BANK CHARGES

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jaycecampo
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BANK CHARGES

Postby jaycecampo » Wed Oct 16, 2019 10:45 pm

I have just received an e mail from my bank Cajamar saying my quarterly charge is to be increased from 15 euros to 20 euros. I understood a new law had come in saying these charges were capped at 5 euros a month 15 euros per quarter. Anyone ??

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costakid
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby costakid » Thu Oct 17, 2019 7:41 am

I think they are all following Sabadel

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fincalospinos
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby fincalospinos » Thu Oct 17, 2019 7:41 am

It depends on which account you have with them. Ask them about a Wefferent online account, maximum charge of 5 Euros/month ( 60 Euros / year), and you only pay this if you actualy go into the bank to carry out a transfer, withdraw money, etc. If you use the online service or the terminals outside the banks, it is free.
Hardworking resident !!

pensure1988
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby pensure1988 » Thu Oct 17, 2019 8:36 am

Good Morning

One can open a Basic Bank Account in Spain but under pre-conditions. See article below

https://www.citizensadvice.org.es/faq/b ... ros-month/

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dxf
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby dxf » Thu Oct 17, 2019 10:46 pm

Hola

Slightly different; Does anyone operate an NGO account and if so what charges do they pay?

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jaycecampo
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby jaycecampo » Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:05 pm

Thanks everyone I am going to visit the bank, maybe open a different type of account.

alpineSi
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby alpineSi » Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:11 pm

It may be worth looking at the online banks as I assume they will have much lower charges. Service in English may be another matter.

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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby Jafwaf » Fri Oct 18, 2019 3:31 pm

I’ve just opened an Openbank account. It’s mostly online, get cash from Santander machines. No bank charges at all apparently. So far I’ve only used the debit card for buying diesel, haven’t got cash out yet. Fairly easy to open, had to send photos of id by email which made me twitchy.

Paddy Pumpkin
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby Paddy Pumpkin » Sat Oct 19, 2019 2:41 pm

I have been using openbank since June. Not paid a penny. English website and really easy to open online. Can't see a reason not to use them.

Why bother with trying to enforce legal right to the low charges accounts...just walk away.

Screagle
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby Screagle » Sun Oct 20, 2019 11:17 am

I am liking the sound of Openbank. I was with Banco Popular now integrated into Santander. I took a quick look at the Openbank's account requirementsand the one that caught my eye was ...must..., reside in Spain... but they then it goes on to state DNI or NIE required. The latter would indicate that residency is not a requirement. So assuming my residency status is immaterial in general how easy is it to transfer utility, IBI and insurance direct debits across?
Then there is charge every few years for the bank to confirm fiscal / residency status (?) which wouldn't apply to residents. Would be grateful for any thoughts or experienices on these points.

Saludos

alpineSi
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby alpineSi » Sun Oct 20, 2019 12:03 pm

OpenBank is part of Santander too, if that's something you don't want.

Screagle
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby Screagle » Sun Oct 20, 2019 12:42 pm

That I know, don't mind Santander at least in the UK anyway. To their credit they replatformed Banco Popular customers pretty seamlessly - well, that was my experience, unlike the Sabadell / TSB fiasco closer to home. It is early days with Banco Santander and am waiting to see what my six-monthly liquidación charges will be next month which is the reason I'm tempted by Openbank. I might arrange a call back with them to delve further.

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elusive
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby elusive » Sun Oct 20, 2019 12:53 pm

Non spaniards only have a NIE .Even if you have residencia you dont get a different /seperate number. whether they will want evidence via copy of your residencia or check (if thats possible) your resident status via your NIE is another thing

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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby Paddy Pumpkin » Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:37 am

I did the online ID process where you did a video call...this was only available for Spanish speakers at that time...not sure now though.

Anyway on the video call I had to show my official ID with address. I am EU citizen resident in Spain. So I needed ID or passport from home country. Also needed proof of NIE which in my case is the green card and the checked the address on my card. If you don't have this card or your residency document is from before the card was issued I am not sure what will happen.

As regards paying bills, direct debits, cash at ATM, internet shopping, incoming transfers from outside Spain, sending money by SEPA to other countries, paying tax online...all have been painless and free.
I have never had to talk to anyone at the bank and never had a thing go wrong.

adamski
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby adamski » Sun May 01, 2022 3:15 pm

I switched to Bankia from CaixaBank in 2017 to escape CaixaBank’s charges. At that time the Bankia staff in my part of Spain could not have been more helpful.
I then enjoyed four years of trouble free banking with no charges.
Following the takeover of Bankia in 2021 I found myself back with CaixaBank. My new assigned branch contact made it very clear that she couldn’t care less whether I remained a customer or not.
I looked at accounts with Wise and Revolut, but decided against them because my money would not be protected if they went out of business. Also, some people online say they’ve needed a Spanish IBAN to be able to set up some direct debits.
The only Spanish bank I could find which would offer me a non-resident account with no charges was Cajamar - their ‘Wefferent’ account comes with a debit card, you can use an app or their website, and it’s completely free if you operate it online.
As a non-resident I was not able to open the account online, but Cajamar have a nearby branch to me which I visited in March 2022. All the staff were very helpful and the manager spoke excellent English. They needed to see my passport, NIE, P60 and I needed a Spanish mobile number to verify certain transactions (their system will not accept a UK number). You can install the app on your UK mobile though.
It was quite easy to change the direct debits over myself, online, and I’ve just made a note to check that the first payment for each of them goes through OK. So far, the electricity and water have been fine.
I reduced the CaixaBank balance down to zero and then went into the branch and asked them to close the account.
Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions!

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Wicksey
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby Wicksey » Sun May 01, 2022 3:42 pm

That's interesting to read your experience. I would need a residents account but not sure if there's many of those that are free of charges these days.

I am really fed up with Sabadell these days. They shut our Torrox Costa branch that must have served many people and businesses in the area, and have transferred us to Nerja ("for our convenience") where there are two branches, one just for appointments. It is not at all convenient being right in the centre of the pedestrianised town and the queues are always huge and the staff unhelpful.

My OH is trying to register to bank online but we just don't seem to be getting anywhere. I bank online for our joint account but recently he needed to update his ID info and not being online meant he had to go to the branch. The whole thing of waiting and being dealt with took about 40 mins. When my card stopped working I tried to make an online appointment to collect my new one but was told I had to queue up at the other branch. I'm not sure what the second branch actually does. We rarely have to go to the branch thankfully, but when we do, it's a nightmare.

adamski
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby adamski » Sun May 01, 2022 6:01 pm

Wicksey wrote: Sun May 01, 2022 3:42 pm That's interesting to read your experience. I would need a residents account but not sure if there's many of those that are free of charges these days.
Hi Wicksey,

As a resident you should be able to open a Wefferent account online... have a look here:

https://www.cajamar.es/en/particulares/ ... wefferent/

As I said, I've only been with them for a couple of months, but everything is working well so far, and the staff at the branch where I opened the account were incredibly friendly and helpful. A complete contrast to my assigned branch contact at CaixaBank!

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Wicksey
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Re: BANK CHARGES

Postby Wicksey » Sun May 01, 2022 6:44 pm

Thanks for that!


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