Topics in detail

What can you complain about?

You can file a complaint about incorrect charges, unauthorized transactions, misleading information provided at the time of contract, failure to apply agreed interest rates, problems with loan repayment schedules, or any other situation where you believe the bank has not acted in accordance with its obligations.

How to submit your complaint

Complaints must be submitted in writing. You can deliver them in person at any branch, send them by registered post, or submit them through the bank's official digital channels if available. Keep a copy of everything you submit and retain proof of delivery.

Your complaint should clearly state: your full name and account details, a description of the problem, the dates on which the relevant events occurred, and the specific resolution you are requesting.

What happens next?

The bank must acknowledge receipt of your complaint. Under Croatian consumer protection regulations, it must provide a substantive written response within 15 business days. In exceptional circumstances, this period may be extended, but the bank must inform you of the extension and the reason for it.

What does EIR include?

Unlike the nominal interest rate, which only reflects the basic cost of the loan principal, the EIR includes all mandatory costs: the nominal interest, loan origination fees, account maintenance fees, mandatory insurance costs, and any other charges the lender requires as a condition of the loan.

This makes EIR the only reliable way to compare loans from different lenders. Two loans with the same nominal rate can have very different EIRs if their associated fees differ.

Where do you find it?

Croatian law requires lenders to display the EIR prominently in all loan advertising and to include it in the standardized pre-contractual information sheet (ESIS for mortgages, SECCI for consumer credit). Before signing any loan agreement, you should locate this number and understand what it represents.

Variable vs. fixed EIR

Some loans have a fixed EIR for the entire loan term. Others have a variable rate tied to a reference index such as EURIBOR. If your loan has a variable rate, the EIR shown at signing is an estimate based on current market conditions. It will change as the reference rate changes.

The HNB mediation procedure

The Croatian National Bank operates a consumer protection function that includes handling disputes between consumers and supervised financial institutions. This procedure is free of charge for the consumer and is conducted by independent experts.

To access the procedure, you must first have submitted a formal complaint to the bank and received a response, or have waited the legally required response period without receiving one. The HNB procedure is a second step, not a first step.

What kinds of disputes are covered?

The procedure covers disputes arising from banking services, payment services, consumer credit, and mortgage credit. It does not cover investment services or insurance, which have separate regulatory frameworks.

What is the outcome?

The mediator issues a recommendation. The recommendation is not legally binding on either party, but in practice banks generally follow them. If the bank does not follow the recommendation, you retain the right to pursue the matter through the courts.

Supervisory function

HNB supervises all credit institutions licensed to operate in Croatia. This means it monitors whether banks are following the rules, including the rules about how they must treat their customers. Banks that fail to comply with consumer protection requirements can face supervisory measures from HNB.

Regulatory function

HNB issues regulations that banks must follow regarding consumer credit, mortgage credit, payment services, and information disclosure. These regulations implement EU directives into Croatian law and set specific requirements for how banks must communicate with customers.

Consumer information function

HNB publishes information for consumers on its website, including guidance on financial products, explanations of consumer rights, and data on the financial sector. This portal draws on publicly available HNB materials as one of its reference sources.

Complaint and dispute handling

As described in the previous section, HNB operates a procedure for handling consumer disputes. It also receives complaints about banks that may inform its supervisory activities, even when those complaints do not result in individual dispute resolution.