The relationship between banks and their customers remains delicate, balancing care with the need to resolve disputes. After a year marked by historically high conflict levels, customer service interactions and dispute data show a mixed picture. Financial institutions received 840,311 complaints last year, a 15% drop from 2021, yet still the fourth-highest total since records began in 2010. The Bank of Spain notes that those affected have recourse when organizations disagree with them, though many may be tempted to pursue court action or abandon the effort. In the same period, 34,146 complaints were logged with the Bank of Spain, only 0.5% fewer than the previous year, maintaining a position among the four highest figures since 1987.
After a two-year dip, tensions between banks and customers rose again in 2020 and accelerated through 2021. The trend appeared to stabilize in the following year, with 2023 offering a clearer view: a preview of the 2023 data indicates that the first half of the year registered about 18,000 claims at the Bank of Spain. With this trajectory, projections suggest a year-end total near 35,000, a sign of more stable relations if the current pattern holds, according to the supervisory body’s annual complaints report released recently. This points to a cautious but meaningful improvement after a stretch of volatility (Bank of Spain supervisory report, 2023).
Banks are increasingly aware of the consequences of unresolved disputes and are adopting measures to return money to customers. There is a growing tendency to favor explanations and decisions that favor individuals, even though legal obligations may not compel this in every case. The Financial Customer Defense Authority notes that, of 16,178 requests accepted by auditors last year, 3,481 were resolved in favor of the customer while 7,724 were settled by banks before the institution issued a formal ruling. In about 83.7% of these cases, banks agreed to repay the customer compared with 71% in 2018, a positive indicator of the direction of organizational behavior (Bank of Spain update on dispute handling).
More insights
Last year, affected individuals recovered a total of 6,026,691 euros. It is important to note that this figure is a conservative estimate because compensation claims are not always framed as final damages. In many instances there is no information available on the specific amounts forming the basis of the claim, and settlements between the entity and the plaintiff are not always disclosed in full (Bank of Spain notes and methodology, 2023).
Banks continued to reject some damage claims, with 16.3% of those affected reporting refusals (1,823 cases). The supervisory authority often sides with customers more frequently than with organizations, reporting favorable outcomes for customers in many disputes. Maintenance and service issues, along with requests for documents linked to contracts, mortgage expenses, and housing loan terms, appear among the most common sources of dissatisfaction. The data highlight a balance between customer expectations and bank processes in areas such as online payments, card issues, and account maintenance.
Differences and drivers
There are notable variances across institutions. The Bank of Spain highlights three banks with comparatively higher complaint shares relative to their market presence: KutxaBank, Cajamar, and Bankinter. On the opposite end are entities displaying more positive behavior, such as Wizink, Evo, and Unicaja Banco. About half of all complaints (53.1%) revolve around payment transactions conducted online or via card, with a large portion tied to unauthorized or fraudulent activity in recent years. The Bank of Spain notes that the rise in digital payment usage, accelerated by the pandemic, has been a key factor shaping complaint patterns (Bank of Spain analysis, 2023).
Other frequent issues relate to account maintenance fees, representing 10.9% of complaints about current accounts. Requests for contract-related documents, card replacements, disputes over mortgage expenses, and housing loan terms form additional areas of concern, illustrating the variety of friction points customers encounter in bank services today.