Съдебна практика

  • Данни за случая
    • Национален идентификатор: Supreme Court of Cassation, Judgement 189/2019
    • Държава-членка: България
    • Общоприето наименование:N/A
    • Вид решение: Решение на върховния съд
    • Дата на решението: 18/02/2019
    • Съд: Върховен касационен съд
    • Заглавие:
    • Ищец:
    • Ответник:
    • Ключови думи: unfair terms, consumer contracts
  • Членове от директивата
    Unfair Contract Terms Directive, Article 6 Unfair Contract Terms Directive, ANNEX I
  • Уводна бележка

    A clause in a loan agreement providing for the possibility of a unilateral increase of the agreed interest rate by the bank is admissible under the following conditions:

    1. the circumstances under which the interest rate may be changed must be explicitly agreed in the contract or in the general conditions.
    2. these circumstances should be objective, (i.e., not  depend on the will of the creditor) - their determination or application should not be  under the control of the creditor.
    3. the methodology for changing the interest rate must be clearly described in detail in the contract or the general conditions, (i.e., the manner of interest formation must be clear).
    4. in the event of these circumstances, it should be possible to increase or decrease the initially agreed interest rate - if only an increase is provided, this undoubtedly leads to a significant imbalance between the rights and obligations of the trader and the consumer and the clause would be unfair.

    An unfair clause in the loan agreement gives the bank the right to unilaterally increase the initially agreed base interest rate without informing of this in advance and not including in the agreement clear rules on the conditions and methodology under which this amount may change.

  • Факти

    Raiffeisenbank Bulgaria JSC files a claim against consumers  (borrowers) for payment of overdue principal, interest, and commission for loan management. The borrowers file a counterclaim for annulment of clauses of the loan agreement and its annex.

  • Правен въпрос

    What conditions must be met by the clauses of the loan agreements and the general conditions to entitle the bank to unilaterally change the agreed interest rate so that they are not deemed unfair?

  • Решение

    Confirming and developing its previous practice, the Supreme Court of Cassation derives the following prerequisites for the validity of the clauses that entitle the bank to unilaterally change the interest rate applicable to the loan agreement after the conclusion of the agreement: 1) the circumstances under which the interest rate may be changed must be explicitly agreed in the contract or in the general conditions, 2) these circumstances should be objective, (i.e., not to depend on the will of the creditor), 3) the methodology for changing the interest rate must be clearly described in detail in the contract or the general conditions. In the event of these circumstances, it should be possible to increase or decrease the initially agreed interest rate. According to the Supreme Court of Cassation, the announcement of the methodology on the website and in the offices of the bank does not make it part of the content of the contract.

    The Supreme Court of Cassation defines  an unfair clause in the loan agreement as a clause that entitles the bank to unilaterally increase the initially agreed base interest rate without announcing this in advance and not including in the agreement clear rules on the conditions and methodology under which this amount may change.

    URL: http://www.vks.bg/pregled-akt?type=ot-delo&id=DD4C4610D6AC9E5AC2258386002D68A5

    Пълен текст: Пълен текст

  • Свързани случаи

    Няма налични резултати

  • Правна литература

    Няма налични резултати

  • Резултат

    The Supreme Court of Cassation set aside the judgement of the Appellate Court, annulling those clauses and remanding the case for re-examination regarding the merits of the bank's action.