Re: La Caixa Bank
 

If you're tempted by a Cuenta Cero or other special online/cash machine operated accounts or you can't be bothered to go into the bank every couple of months to beg them to get rid of the commission which you were charged then you might as well go for a proper online bank instead, e.g...

ING Direct
Uno-e (belongs to BBVA)
Openbank (belongs to Santander)
Selfbank (belongs to La Caixa)
e-Bankinter (belongs to Bankinter)
iBanesto (belongs to Banesto)

... and at least that way you won't be limited to things like one free transfer a month.

E.g. with ING or Uno-e (don't know enough about the rest to say) you can send up to 50,000 euros back to the UK without paying any commission apart from the interbank rate and what the bank at the other end may charge you.

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

A British friend with a Spanish wife on this information went in to their branch of La Caixa and were told only Spanish pensioners could have this facility not foreigners!

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

Foreigners as in non-residents, presumably - otherwise that would be illegal, surely? EU citizens have the same rights as Spanish.

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

Let me put it another way only open to Spanish pensions not UK pensions.

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

The cuenta cero with Unicaja is available for all pensioners as long as you meet the criteria (which is a pretty normal one nothing extreme)

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

back in May there was a full page advert in euroweeklynews advertising

this was with La Caixa, providing you opened an account with Currencies Direct and all money movements (in both directions) were through them

I did speak to them but was told I wasnt eligible as I already had an account with La Caixa

Perhaps this is of interest, although I don't know if it is still running

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

that is NOT what my local branch is telling me
although I am fully legally living in Spain, not some part-timer
and take part in village festivities

I will find out in a couple of weeks time when I go in to change my standard account
to a pensionista account, at their request

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

Please report back.

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

We have Currencies Direct to our La Caixa account and don´t pay commission on that transaction but do get service charges.

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

Went to the Bank.. La Caixa.. today and asked why they took 4.75€ out of my account on the first of each month and was told this is service charges.. so thats me paying them around €60 a year to keep my money..
:(

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

British banks are looking seriously at going back to charges

But they seem to have lost the battle to stop cheque books

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

oh yes I will, even if it is embarrassing for me

thing is, as I have said, I already have a standard account, so there must be something in this...............

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

didn't you ask them if there was any way of avoiding these charges - such as regular deposits, perhaps of your pension, as I suggested?

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

Do you have to pay for your debit cards on top of that?

Re: La Caixa Bank
 

I dont want to put any pension into a bank here..if i kick the bucket my wife will go back to UK.. i only want to pay my phone + internet bill by derect debit.. as thats the way the phone company wants it..