The Banco de España resolves the complaints lodged by users of financial services at the entities it supervises.
Read on to learn how to lodge a complaint.
Step 1. Submit a complaint to the entity
You need to contact the customer service department
or the ombudsman (both in Spanish) of the entity concerned.
After receiving a complaint, entities must respond within:
- 15 working days, if the complaint relates to payment services (current accounts, cards, transfers, direct debit bills, etc.).
- 1 month for customers that are consumers.
- 2 months for non-consumers, regardless of their complaint.
Users can turn to the Banco de España if the entity does not accept the complaint, if it partially or wholly rejects the complaint or if it does not respond by the deadline.
When the complaint concerns a matter unrelated to banking transparency or that can only be resolved through the courts.
When the Banco de España is not the competent authority for the matter, as it concerns securities, insurance or data protection.
When the minimum documentation required has not been submitted.
When one year has elapsed since the complaint was made to the entity, or when five years have elapsed since the events took place, if no formal complaint was filed.
Step 2. Lodge a complaint with the Banco de España
- Online (in Spanish).
- In person, either in Madrid or at any of the Bank's branch offices.
- By post, addressed to:
Banco de España
Departamento de Conducta de Entidades
c/ Alcalá, 48
28014 Madrid
The complainant and the entity will be informed of a case being opened within ten working days of the complaint being lodged.
The entity will receive a copy of the complaint so that it can present its submissions within 15 working days.
The complainant will have 15 working days to respond to the entity’s submissions.
Once the case is complete, the Banco de España will in general issue a report within 90 days.
The report issued by the Banco de España on the complaint may be in favour of the complainant or in favour of the entity, but it is not binding for either party. Information is collected for statistical purposes as to whether or not the entity has accepted the criterion set out in the Banco de España’s report.
Once the report has been issued, the decision cannot be appealed and the procedure is considered finalised.
