No charges - cash withdrawals from Santander ATMs in Spain

Searcher2

This doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere on here but there are no charges on cash withdrawals from Santander cash machines in Spain if you have a Santander current account.

It took me quite a bit of asking around to get to the bottom of it. I asked in several branches of Santander about charges and was given various answers including a) you can only get free withdrawals with a Santander Zero card b) you can only get free withdrawals in Spain if you have deposited £1000 into your current account for 3 consecutive months c) you can't get free cash withdrawals in Spain - despite being called Santander they are treated as different entities. None said it was free from their own machines.

As is not unusual with Santander this advice proved to all be false. I wrote to Santander to clarify the situation and received this email back.

"Hello Mr xxxxx,

Thank you for your e-mail regarding withdrawals from your Santander current account in Spain.

I am happy to inform you that all Santander customers with current accounts regardless of the deposits into the account would have the benefit of free cash withdrawals from a Santander ATM machine in Spain.

Regards

Jennifer Brady
Santander Customer Services "

Still not 100% convinced but at least having something in writing in case I was charged I went to Tenerife and used the Santander cash machines. The email is correct. I was not charged for cash withdrawals and got what I considered and good exchange rate of 0.83 (i.e. 1.20 Euro to £1). I don't put £1000 a month into my current account. Good news for me as a Spain goer.

bcl999

They have been doing this for a while - I used it a couple of years ago in Malaga. At that time, I found the info quite quickly on their website but it may be more obscure now.

Searcher2

bcl999 wrote: »

They have been doing this for a while - I used it a couple of years ago in Malaga. At that time, I found the info quite quickly on their website but it may be more obscure now.

It's more than obscure... it's wrong!

http://products.santander.co.uk/bankaccounts/frequentlyaskedquestions.html#What charges apply if I use a Santander Cash Machine in Spain?

"What charges apply if I use a Santander Cash Machine in Spain?

All main adult current accounts (those which are credited with at least £1,000 per month) could benefit from free cash machine withdrawals in Spain. Simply use your Santander Debit Card in a Santander branded cash machine in Spain to receive the withdrawal fee free. This means: No Cash Handling Fee AND No Foreign Exchange Fee will be charged.

We will not charge you for using a cash machine abroad but the cash machine operator may make a charge. If you're given the option of paying in local currency or sterling, please make sure you choose the local option. If you choose sterling, it means that the retailer or bank will handle the conversion and may charge you a conversion fee or a foreign usage fee (or both)."

You don't have to deposit £1000 per month as they specify.

bcl999

I must just have been lucky!

teralin

I spend most of the year in Spain and I only withdraw cash from a Santander ATM with my Santander debit card. My Santander current account is a normal one with no special frills and I do not pay anything near £1000 a month through the account. I receive very close to the interbank rate with no charges or commissions.

ses6jwg

If you do fund your Santander bank account with more than £1000 per month, have a least 2 active direct debits, and hold either a mortgage, investment product or £10k in savings with Santander you can upgrade to the Zero Current Account free of charge and get free cash withdrawals and free chip and pin use anywhere in the world.