| The Comments |
Hi More, I read the pdf file and saw the charge. The file is dated January 2007 and I opened my account with them in October last year. After 6 months I wasn't charged anything so this could probably refer to a residents account.
This is the leaflet that I was given when I opened the account and the Halifax rep underlined the things which would effect me. He said that as long as I left an average balance of 600 euros over a 6 month period then there would be no maintenance charges only a 3e fee for debit card. As I've never used the one I had been given by SolBank I didn't apply for one.
Anyway you're right we should all read the small print to see if it meets our own criterias.
0
Like
|
Come to think of it, Semi, we both have a debit card with Banco Halifax & never use them. We only put cash into Banco Halifax when in Spain to top up the joint a/c because of having DD's for community fees, electricity & water bills. If we need more money in there & we're not going to be in Spain soon, which is hardly likely these days, we transfer free of charge from our UK Halifax a/c. In Spain we use our Nationwide Flex debit card to withdraw from Visa with best rates.
(Just told the OH we're giving up our Banco Halifax debit cards in September. (I got that look, you know the one our OHs give us when you interrupt their TV viewing.  )
_______________________
0
Like
|
Another 6e saved through the power of the internet 
We do exactly the same, the other good thing about Nationwide debit cards is that if you have a joint account each card has a £300 a day limit.
We've been doing a lot of work on the house this year and being able to draw out around 700e a day has really helped. I don't like going into a bank/building society in the UK and drawing out large amounts to pay tradesmen. You never know who's listnening to your request, you hear so many horror stories nowadays.
0
Like
|
Believe Halifax Building Society have a banking arm in Spain - Banco Halifax Hispania
Why not give HAlfax a call 0845 601 8156 have just got a pack from them myself but haven't read it yet. Worth a look as believe no account fees and transfers from Halifax Bldg Society accounts to their spanish accounts is free..
0
Like
|
Hi AP007 - If you scroll down/up this thread it gives details of the two types of accounts that Non-Residents can open with Banco Halifax and how they operate.
I see that you've not updated your details with where your property is in Spain, it does help when answering any questions you may have at a later date.
0
Like
|
 Think I'm needing medication !! Want some too, Semi ?? 
LAST TIME NOW !!! JUST AS WELL I KEEP THIS ON MY DESKTOP. (WRITTEN MARCH 2007)
We are now with Halifax ES (after being with Cambank) for a few reasons. http://www.halifax.es/
1) THEY don't charge us (as non-residents ) ANYTHING for the declaration of non residency. ( Cambank charges 17 euros something every two years for each person named on the a/c ! )
2) We have (now) a Halifax high interest current a/c in the UK & enjoy FREE transfers at almost bank rates & transfers are in our Spanish a/c within three working days generally ! Halifax UK has increased the rate of credit interest on its High Interest Current Account to 6% Gross (6.17% AER) for first £2,500 (March 2007. Now it's 5.12% gross I believe July 2008)
3) A debit card is only 3 euros annually, think it's 6 euros at Cambank.
4) NO bank charges to maintain a/c if 600 euros (opening balance) is maintained generally. Cambank charged us a quarterly fee of 5.75 euros to maintain the current a/c even though we always had a minimum of 1,000 euros in most of the time.
5) FREE direct debits.
6) Guardamar (Costa Blanca) opened a branch in October 2006. Very conveniently sited on Torrevieja side of the town next door to "Bedz" shop. Parking right outside. Everyone speaks perfect English & actually Claire IS English !
7) We opened a Spanish a/c by ringing the European Banking Dept in Halifax on 0845 number, see
http://www.halifax.es/halifaxing/acc/openingacc.asp?sec=acc It was quite simple & an a/c can be opened before you go over next.
HOW you go about opening the Spanish current (basic) a/c from the UK.
As I said before you ring up The European Banking Dept. Based in Halifax on 0845 600 3603 (Mon - Fri 9 - 5 BUT, if you ring outside these hours you can ask them to contact you, I often did this around 8.45am , saves your phone bill !!!) & ask for the application pack. It'll arrive within a couple of days.
There's an info sheet on how to fill it in but it was easy.
It's quite self explanatary.
"Source Of funds" we ticked "savings"
"Type Of Account" we ticked "Current Account" box.
"Additional Facilities" we ticked both "Cheque Book" & "Debit Card"
"Account Holding Branch" .. IF you want the branch to be GUARDAMAR, which is our nearest branch, it is so new (only opened October 2006) so it wasn't listed. SO .. You NEED to write "Guardamar" in this section & create a tiny box which you tick.
Declaration Of Residence For Tax Purposes
"Taxpayer's Data/Datos Identificativos" ONLY put your passport no. In box 3.
"Country Code" box 10. Write 006
"Type Of Declaration" WE ticked box 13 because WE had gone through all this having had a Cambank a/c previously. Tick box 11 if it's your FIRST declaration.
Don't forget to sign back of form & add your passport numbers.
Get photocopies of both your passport's personal pages & a utility bill with your ID & address on. Take form & these copies ALSO originals to your local Halifax branch. They'll need to verify the copies so need to see originals. They'll put a sticker on the copies & scribble over the stickers.
That sorted, you go to the cashier. I ASSUME you have Halifax UK current a/c as you'll NEED one in order to get the FREE transfers. Tell the cashier you need to transfer minimum 600 euros from your Halifax UK a/c to the holding a/c detailed in your Welcome Pack.
This will be an International Bank A/C No. (IBAN) plus a Bank Identifier Code (BIC/SWIFT)
(ENSURE she puts the customer reference they've given you on with your full names.) This holding a/c is ONLY used for this first transaction, you'll get your a/c number once all is set up. She'll convert this to sterling & give you an A4 form with all this on. (We transferred 650 € & also asked for a copy of transaction to send to Halifax in with application forms & verified copies of passports & utility bill.) She'll give you the preferential rate. (EG.. We got 1.46 when all we would've got at T.Cook's, best in town, was 1.41 AT THE TIME ! Commercial rate then was about 1.48 !)
Put all in the pre-paid evelope & post off.
After a couple of days you'll get a letter from Halifax advising you they've received your application & everything has been transferred to head office in Madrid. If you ring Halifax at this point they likely will have your Spanish a/c number. I rang for ours & she rang me next morning with it.
Once you have your a/c no. you obviously use that when transferring funds over. Nothing more now goes into the holding a/c ! You can either set up security with European banking dept & ring them asking for transfers or we have just been going into our local branch & getting them to do it as we then get a receipt. Transfers are taking three working days.
Your cheque books, debit cards & PIN's will all come through separately, from Madrid. It can take a couple of weeks.
This message was last edited by morerosado on 7/9/2008.
_______________________
0
Like
|
I've just got back from my weekly 1/2 day stint at the local charity shop, volunteering there I no longer need medication. 
Thank goodness for cut and paste More 
0
Like
|
Hi Rosada
I find this realy interesting and helpful as eventualy we will move to spain.
I hav opened an a/c with Halifax as i received some money when i reached 60 and also receive a pension now and i didnt want it with natwest whom we have been with for donkeys years i wanted to keep it all seperate.
They are very obliging they seem to have the best deals.
So it looks like it will be the Halifax for us when we finaly move to spain.
Waiting for the house to sell so we could be here yonks yet  the way things are.
I dont post much but i read a lot.
Thanks Morerosada.
Jeanie.
0
Like
|
Hi Morerosado,
I agree with you that Banco Halifax is an excellent bank, my O.H. and I have
a debit card each but Banco Halifax have only charged us 3 euros for both.
We were with bankinter(obviously recommended by Atlas) who we bought through
but got out of there pretty quickly. We got charged over 24euros each last year
by Bankinter for non residents form thingy.When the account is getting low we
transfer money in from england or spain.In Torrevieja branch they also speak
english.I asked one of the staff if they had many spanish customers and he said no
that all of their customers are english and all staff MUST speak english
_______________________
GYPSY
0
Like
|
Hi Gypsy. Just checked our Banco Halifax statements & we were charged 3€ each. 
Lucky you. 
Please would you mind going to your forum profile & putting your area (Torrevieja) in so we can all know your area. Not obligatory but we're all nosy. Just helps if you ask questions specific to your area.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hola Jeanie, happy to have you posting. Don't leave us now, ok ?? 
_______________________
0
Like
|
I have been recommended to consider Cajamar for value and service. I know they have a branch near where i will be living in los gallardos. Anyone else got any views on them?
0
Like
|
Certainly had great reviews IN HERE Scampi.
_______________________
0
Like
|
Gosh - are you busy on every thread!! Yes, it was from there i got the initial plugs but would be keen to know if anyone has knowledge of the Los Gallardos branch. If not would be happy to go to Vera/mojacar/Puerto Rey branches.
0
Like
|
I love scampi (with chips).
Someone has to post. 
_______________________
0
Like
|
We have accounts in the Halifax in the Uk and Spain I thought that we would get free transfers between the accounts and the business rate. I went into the local branch today to sort out exactly what I needed to do to transfer funds and check information correct. They agreed that the transfers were free but that I would only get the tourist when I transferred the money to Spain. Can anyone confirm if this is right difference can be 4-5€ any help appreciated.
Thanks
_______________________
Carmel & George
0
Like
|
Hi Carmel & George. We, too, have a UK Halifax current a/c & a Banco Halifax a/c. We rarely transfer funds over these days as they gave us such a poor rate a year ago. It wasn't quite tourist rate but nowhere near the business rate we had been enjoying with them. We said " WHAT ???" The guy said the tourist rate was so much at that moment & they were actually giving us more.
We complained to head office that we felt we'd been given the wrong rate (ie tourist not business) although of course we had asked at the time but needed to transfer funds as we had committments & DDs were needing to be taken. Head office said it was correct.
These days, as is well documented around these boards, we have a Nationwide Flex current a/c with debit cards & we take euros out of VISA ATMs in Spain at virtually business/bank rates. This message was last edited by morerosado on 7/18/2008.
_______________________
0
Like
|
Thanks for your response we don't normally transfer, like you we use the Natio0nwide flex account but we need to transfer on a one off basis to ensure account has more than €600 until we're out in September. The girl in the Halifax was so rude that I'll probably transfer the money by CD or something similar.
Thanks again for your help.
_______________________
Carmel & George
0
Like
|
I was actually looking at Citibank Espana intially but was referred to BBK and Halifax.
There's a LOT I need to know and learn about the Spanish banking system, but I'm glad forums like EOS fill in the gaps.
Great knowledge and fantastic threads
_______________________
http://www.cellphonetrackinginfo.com
0
Like
|
Great knowledge and fantastic threads
Well, we thank you for saying that, HiSpain
_______________________
0
Like
|
Does anyone know if the halifax current account in Spain accepts direct deposit from a UK private pension without any charge? This Uk pension will automatically convert the sterling to currency of the a/c (ie to euro) .
_______________________
0
Like
|