Heartless Treatment in a Crisis – Our House Sale Is at Risk Due to R32,000 Penalty!

We are devastated by how we’ve been treated by Standard Bank during a time of extreme financial hardship. In 2016, we took a home loan of R1.3 million. Despite our financial situation changing drastically in 2018 when my husband left employment for full-time ministry, the bank continued to offer us more credit: • Bond increased to R1.6 million • Overdraft increased to R140,000 • Credit card of R150,000 • Repeated top-ups to a personal loan of R80,000 • Additional student loan of R80,000 By 2025, we both lost our jobs and informed the bank immediately. We approached Standard Bank’s collections, home loans, debt relief, and legal departments. We also spoke to the very person who assisted us with our debt care plan. Despite contacting multiple departments, no one is willing to assist or take responsibility for the R32,000 penalty now jeopardising the sale of our home. We are being charged this fee for not giving 90 days' notice before the sale—even though we’re selling under financial distress, with no income and full transparency with the bank. Instead of support or empathy, we are faced with complete disregard and zero accountability. This R32,000 charge has no moral basis under the circumstances and may cost us our only chance to avoid repossession and settle our bond with dignity. Standard Bank’s treatment of us in this time of need is cold, unhelpful, and *********. We are escalating this matter to the Ombudsman for Banking Services and will pursue every legal and public route available to us. We simply want to sell our home, settle our debts fairly, and move forward. Is that too much to ask from a bank that claims to be “moving forward" with us