Another charge/rip off

Izzack_Walton

I noticed on my statement today that Nat West have charged me £4.50 for using my DEBIT card to pay for Euros at Heathrow.
They are blaming VISA.

1. This is a debit card
2. I have cleared funds
3. VISA do nothing but pay Travelex in Sterling
4. This was landside at Heathrow
5. I do not get charged when I shop at Tesco

This is surely another bank Rip Off

By the way - if I use my debit card to buy in the branch - I don't get charged!!!!!!

Anyone else noticed this or is this one of those charges which sneak in under the radar and which the banks hope wewon't spot!!??

zppp

Izzack_Walton wrote: »

I noticed on my statement today that Nat West have charged me £4.50 for using my DEBIT card to pay for Euros at Heathrow.
They are blaming VISA.

1. This is a debit card
2. I have cleared funds
3. VISA do nothing but pay Travelex in Sterling
4. This was landside at Heathrow
5. I do not get charged when I shop at Tesco

This is surely another bank Rip Off

Anyone else noticed this or is this one of those charges which sneak in under the radar and which the banks hope wewon't spot!!??

Welcome to MSE. It is not a hidden charge unfortunately.

http://www.natwest.com/personal/current-accounts/g4/cards/abroad.ashx#tabs=section2

YorkshireBoy

The charges are detailed here...

http://www.natwest.com/downloads/global_options/Guide_Fees_Interest.pdf (page 64)

Next time use a Maestro card or withdraw the cash (in Sterling) first before changing.

coolesticeking

Not many banks which don't have this charge in place.. Best to withdraw the cash as YorkshireBoy has said.

Olipro

unfortunately any withdrawal treated as cash that doesn't come from NatWest or an ATM gets that charge tacked onto it, so it will apply to any business offering currency or gambling services.

Is the charge well in excess of the Visa cost? you betcha. The simple answer is to withdraw what you need in cash before hand; some good news is that NatWest will allow you to increase your ATM limit if you ask.

coolesticeking

One other way around this is to get the cash from NatWest direct - If I remember they don't charge you do they?

rb10

coolesticeking wrote: »

Not many banks which don't have this charge in place.. Best to withdraw the cash as YorkshireBoy has said.

Halifax do not charge for purchasing foreign currency in the UK from a Visa Debit card.

As you say, most others do.

YorkshireBoy

coolesticeking wrote: »

One other way around this is to get the cash from NatWest direct - If I remember they don't charge you do they?

Not according to the table on page 64 of my earlier link . However, the exchange rate, and buy/sell spread, may not be competitive.

dzug1

Izzack_Walton wrote: »

By the way - if I use my debit card to buy in the branch - I don't get charged!!!!!!

Anyone else noticed this or is this one of those charges which sneak in under the radar and which the banks hope wewon't spot!!??

Yes you would get charged in branch - not this particular charge but a very much higher one in the form of a poor exchange rate - Natwest (and RBS) rates are the worst in the country among banks

And yes loads of people have noticed this - despite it featuring on this forum what seems several times a week

glider3560

rb10 wrote: »

Halifax do not charge for purchasing foreign currency in the UK from a Visa Debit card.

As you say, most others do.

HSBC and Nationwide also don't charge. AFAIK, these three are the only big banks/building societies who don't charge.

Smaller ones also won't charge, e.g. Metro Bank.

[Deleted User]

metro bank indeed dont charge even pos abroad