National Bank of Canada. I renegotiated my mortgage a little over a year ago (end of the last contract). I decided to move it from my previous bank to NBC and added a home equity line of credit. I chose them because they offered the best variable rate and conditions. But a few months after I signed, they decided out of nowhere to create a new fee of 6 $ / month / account linked to a home equity line of credit, independent of the balance owed. I was pissed, because there's no way I can switch bank easily without a penalty upwards of 10 k$. I called the government agency responsible for consumers' legal protection, a lawyer and I sent a message to the federal finance minister, but there's nothing we can do with the current Canadian laws because home equity lines of credit are considered the same as regular lines of credit (guaranteed or not) in face of the law. So they have the right to change anything they want in their contract whenever they feel like it. But I didn't agree to this, I never signed it and I never would have if it was in the contract when I signed.
I'm still stuck with them until my 5 year contract expires, but you can be sure I denounce these barbaric practices every occasion I have and discourage anyone to ever do business with them. I had other accounts with them and was a loyal customer for many years, but this is simply unacceptable. At the end of my contract, I'll close every account with them and withdraw every penny I have invested there.
I will keep sending messages to the finance minister until they change the law that allows moronic big corporations to abuse their customers while holding them by the balls.
National Bank of Canada. I renegotiated my mortgage a little over a year ago (end of the last contract). I decided to move it from my previous bank to NBC and added a home equity line of credit. I chose them because they offered the best variable rate and conditions. But a few months after I signed, they decided out of nowhere to create a new fee of 6 $ / month / account linked to a home equity line of credit, independent of the balance owed. I was pissed, because there's no way I can switch bank easily without a penalty upwards of 10 k$. I called the government agency responsible for consumers' legal protection, a lawyer and I sent a message to the federal finance minister, but there's nothing we can do with the current Canadian laws because home equity lines of credit are considered the same as regular lines of credit (guaranteed or not) in face of the law. So they have the right to change anything they want in their contract whenever they feel like it. But I didn't agree to this, I never signed it and I never would have if it was in the contract when I signed.
I'm still stuck with them until my 5 year contract expires, but you can be sure I denounce these barbaric practices every occasion I have and discourage anyone to ever do business with them. I had other accounts with them and was a loyal customer for many years, but this is simply unacceptable. At the end of my contract, I'll close every account with them and withdraw every penny I have invested there.
I will keep sending messages to the finance minister until they change the law that allows moronic big corporations to abuse their customers while holding them by the balls.