeal to the heads of banks, to the Government of Russia and to the President of Russia with a request not to leave pensioners without support, to treat with understanding the problems of pensioners in each specific case.
Alex
(Sunday, 31 January 2021 21:05)
Poor retirees. I read Gref’s answers on the Sberbank of Russia website. Words are at odds with deeds. Shame !!!
# 2
Zukhra B.
(Monday, 01 February 2021 04:27)
We also faced this problem. And also with Sberbank of Russia. Getting a loan in Russia is not difficult. Banks are willing to give loans. But then problems begin with these banks. In words, yes, they “care” about people. In fact …
# 3
Evgeny Zakharov
(Monday, 01 February 2021 06:54)
Pensioners are the most vulnerable segment of society. And until the state begins to take care of those who built and developed this state, it costs nothing. Shame on the bankers, shame on the government, shame on the president!
