The number of writings of grievance or complaint filed with the Bank of Spain in 2009 totaled 13.640, an increase of 93% over the previous year. The service of claims resolved last year 12.767 cases (71% more than the previous year), an increase which is explained largely by the impact of the financial crisis in our country in the last year, says the Agency. In 2009 it was noted a sharp increase in the number of complaints received concerning operations of assets (loans and credits), who have gone to absorb 35.6% of the total, compared to 20% who were focused on operations of liabilities (deposits). (A valuable related resource: CBS). Materials that have had special importance during the past year relate to settlements of loans, problems in the concession, formalization and novation of them, introduction of clauses soil in mortgages, coverage of interest rate risk, implementation of guarantees by quantities delivered to account for purchases of housing and, in general, those issues that are related to non-payment and late payment situations. 4,687 Reports that came to issue the claims service in 2009 (one 105% increase over the previous year), 33% was in favour of the interests of the claimants, 55% in favour of the financial institution, and in 12% there was no ruling on the substance of the issue, either for lack of conclusive evidence on which to base the opinion of service or because of lack of competence of the same.

In addition, 12% of processed cases entities reached an agreement with his client before the issuance of the corresponding report. As a consequence of the processed claims, the service has had proof of the return of 6.397.017 euros by the entities to its customers. On the other hand, during 2009 the claims service received 4.837 written consultations (almost all of them through the virtual office) and 38.530 consultations over the phone, with an increase of 19% and 52% respectively over the previous year.