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Santander Caleta?

Started by Ducks, February 01, 2018, 20:58:46 PM

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Ducks

Does anyone have experience of this bankâ€" the one down by the sea opposite Castillo Mar?

If you'd advise against it, are there any others you'd recommend? Ease of access to account from overseas via online/app would be important as we won't be resident full-time, and English-speaking staff is, rather pathetically, probably a must for us.

Thanks in advance for any information!

spitfire58

#1
We were taken to CiaxaBank by our solicitor when we purchased to open a NR account, that was in PDR, some of the staff spoke English (enough to do what we needed). I have since used the branch in Caleta (by the China Shop) & found them helpful & there is at least one English speaker there. CaixaBank also have an online presence & an app. I find I do pretty much everything on line with no issues. HTH

Can the Man

I use Sol Bank in Caleta, located in Atlantico centre. Have English speaking staff, very good online facilities and app, but are expensive. 120 Euro per year Bank charges as standard - 4x30 euros.
I`ve been banking with them for 14 years now since I bought my first place on Fuerteventura

spitfire58

Quote from: Can the Man on February 01, 2018, 23:31:47 PM
I use Sol Bank in Caleta, located in Atlantico centre. Have English speaking staff, very good online facilities and app, but are expensive. 120 Euro per year Bank charges as standard - 4x30 euros.
I`ve been banking with them for 14 years now since I bought my first place on Fuerteventura

Hi Can, I think all the NR accounts are similar. Ours is, I think, 24â,¬ every 3 months for a joint account

whyme

Santander are a good bank in general, they are as helpful as poss and there's always someone who can speak English on hand and they charge â,¬8 a month for an average account. The only downside is the time it takes to get served, you can lose half a day queueing up sometimes so I no quite often take a packed lunch and flask of coffee. (just joking) I've been known to queue  for an hour only for the teller to get up and go to Goris for a coffee when I've got near the front even though there are eight or nine of us waiting in line.

spitfire58

Quote from: whyme on February 03, 2018, 13:16:07 PM
Santander are a good bank in general, they are as helpful as poss and there's always someone who can speak English on hand and they charge â,¬8 a month for an average account. The only downside is the time it takes to get served, you can lose half a day queueing up sometimes so I no quite often take a packed lunch and flask of coffee. (just joking) I've been known to queue  for an hour only for the teller to get up and go to Goris for a coffee when I've got near the front even though there are eight or nine of us waiting in line.

Wow, I wouldn`t be with them long if that is always the case. Although, there seems to be queues for everything with paperwork involved anywhere you go !!

whyme

It's all part and parcel of living here, just something you expect from them.

Ducks

Ended up going with the Sabadell in the Atlantico, on the advice of the solicitor.

Found them extremely helpful and friendly, and the two girls we dealt with had English better than our own, but my god does everything take a long time...! The forms, the computer system, the queues...  :o

They actually do have an English-language app for the phone, though, and that is an absolute godsend, so thus far, we're happy with our choice. I'll update again when we've done more business in a couple of months...

malabu

We had Santander when we moved here almost 11 years ago and had nothing but hassle to much to ga into but changed to CiaxaBank, brilliant just cannot help enough, and there online banking is second to none 

Can the Man

Quote from: Ducks on February 08, 2018, 12:33:04 PM
Ended up going with the Sabadell in the Atlantico, on the advice of the solicitor.

Found them extremely helpful and friendly, and the two girls we dealt with had English better than our own, but my god does everything take a long time...! The forms, the computer system, the queues...  :o

They actually do have an English-language app for the phone, though, and that is an absolute godsend, so thus far, we're happy with our choice. I'll update again when we've done more business in a couple of months...

Sabadell is the same as Sol Bank, the online facility is excellent, and the app for the phone is excellent also.

whyme

Started out with the Solbank some 12/13 years ago but everyone in the town used to end up with our statements. Complained loads but it kept happening so we moved.

Johnrgby2

 Starte with them 3 years ago, and other than the odd thing we find them excellent, but they do have a habit of not telling you things.

E.G.

When we them joined them first we were not old that despite it being a joint account, if you want two cards there is a charge for the second one.

They had us an account that entailed bank charges for 8 moths, and when i queried it the only advantage it had was we could pay sterling in free of charge, which is something we never do.

Then when my car insurance was due, which they knew because it is on standing order, they wrote to me asking could they give me a quote, which as it turned out entailed a visit to the branch, so I go they quote me 30% more than my previous years premium, which again they knew as it was on my statement, so I laugh and say that is more than I am already paying to which came the reply " we are a bank not an insurance company" I withheld the obvious reply of why then did you waste your time contacting me and my time coming in here, as I was not sure I could have put it as politely at the time.

I think the moral is they are like banks all over the world, as long as you are aware of what they are doing they are fine.

Johnrgby2

Quote from: vivafuerte on February 11, 2018, 11:27:03 AM
I have a sabadel account but im using the revolut account more, its free, its online, it gives the best exchange rates, the only thing you cant do with it is pre authorise, say for some fuel stations or some hotels, other than that its been perfect.

Can you quantify best exchange rate please? We have an expansion account, and use Transferwise for exchange, which is usually the daily rate, and charge 0.5%does your method beat that?

spitfire58

Quote from: Johnrgby2 on February 11, 2018, 12:55:29 PM
Quote from: vivafuerte on February 11, 2018, 11:27:03 AM
I have a sabadel account but im using the revolut account more, its free, its online, it gives the best exchange rates, the only thing you cant do with it is pre authorise, say for some fuel stations or some hotels, other than that its been perfect.

Can you quantify best exchange rate please? We have an expansion account, and use Transferwise for exchange, which is usually the daily rate, and charge 0.5%does your method beat that?

I hardly ever use anything else John. Been so for a couple of years. Gives usually spot rate less 0.01 so I think it`s about as close as you can get.