bank charges

We have just received letter from Bankinter stating that they are charging us 30 Euros each (joint account with wife) to obtain the annual non resident certificate, all banks are required to do. Has anyone else heard of this?
Rob

I wouldn't be surprised Rob. We haven't been charged yet we're with Bancaja. Since they went to Bankia, we've had nothing but charges. We used to bring english cash over (yes I know its stupid but what the gaffer want's the gaffer gets) and put it in the bank. For 7 years never a problem then all of a sudden, as soon as they changed to Bankia guess what? they charged a commission for us putting our cash into their bank. You would have thought because of the state that they're in they wouldn't risk losing customers. From what I've heard they're all the same. The other thing was a service charge. 6 Euro each, twice a year for giving us the privlage of using them. So no Rob we haven't heard of that but It wouldn't surprise me.

The non-resident certificate is supplied by the bank every 2 years and the charge is for everyone named on the account. This is a government requirement and the bank has to supply this. However, the €30 cost seems a bit high. We paid €23 each for the last 4 years before we moved over. We never, however, paid before that even though we have owned property here for the last 12 years so it's either a fairly new thing or they are clamping down on it. I have heard that if you don't have this certificate then your bank account is liable to be frozen until the tax situation is sorted out. Once you become a resident, this certificate is no longer required as you will then be completing a tax return.
With regards to bank charges, some charge if you have less than a certain amount in your account, some charge if you don't have a monthly income and so on. It would also appear that they can charge what they wish. For example, CAM bank charges us €8.75 a quarter "mantimiento" and Bankinter charges €6 for the same thing. Bankia, however, charges us nothing as I have my pension paid in monthly. I also get a free debit card from Bankia for the same reason.
CAM account is going to be closed in a couple of months (the builder opened this account to pay the direct debits etc) once the account is down to virtually zero. The Bankinter account will be closed as soon as we sell our other property in Torrevieja and is just used for the direct debits for electric and water.

Yes Rob, we have paid this charge with Halifax. We, so far, only have two charges with Halifax Spain each year or two and one is the certificate (2 years) and the other is 10 euro for the debit cards each year. As I have said on here before, we were with Bankinter once and came away because our money was being quickly eroded by charges for everything. So far we have been pleased with Halifax (now Lloyds in Spain) but wouldn't be surprised if all banks start charging for more services soon, especially in Spain.


ps. Not sure the amount exactly we paid for the certificate but will check later and let you know.

Just checked statement of 08/03/2012 and we were charged 16 euros each (32 euros for two certificates on our joint account).

30 Euros each sounds a bit steep but it is Bankinter...case closed !! Sorry Rob but we were very dismayed with Bankinter years ago.

We're with Solbank, and needless to say ......... we get charged too!! They seem to charge for everything else - so why should this be an exception!!:?