Polish watchdog searches banks in mortgage-scoring probe

Mbank SA

08/07/2026 16:00

July 8 (Reuters) - Poland's antimonopoly watchdog UOKiK searched the offices of ING Bank Slaski INGP.WA, mBank MBK.WA, its mortgage unit mBank Hipoteczny and the country's credit information bureau BIK over potentially anti-competitive practices in mortgage credit scoring, it said on Wednesday.
The regulator is investigating whether the scoring system of BIK, a private entity co-owned by the two searched banks along with seven other lenders and the Polish Bank Association, unfairly lowers consumer scores based on the number of credit inquiries, it said on Wednesday.
If anti-competitive practices are confirmed, companies could face antitrust charges and fines of up to 10% of annual turnover.

• mBank to cooperate but calls allegations "baseless", appeals search order
• ING and BIK cooperating with probe
• UOKiK says model may penalise rate-shopping borrowers
• BIK points to July 1 scoring changes
• Probe targets practice rather than specific companies

 (Reporting by Rafal Nowak and Alicja Surdy in Gdansk; Editing by Matt Scuffham)
 ((RafalWojciech.Nowak@thomsonreuters.com; +48 58 769 66 63;))