- Over a quarter of all indebted Poles have unpaid multimedia bills, according to ERIF Economic Information Bureau.
- By the end of the third quarter of this year, the value of unpaid bills for internet, TV, and telephony services exceeded PLN 2 billion.
- Bills unpaid for 30 days totaling at least 200 PLN could result in being listed as a debtor.
Unpaid multimedia charges are the most common cause of indebtedness among Poles, accounting for 26 percent of all debtors, according to data from ERIF BIG. Poles struggle with timely payment for telecommunications and multimedia services, the purchase of multimedia equipment on installments, subscriptions and digital TV. After the third quarter of 2024, the number of unpaid obligations of this kind will amount to a staggering 758 thousand. Their value has reached PLN 2.033 billion – almost 7 percent of all national consumer receivables. Most indebted people live in the Silesian, Masovian and Lower Silesian voivodeships.
“This year has again seen an increase in the percentage of debtors who do not pay for multimedia on time. This is now over a quarter of all indebted people. Just 4 years ago, in the third quarter of 2020, their share was 20 percent. The pandemic period, associated with economic slowdown and more time spent at home, has motivated some consumers to regularly pay for multimedia services. However, the number of people delaying repayment of debts has increased again since 2023. Our data show that the current number of unpaid obligations has returned, even exceeding the level before the pandemic,” says Katarzyna Skrzypczyńska, an expert at ERIF BIG SA.
Will Poles have TV for Christmas?
Non-payment for services results in their “disconnection”. Many indebted individuals want to avoid this, especially during days off work. This could prompt them to pay off multimedia debts just before the holiday period.
“Television and internet are sources of entertainment that many people use more frequently during the holiday season. This provides temporary motivation to pay off debts, and any step towards repayment is good and should be appreciated. There is no doubt, however, that Polish consumers lack awareness of the threats arising from unpaid liabilities. Disconnecting the TV signal is the least of the problems. More concerning may be the entry of the debtor into the database of the credit information bureau (BIG),” warns Katarzyna Skrzypczyńska.
What threats do debtors face?
Entry into the BIG complicates financial functioning because it blocks access to a host of services such as installment purchases or the increasingly popular Buy Now Pay Later services, which last year accounted for a whopping 73 percent of all Polish obligations (data: CRIF). A mobile network operator, Internet or TV provider can enter a debtor into the BIG if the payment is delayed by at least 30 days and amounts to at least PLN 200. If this happens, it is best to settle the outstanding payments as soon as possible.
“It is worth checking your information in the BIG on a regular basis, especially if you plan to take out a loan or buy things in installments. Many people end up on the list of debtors due to negligence – they tend to pay on time but forgot to settle, for example, phone or internet bills. Every Pole can get a free report about themselves every six months. This is also a great source of information if you have a lot of debts, reminders to pay, and contacts with creditors. In such a situation, clear information helps to organize knowledge about one’s own indebtedness, which is the first step to develop a repayment plan and solve financial problems, even exclusion from the financial services market,” explains Katarzyna Skrzypczyńska.
An entry in the credit information bureau should be removed by the creditor within 14 days from the receipt of repayment of the debt. This is worth knowing when planning the next financial steps, even small ones, like a TV subscription agreement.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/co-czwarty-polak-zalega-z-platnosciami-za-internet-i-telewizje-dlugi-przekroczyly-2-mld-zl-75348
