juliejamesmcgrath

I put a thread on a couple of weeks ago asking about using your switch card in New Zealand.

Drove into Nelson today and looked for the banks that had the Maestro sign which is also printed on my UK Switch Card. Tried to withdraw cash out of my UK account as I was told I could do this at ATM machines, but it wouldn't give me any cash.

Anybody know how you can get some cash out of there UK account which we kept open so as family and friends can put cash in that for Birthdays/Xmas etc as it saves on the transfer fee into our NZ Bank Account each time. I have plenty of cash in this account so there is no reason it wouldn't give me my hard earned pound.

I've gone and bought a bike for me and a kiddy trailer for my daughter so need the cash asap before I pick them up next week, don't want to use the cash we have over here as the bike is a bit of a luxury nowadays.

Anyone else had this problem?

Joshlin

it might be the amount you tried to withdraw - hubby and i both have UK accounts that we access via visa (eftpos) or atm - like you we use it for family to put cash in that we can then spend over here.

juliejamesmcgrath

yeah tried different amounts, might have to try and get into Nelson 2morow, see if a bank can tell me, thanks anyway tho.

Kiwiprincess

2 suggestions:

1. Have you tried a different banks atm machine?

2. Check that your bank in the UK hasn't detected 'unusual' activity and put a hold on it. HSBC used to regularly put a hold on my account due to using it in NZ. Grrr.

In fact, assuming that you aren't using one of the few ATMs not on the cirrus/maestro network i would suggest it is most likely the bank putting a hold on your account.

Margaret Parkinson

I think you are right. When we were going on holiday to NZ before we left we informed our bank that we would be using our cards there and we did not have a problem. Although my son did this but he had a problem and had to call the bank concerned.

MandyB

Hi, we used a switch card when we first arrived 2.5 years ago. We banked with the Natwest in the UK and used the ANZ cash machine here, think we could only get $500 per day though. Hope this helps.

juliejamesmcgrath

Thanks all, went back into Nelson this morning after trying all ATM machines yesterday, and called into one of the banks that were advertising Maestro as one of the cards that you can use.

Spoke to a lovely british customer services advisor that explained sometimes the machines just don't recognise them, so we tried again and it worked this time, sods law. Thanks for all your info tho. xx