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Help or Advice >> Banks, Estate Agents, Solicitors >> Do I need to keep a Spanish bank account ? http://www.tortosaforum.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1564143856 Message started by munkonminor on Jul 26^th, 2019 at 2:24pm

Title: Do I need to keep a Spanish bank account ?
Post by munkonminor on Jul 26^th, 2019 at 2:24pm

Since buying our property 20 years ago I have maintained a Spanish bank account - currently La Caxia. I am getting hammered with charges and wonder if it is obligatory to keep open as a non-resident ?

I can open a Euro account with Starling Bank and have no charges, they allow SDD's on the account so, on the face of it, seems like a good idea ??

Title: Re: Do I need to keep a Spanish bank account ?
Post by rayo on Feb 18^th, 2020 at 1:42am

Hi. CaixaBank have just notified me of their hike in charges from 1 April 2020 so I will be looking for an alternative Spanish Bank...or maybe one of the challenger banks like Starling that seem to be able to cope with direct debits to pay for my Electricity, Water and other recurring bills.

Any experience or recommendations in this respect would be gratefully received.

Title: Re: Do I need to keep a Spanish bank account ?
Post by munkonminor on Feb 19^th, 2020 at 1:15pm

Yes, I had the same letter about increased charges. I have been looking since I first posted this and have just opened a Euro account with Starling. Hoping to move BASE and phone direct debits to Starling when I an next over.

Title: Re: Do I need to keep a Spanish bank account ?
Post by rayo on Feb 20^th, 2020 at 3:54pm

Thanks for that. I looked at Starling and Revolut as being the easiest solution (outside of opening another account in Spain). Starling looks the best of the two so I think I'll give it a go as well...and try to get new DDs set up on my next visit.
I'll put any useful feedback up on here.

Title: Re: Do I need to keep a Spanish bank account ?
Post by munkonminor on Feb 21^st, 2020 at 4:29pm

Just wondering.... Banking is free at La Caxia if you have a "salary" of more than €600 pain in each month and have three direct debits.
It may be possible to pay a standing order of €600 from a Starling Euro account into La Caxia ( with the reference Salary ) and then
return it a few days later ?

Not sure how they can check if it is actually a salary ??

Title: Re: Do I need to keep a Spanish bank account ?
Post by rayo on Feb 28^th, 2020 at 12:20am

Not sure if they will recognise a transfer from your other account to be 'salary'.
A friend has suggested Bankia.es...he uses this for his spanish house expenses. It's an online account (so similar to Starling) but based in Spain.
I'm looking into it but does anyone on the forum have any experience of this??
Input welcome.

Title: Bankia.es
Post by rayo on Feb 28^th, 2020 at 12:29am

Update...i've just read through Trustpilot reviews of the Bankia service...most are dreadful and some refer to unexpected charges.
Think i'm back to considering Starling!

Title: Re: Do I need to keep a Spanish bank account ?
Post by Nigel on Feb 28^th, 2020 at 5:52am

Bankia do not have a branch in Tortosa. It was closed down during the banking crisis when Bankia got bailed out by the government.

Nearest offices are Tarragona or Vinaros.

Makes dealing with them a pain and you have to pay for any cashpoint operations in Tortosa as they don't have a cashpoint.

Have you investigated ING direct? www.ing.es

Title: Re: Do I need to keep a Spanish bank account ?
Post by rayo on Feb 28^th, 2020 at 11:32am

Thanks for the input Nigel. Trustpilot reviews on the Ing account are just as bad as the ones on Bankia...and Ing won't deal in English (not even an English translation available on their website)...so not looking promising.