I also notice UkFOREX as an advertiser on here except never seen anyone comment / use them yet?

Yep i used them, they are very convienient as all dealings can be done online, but i have found them a bit slow. I also used moneycorp, they were very very quick. We did a chaps payment to moneycorp and it was in my canadian account next day.

Regards

Steve

Hi guys

This thread makes fascinating reading. I've been watching the exchange rate rollercoaster from the UK, and it's volatile times alright. Think I'll be holding on to my sterling for a while yet.
I'm trying to get a grip on what the housing market's likely to do in BC in the next 12 months, and take a punt on when's the best time to buy. From my recent trip, prices in the Okanagan don't appear to have been impacted, and they are certainly well up on my previous trips. Will be interesting to see what an economic slowdown will do to the housing market. House builds in Kelowna are still on the up, but I think sales this month were slightly less bouyant than previously.

Life's a lotto!
Thanks for the tips on forex providers too.

Sas

As you can see I used them. I got a much better rate than HSBC offered. I put money into their UK account one evening, it was confirmed in the account the next morning by CH. They discussed when to change, but I couldn't wait as I was buying a car! The money was in my Canada account less than an hour after we agreed a rate (I think that's because both accounts were HSBC).

I found them very helpful.

Hope this helps.

We always use
www.xchangebusiness.co.uk, Edinburgh company, always great quick service.

cheers for that, I have seen a few expats comment positivley on them, how easy was it to get an account? Did you call them or email
ta

ta very much will take a look tonight at work, were they easy to get a hold of, decent rate?
ta

Looking at the various companies, is there one that charges too much??

None directly charge,they make their money on the exchange, it is a case of phoning around, that is the benefit of UKforex in the fact that you can get live quotations on rates online, don't know if any other companies offer that. I have found there rates competitive with other companies, but it is a case of seeing what is out there.

Regards

Steve

I emailed. They sent me a form to fill in (basic stuff). They need passport copy, bank account details and I think that was it. All done on e-mail.

They then send you details of their account (Barclays in London) and you are free to drop money in there whenever you like. Make sure you put an identifier with it so they know it's yours! Once in there, it sits there until you agree a deal.... and they do it straight away.

The big thing was I found them friendly and helpful, even though dealing with relatively small amounts.

As for who to choose, phone a few round at about the same time and ask them for a quote (ie what would you give me now?) and compare.

Good luck whatever you choose.

What's the bottom limit these people deign to deal with? Assumed it was all house sale proceeds etc.

I don't know to be honest. I did discuss changing 1000 pounds at first, and they didn't bat an eyelid.

I think what happens is that they will change any amount, even a pound, but the rate of exchange will change with it. The more you change, the better the rate.

Is there any company I can send a cheque to from Canada, drawn on my UK bank account, and then have them transfer that to me here? The few I've looked at want direct bank transfers, which are obviously difficult to do from the other side of the Atlantic.

It's late. I don't understand the question!

Why is a direct bank transfer hard? use CHAPS or SWIFT.... I did it on the phone, but could have done it on the internet.... there is a fee of about twenty quid to do it....

No Internet banking on that account and I can't see them being too happy about transferring 20,000+ pounds out of it with a phone call (given I've had to take photo ID into the branch with me to do that before in the UK).