The Spanish Supreme Court has ruled in favour of OCU (Consumer Organization) by manifesting that Banco Popular’s floor clause to be null and void. This is another battle OCU has won against one of Spain’s leading banks following up from sentences in 2013 that ruled against BBVA, Abanca and Cajamar.

Floor Clause TrapIf you have been following this particular issue that is rampant in Spanish banks, you would know that during the property boom, limits were placed within clauses of mortgage loans to stipulate a minimum interest rate throughout the life of the mortgage. This means that if the interest rate were to fall below the stipulated minimum or floor clause, the holder would not benefit because the bank would charge the “agreed” floor clause. I say “agreed” simply because most holders were not properly advised of the existence or the meaning of this clause in their contracts.


Last year, I wrote an article about the polemic floor clause in mortgage loan contracts, a subject that has frequently cropped up in the news and is now a regular mainstay at Spanish Courts of Law. Most readers are now familiar with this concept but for those of you who aren’t, here is a brief explanation:


Spanish Tax Inspectors have put forward recommendations to legalize prostitution and trafficking of so-called “soft” drugs such as marihuana in a bid to better fight their adverse consequences whilst increasing income to the National Treasury at the same time. They consider that between both illicit activities a further 6.000 million euros may be collected by the National Tax Office (AEAT) each year.