Reviews

We have moved to Czech Republic in autumn 2005 from Spain (we all have Italian passports, although our children were born in Great Britain and in Spain)and we have opened an account with Ebanka, based on good reviews by Expat.cz members.
We have hefty sums paid into our Ebanka account every month. More that a Czech person would earn in a year, we receive monthly.

We own several properties within the 'historic reservation area' of Cesky Krumlov, which we bought with cash. We are lucky not to have mortgages nor loans.
We have lived in various countries in the past few decades and we have never experienced problems of this calibre.

A few days ago, our car broke down. The repair of the faults would have amounted almost to the price of a new car. As we have four children, we are in a dire need of a 6 seater car. A large car is not a luxury for us, but a necessity.

Not to lose the repayment of the DPH, we have decided not to use leasing, but to purchase the car in cash.

This left us somewhat depleated, as we are also restoring an old property.

To oblige an upfront payment for a Czech labourer, needing urgent cash injection at the same time of our car problems, we walked into Ebanka on Monday the 22nd of May 2006, to request an overdraft, where we were told three times in direct and strict terms, that Ebanka does not offer loans nor overdrafts to foreigners.

In our understanding being clients of Ebanka means, that we have fullfilled the bank's conditions to become its clients, since they have opened an account for us. Bank is very happy to use and manipulate with our money, yet they differenciate in between Czech and non Czech clients. Does that mean that Czech clients have rights which other European Union members do not have? Does that mean that we have not the same rights? Does that mean, that we are not equal to the Czechs?Does that mean that Czech republic shouldn't be in European Union, since they refuse an overdraft to a European Union member with a sparkling credit and good assets???

What does it mean?

A bank can not refuse a client overdrat or a loan basing on their nationality! They may do so in case of a bad credit, but they have absolutely no right to claim, that foreign nationals have no right of loans of overdrafts.

The banker who dealt with us, refused to put her words in writing, instead she nervously called the legal services of Ebanka, which advised her not to provide us with the written denial of our request.

We have filled a complaint form and we are now dealing with our lawyer with regard to this problem.

We are very dishearted and disappointed.

We will hope to achieve an abolition of this ridiculous Ebanka rule. We hope for equality and for exercising of HUMAN RIGHTS within Czech banking institutions.

HUMAN RIGHTS = (law) any basic right or freedom to which all human beings are entitled and in whose exercise a government may not interfere (including rights to life and liberty as well as freedom of thought and expression and equality before the law)

Please if you have had a similar experience, do advise us.

Martina and Giorgio

There are so many discussions on this website about how one bank or another lost money, treated customers disrespectfully and charge high fees for doing nothing in particular.

Some things can not be changed in the Czech Republic when it comes to banks: they pay little or no interest, and they don't willingly give loans to foreigners.

But there is one bank that despite these facts still manages to get rave reviews, and many are on this site so just do a search and you'll see.
The online banking facility is great and in user friendly English. The bank charges low monthly fees, and the transaction fees are manageable.

As with many banks, the fees are less if there is a monthly activity of a certain level. The money doesn't need to be in the account the while month, just "moving through." Statements are lucid and personal bankers will take you through any confusion you may have. Highly recommended.