Caixa Bank

Interestingly we recently paid €30.25 x 2 for our certificates - not €15 - if they don't get you one way the get you the other. We also were advised to have two debit cards one for me and one for wife - 3 years ago - we have used one of them about 6 times - the other one never but we pay annually €28 for one and €23 for the other - so one will be returned when I pay them a visit. They'll probably increase the charge to €51 for one at that point

Rone wrote:Has anyone any experience of the Starling Euro Account. They have an IBAN so there should (in theory) be no problem setting up direct debits. With regards to the Non Resident police check all the banks charge 15 euros per individual named on the account every 2 years. This is nothing to do with the banks it is simply a check by the police that you are still living at the same address. There is nothing to stop you going into the police station and doing it yourself.

Rone, there is currently another thread running re Starling Bank.

banking-and-finances-f85/starling-bank-t43420.html

Thanks. Sorry I should have checked..

As another alternative to Spanish bank?
We are non residents and only have a monthly electric bill, 3 monthly water bill and annual Suma. I pay my community fees direct. We don’t have a debit card as my UK Santander card a.lows me to withdraw cash with no charges at Santander branches in Spain and my Nationwide credit card allows me to purchase goods with no additional charges.
My question (if anyone can help) is do I need a Spanish account? Would the utility companies set up a direct debit to my UK Debit card, similarly Suma

Rone wrote:My question (if anyone can help) is do I need a Spanish account? Would the utility companies set up a direct debit to my UK Debit card, similarly Suma

No - and therein is the problem for many of us, particularly non-residents. I have a Euro account with Cater Allen (UK based) but it wont allow direct debits.

There has been talk as to whether N26 and Starling are able to offer a DD facility and if you look on the thread linked above it seems like this might now be an option. When I looked a year or so back there seemed to be reports of resistance from Iberdrola, Hidaqua etc to setting up a DD with N26 or any non-Spanish bank despite EU regulation apparently saying that they must do so with any IBAN number - it seems as though some are now having success though reading that thread.

Strangely, I have just had a communication from our Caixa branch in Torre that they are scrapping all our charges (including those for certificates) with the exception of 60cents for each communication sent by snail mail.

Yes, I think everyone has received the email but have you read the conditions on page 2 as to what is necessary for the 'scrapping of charges?' Banks give nothing away!

Just seen this comment on a local Facebook group that I am a member of - worrying:

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Wow!

I used the money transfer feature for the first time on my La Caixa phone banking app yesterday. Everything went smoothly right up until the point at which La Caixa wanted to charge me 8 Euros to transfer 45 euros from my current account to a Sabadell current account. Needless to say, my next action was to press the 'cancel' option. At least Dick Turpin had the courtesy to wear a mask when he robbed you!

I have been reading all the comments on the Caxia bank charges and I am not very happy with the way the bank account is costing me more expenses. I only keep the account open to pay the utilities that I have to pay Being non residential I have decided to sell the house and leave Spain as soon as possible I can not afford to pay these new charges every month Also I was informed by the estate agent that the Spanish government retains a percentage of the sale price What next //// The house has depreciated and it looks like I will be having less money to live on Worse off in my retirement

mariellana wrote:I have been reading all the comments on the Caxia bank charges and I am not very happy with the way the bank account is costing me more expenses. I only keep the account open to pay the utilities that I have to pay Being non residential I have decided to sell the house and leave Spain as soon as possible I can not afford to pay these new charges every month Also I was informed by the estate agent that the Spanish government retains a percentage of the sale price What next //// The house has depreciated and it looks like I will be having less money to live on Worse off in my retirement

Mariellana, I think the estate agents must be referring to the retention of 3% of the sale price because you are a non resident. This is to cover any possible capital gains bill ( they don't want non residents skipping into the sunset without paying the CGT. ) As it sounds from what you said that there will be no capital gain as the house has depreciated, you will get the 3% back eventually. You just need a good solicitor on the ball to make sure you get it back as soon as possible as sometimes people have been waiting for ages to get a refund, especially when they have been relying on the Estate Agent to chase it for them. I gather that Esther in SGM Abogados is pretty good at getting people their money back relatively quickly from the taxman.