TITLE: Poland's Office of Competition and Consumer Protection Urges Banks to Improve Inheritance Services
BODY:
On June 10, 2026, Poland's Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (Urząd Ochrony Konkurencji i Konsumentów, UOKiK) directed enforcement actions at major Polish banks to improve their handling of inheritance matters and access to deceased customers' funds.
The UOKiK chief executive, Tomasz Chróstny, conducted investigative proceedings against Poland's largest banks—including Alior Bank, Bank Millennium, Bank Pekao, BNP Paribas Bank Polska, Credit Agricole Bank Polska, ING Bank Śląski, mBank, PKO Bank Polski, Santander Bank Polska, Santander Consumer Bank, and VeloBank—following systematic consumer complaints about inheritance procedures. The complaints identified prolonged procedures, excessive documentation requirements, payment delays despite submission of required documents, inconsistent information across multiple bank contacts, demands for in-person attendance by all heirs simultaneously, and the immediate acceleration of loan repayment obligations upon notification of a customer's death without allowing heirs time to respond.
The UOKiK found that banks lacked clear, unified standards for handling inheritance matters and that staff were inadequately trained. The office identified potential violations of banking law, including failures to inform consumers about death-contingent deposit dispositions and unfavourable debt inheritance practices.
The UOKiK issued formal notices to the banks outlining expected standards for heir treatment and requesting information on remedial actions taken. The office emphasised the need to simplify procedures, provide clear and consistent information to heirs, and ensure adequate staff training. Chróstny stated that heirs should not face prolonged delays in accessing funds despite providing all required documentation, particularly when those funds are needed for funeral arrangements or managing the deceased's ongoing financial obligations.