A loan, credit card or buy-now-pay-later company treats me unfairly — who do I contact?
Every lender must have a complaints procedure and answer within a fixed deadline, so start there in writing. When they refuse, ignore you or the deadline passes, Schlichtungsstelle bei der Deutschen Bundesbank / Bankenverbände (bundesbank.de) — the financial ombudsman for Germany — decides for free and the lender must follow. BaFin — Verbrauchertelefon (0800 2 100 500) licenses lenders and takes complaints about unlicensed or predatory lending, hidden costs and unfair terms. Verbraucherzentrale (verbraucherzentrale.de) helps with your rights as a consumer, such as the 14-day withdrawal from any credit agreement.
🗣️ What to say
"I make a formal complaint about agreement [number]. [The interest / fee / charge] was not disclosed clearly / is not in the contract / the payment plan was changed without my consent. I ask you to [refund / correct] within the legal deadline and to confirm in writing."
🪜 Step by step
- Complain to the lenderIn writing, with the word "complaint". They must answer within the legal deadline (often 15 working days, up to two months).
- Check the paperworkPre-contract information, total cost of credit, APR — missing or misleading information can make fees unenforceable.
- Withdrawal rightAny consumer credit can be cancelled within 14 days without reason, repaying only the capital and interest for the days used.
- Escalate to Schlichtungsstelle bei der Deutschen Bundesbank / BankenverbändeFree, in writing, binding on the lender up to a limit. Attach the complaint and the answer.
- Unlicensed lender: BaFin — VerbrauchertelefonCheck the register. An unlicensed lender cannot enforce interest and may not enforce the loan at all.
📇 All contacts
❓ Frequently asked
Buy-now-pay-later counts as credit?
Yes since the 2023 consumer credit rules: same complaint rights, same ombudsman, and the fees must be disclosed up front.
They added a "late fee" I never saw
A fee not in the contract cannot be charged. Dispute it and complain; the ombudsman removes these routinely.
Can they take money from my account?
Only with a valid direct-debit mandate you gave. You can revoke the mandate at the bank and reverse unauthorised debits.
📎 Sources
- Schlichtungsstelle bei der Deutschen Bundesbank / Bankenverbände →
- BaFin — Verbrauchertelefon →
- Verbraucherzentrale →
- Schuldnerberatung (Caritas, Diakonie, Verbraucherzentrale) →
🔎 Common searches
Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.
- “loan company complaint Germany”
- “financial ombudsman credit dispute”
- “credit card fee not disclosed refund”
- “buy now pay later complaint”
- “withdraw from credit agreement 14 days”
🧭 Is this still correct?
We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.
⚠️ Readers report that something here may have changed — we are checking it.
✅ Thank you — this keeps the page up to date for everyone.