Ramsay

I've been using BBVA Blue Account for 3 years now with regular incoming funds each month for 2 of those years and non regular income coming in for the past year.

Once I reached 26 they have now starting charging my account 7 euros a month for bank fees

"COMISION MENSUAL CUENTAS CLARAS"
"CUENTAS CLARAS MINIMO"

If it was for something I could understand but simply for bank fees it is really annoying me. I would like to stay with them to avoid the hassle of moving bank, also as they are a large bank.

BBVA has many branches and ATMs available throughout Spain therefore I won't get hit with ATM charges of 1.50€+ a go to withdraw my own money!

What can I do to get them to remove this fee?
Do they offer a different type of account so I won't have these fees?
Alternatively does Santander or any other large bank offer free banking?

BBVA sent me info about their UK Link Account which seems like its out to rip me off in the small print - is my intuition correct? Are there any UK Link accounts which don't take you to the cleaners in the small print?

Mitzyboy

Many banks in Spain charge you for your account. In fact my RBS account in the UK used to cost me about £100 a year, but I got all kinds of benefits

SOL bank here is about the same. I dont get charged for internet funds in or out, but I still pay about the same in charges

HBG

I have an account with a Spanish bank for my every day living in Spain, but retained an account with an English bank in the UK, just in case. The English one is now Spanish owned too and I've recently compared their bank charges which are identical but mercifully low, as yet.

I haven't mentioned the banks names because I get quite enough spam already.

Emma-Louise

A few years back I went into every bank asking their fees as I was so annoyed with how much I was paying..... I finally choose CajaMadrid as they only charge 1 euro a month...

missile

CAM bank charge nada other than if you need a non-resident declaration.

Barclays.es are even better charge nada and give you 3% back on each direct debit

I have had very good service from both

poolboy

you sure? CAM charge me 12e per 6 mths unless I pay in 1ke pcm.

No charges for cash in or out though.

missile

I believe CAM charges are levied at the managers discretion and depend on what type of account and minimum funding. However things may have changed since I closed my CAM account July '09 and switched to Barclays.

Before CAM, I was with BBVA and I found it very hard to understand their charging structure.

scampicat

If you only want simple Banking, go with a Caja rather than a Banco. These savings banks are more like we would call a Building Society and charges are non-existent or minimal.

I think we pay about ten euros a year at Caja Granada. We don't have a minimum amount per month funding it.

The drawback is they are usually very local, so if you are travelling around Spain you will have to us another bank's cashpoint and then you will get charged.

SueG

I would agree with this. Every charge I get I ring the Bank Manager to query and it is invariably refunded

Chiclanagir

We got fed up with Banca March´s fees so changed with no hassle to La Caixa best thing we did.

Michael74

I have just fell out with Barclays big time. I was getting £1000 transferred from my Barclays UK to Barclays here under their 'Overseas payment regular transfer scheme' with no charges which was started in 2008.

Checking my online A/c with Barclays Uk I saw two debits of £15 for the months of June and July. Ringing Barclays Uk they said that the Overseas payment scheme had been cancelled so they continued with the transfer on a one off payment system and charged me £15 for each transfer. Blew my top cos I hadn't been informed and they refunded me £30.

Then to rub salt I discovered that Barclays Spain had also charged me €15 for each transfer plus the fact that total bank charges for this year to date amount to €84 which includes €30 annual paymentfor our debit cards.

Nett result a move to possibly Spains biggest and according to recent news a big player in the UK with absolutely no (R) no charges whatsever. Even the debit cards are free and with online banking facilities.

It seems to me here in Spain it depends on how much you play your face and your relationship with the bank manager. I did complain a while back and got the charges reduced to €10 a quarter but then I was still charged for every transaction.

missile

I do not doubt you, but that is not the service which I have received.

I would like to confirm, to date I have not been charged for any transactions by Barclclays.es and this is what it says on their website>
If I were you I would be making a complaint to Barclays, then FOS

Michael74

Makes interesting reading missile - I'm not quite finished with Barclays yet so will be in there pronto armed with this info. Perhaps I will get a refund for all the bank charges I've been paying but wont hold my breath!!

missile

I do not use Barclays in UK, but I am very interested and would appreciate if you could advise me as and when you have spoken with them.

This is the link to FOS website > http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/

Michael74

Will do missile, however my problem is not with Barclays UK as they did refund my £30 transfer fee. Its Barclays Spain that I have issue with and will be visiting them early next week.