emjharts

We are moving to Spain next month. My Husband is continuing to work remotely for the same UK company that he does at present and so its not as if we need to open a Spanish bank account for work purposes. However, we currently bank with HSBC and therefore each time we make a card payment or withdraw cash we will be charged and so can anyone give me an idea of any Spanish banks that we could join but that we can also easily transfer money from our business account at HSBC to online without it taking several days?
Thanks!

busters mum

You will need a bank account to pay bills

emjharts

Do we need a spanish bank account to pay bills from?

pwwm

Was about to poat same

busters mum

Yes,they all want direct debits

emjharts

Do you have to be a resident to set up a spanish bank account as obviously we cannot become residents before moving into a place and starting to pay bills?

busters mum

No, just go to te bank with passport and rental agreement, do you have a N.I.E. number if so take that as well

Rosemary

Yes you can open a non residents account and then change it to a residents account when living here.

Graham

jdr

Loads of people pay their bills at a bank with cash, so an account is not really required unless you want one.
I opened a Spanish bank account (at the bank that would be local to where I was moving) from the UK with a passport and with no address in Spain.
Ask in your UK bank which ones they deal with.

snikpoh

Some banks around here will NOT take cash payments for bills unless you have an account with them!

jdr

Can't see how they can refuse, look on the bills and it will give a list of banks where they can be paid, no mention of taking it to your own bank.

lyric030250

I was refused just recently trying to pay in a bank on the list as I did not have an account (La Caixa)

emjharts

I will go to my bank HSBC next week and ask them what their Spanish partner banks are as we will need a bank where we can easily transfer money from our HSBC business account.

peterleewaih

Banking in Spain trouble ahead after after the Fitch agency downgraded its sovereign credit rating for Italy and Spain on Friday and said its long-term outlook for both countries was negative, citing high debt and poor prospects for growth.

cricketman

Except as said in another thread, Santander and BBVA are rated as safer than any of the British banks by the same ratings agencies