Bancaja merger with Bankia....the customer´s nightmare

I own a medium sized business in Spain and have always used Bancaja.  They recently mergered with Bankia.

Sara23

There seems to be several missed points from your rant about Bankia (some are valid!)

I saw several notices over the months preceding the change advising customers on what needed to be done in order to set up appropriate codes for new access. Also the existing bank account references were still used, albeit with new ones attached. Unless business accounts have been treated in a different way to personal accounts I feel some of your comments are a little unfair. That said it is certainly true that Bankia have been lax in the way they have fed in the new website, requiring some aggravation in (probably) most if not all branches. The front line staff have taken a lot of flack, no doubt, and deserve to be treated fairly.

 I must admit that Bankia haven't handled this very well.  However, there has been an advisory on the website every time you log in for the last 3 months advising what to do and when the changes would take place.  Some people have received a letter from Bankia stating the new account number (I didn't get one, though) and that the old Bancaja number would still be valid.

The website was a bit iffy to start with but appears to have been sorted.  As stated on a different thread, it depends on what ID number you used to open the account as the card number no longer works (which was also stated on the advisory notice and said you could only use a national ID number, residency number, NIF or passport).  If you used your NIE/NIF then you use that, if you used your passport then you use that but be careful because if you have changed your passport since you opened the account you will need to use your old passport number and not the new one.

If you use Google Chrome, you can set it to translate the Spanish site to English automatically and it works quite well.  When you go into the site, it will have your new Bankia number alongside the old Bancaja number (which they call the alias - well, it does on my translator) and all direct debits/payments in etc will be recognised by the old number, or so they say.  I have, however, had a direct debit refused as "not accessible" but others have been paid and so have payments in using the old number.  I have had to give the new Bankia number to the direct debit company that had it refused (lost my TV/Phone and internet because of it but it was sorted quickly by giving my bank card number).  

The bank this morning was packed with people who all seemed to have problems.  It appeared that the main problem (quickly sorted) was using a different passport to the one they opened the account with.

 Going back to the OP, each bank should have a Defensor de Cliente who looks into complaints and the bank should provide details.

If you have any complaints or issues with a bank in Spain, you should write to the Banking Ombudsman at the Banco De España, using recorded delivery. The address is: Banco De España, Calle Alcala, 48, 28014 Madrid.

In response to you all, we did recieve a message about changing our account codes, which we did do in advance.  In fact for business customers the new codes have been in effect for a month. Incidentally, we discovered these new codes when we were locked out of the account so there was no warning the first time they changed it either. 

However, the information was changed again on 6th April for businesses and we had a completely new access code with no warning at all. 

I know some people (especially those with personal accounts) have been fine, but my business account is 12 days into the change and I can´t make transfers except by going into then bank, queueing for a VERY long time and then being charged extra for the priveledge.

I went in yesterday to make 3 transfers and by the third one, the system in the bank had crashed and they told me to come back tomorrow to do the third transfer becaue they could not complete it.

We are on our third digital signature. None have worked.  If we try and make a transfer online it crashes.  If you call the support number it either rings out or places you on hold and then hangs up on you.  I don´t think they can cope.

I have experienced bank mergers before - nothing like this has ever happenned. 

I have emailed all the people we work with to let them know our IBAN has changed, and most of them are based in the UK and can´t access their account at all nor get through to anyone for help.  It´s left a lot of people in dire circumstances

Incidentally, I also feel extremely sorry for the frontline stafff, which is why the rant was here and not in the bank

From what you now tell us, the bank has most certainly bodged it well and truly! It seems they have dealt with personal accounts, after a false start, but bobaol's post seems to give a route forward. Looks as though compensation is called for, but can you wait that long? Apologies for earlier comments, which now seem a little out of kilter!

I went to Bancaja 2 weeks ago in Cabo Riog and they had no money ??? we had ordered some to buy some furniture, and had to wait around for over an hour, for  the money lorry come,that was how Alisa put it ( mind you the staff did call us and say it was ready to be picked up.

Now that scary when the bank has no money, quite a few people was waiting at the bank and not very happy?

Ah well, rant over.  I do like the fact that Spain is relaxed and old fashioned in many ways and have no wish for it to turn into mini-England. 

I do sometimes feel though like the little man gets trampled on by businesses.  I know there´s no excuse in today´s day and age for computer systems to halt banking for people in this way - it´s just lack of care and proper preparation.  I feel rally sorry for the staff that they obviously didn´t train.  They must have known a good portion of customers would be thrown into problems and I can´t see how appropriate measures were taken to avoid it.

I have 800 customers, rather than 800,000 and just about manage to survive in the recession.  That said, if i change even something small I make really sure everyone knows and the new system is tested carefully before we implement it,.  Can´t see why they didn´t have the time / money and care to do that.

I have had early problems accessing the web site but as with others this is all okay now.

Biggest issue is that regular transfer of mories from UK has gone 'missing'. Moneycorp / HSBC knows Bankia has got the money but it's not reached my accoount after 13 days! They say Bankia has money in a suspense account and lots of clients are in limbo land. In some cases Bankia have started rejecting and returning money and in other cases (like me) they still have it. All this after assuring customers and Moneycorp / HSBC that no-one had to do anything and all the changes would be automatic.

A total shambles!

If I hadn't got a suplus in my account I would have defaulted on several payments and I have had no apology and so far ineffective hep from my branch.

 The problem I had was that I had a non-resident account with Bancaja which I changed to a residents account.  All the old payments in and out were recognised by the new account.  When Bankia took over, any direct debits or payments were recognised from the Bancaja resident account number but it didn't for anything set up with the old non-resident account number.  I have had to change 2 direct debits and one payment in details and set them up again.  Any direct debits or payments with the Bancaja resident account were OK.  Looks like their system couldn't do two things at once.

Just tried doing a bank transfer 1 hour later, have been told there is a problem with the website in English, it will not let you do it, BUT if you go on the spanish page it will allow it.

BUT  if its in your favorites make sure you have all the details, as it may not be stored on the Spanish site.

Oh happy days

My problem arose when I checked my Moneybookers account this morning. On the 5th of May I transferred £2000 pounds as I do regularly to my Bancaja Account to cover payments.  I noticed that £1930.00 had been returned to my Moneybookers account because my Bancaja account no longer exists. We have never been notified by Bankia that our Bancaja account details needed to be changed. I have apparently lost £70 pounds which I am still in the process of seeking an explanation for from Moneybookers.   

I did get some joy when I asked how to access my account online though. You type in your NI Number without the letters. Only the numbers. Then you type in your cards PIN in the password field.

I'm arriving in Spain on the 24th of June. I will be visiting my Bankia branch on the 25th and I will be looking to be reimbursed for my losses. 

I had a letter arrive on Saturday, telling me  "NEW" direct debits or transfers now need the new code, but its only the first 4 digits that have changed, I would have thought that as you use moneybookers before, that it would still go in as normal. I know all ours have been fine.

As for the online banking, with some people they have used NIE or passport, and a friend of mine told me they had used her UK phone number ??? most odd, but as long as we can got on it that all that matters.

Having problems transfering money? I went into bank and got information there.

The the account, swift and iban number changed. I have since transfered money without any problems. I guess you can do it over the phone but not sure if thing would get lost in translation.

Good luck.

I've come across a company called VFX Financial PLC. They have an online facility to buy and sell currencies. I signed up for an account yesterday and  used it for the first time today.  I wasn't clear exactly how to go about using this to transfer funds and called their helpline. All I can say is that I am well impressed with them so far. I've bought €2462.60 for £2000.  This will reach my Bankia account by the end of today, I'll check later to make sure the funds have reached the account. You get confirmation within minutes of each transaction. Provided the money reaches my account (fingers crossed) I can't think of a better way to move your money.

Hi All,

I am trying to make a transfer from Bankia online to the UK. I used this service before with Bancaja and was able to enter my account number and BIC/SWIFT code without the IBAN number. When I select foreign transfer or transfer it is looking for an IBAN number and there seems to be no place to put my account or sortcode/compensationcode. I have left a messages for Bankia's customer service but with no joy.

Would appricate your help with this.

Thanks Joanne

 I've just received a letter stating that the Bankia Branch in San Javier (Branch 4713) is going to be closed.  Clients should go to their Branch as soon as possible to take care of the necessary procedures regarding contracts.

Unfortunately we are not going to be in Spain until July.  Does anyone have an e-mail address for this Branch? 

It seems that the likely email address would be "oficina_****@bankia.com" where **** is the 4-digit number of your branch. I have just received a letter re my own branch being closed, but nothing needs to be done per my letter.

 It would be strange that you have to do anything, when a branch is closed it is normally automatically moved to another branch, they should send you a letter informing you of the new branch address. That was my experience anyway with Banesto. You're best to give them a call just in case.