US Stock Trading accounts

bilbobagginz71

Hi All,

I have a tricky question that I've searched the internet but cannot find a good solution to.

I have a US Stock Trading account with several thousand dollars in cash from dividends sitting in it.

I've wired small cash amounts in US dollars (<£200) using the SWIFT method back to my Nationwide account before, but got hammered with with the exchange rate (worked out at almost 12-15% commission taken off). I complained to Nationwide and they refunded the difference as it was only about £15, but they don't have their own intermediary they go through HSBC (BIC MIDLGB22) I believe. So I don't want to transfer a few thousand dollars and get hammered with 12% cut, which Nationwide won't feel responsible for, they blamed the intermediary, but as a gesture of goodwill credited my account with the difference.

I also have a Barclays current account, but they charge a fee just to recieve the incoming wire transfers...

So, are there any other bank accounts out there that won't take such a huge cut during the wiring back of the US dollars cash. I think a max of 5% would be fine, but not above 10%.

Seems ridiculous I can use a credit card abroad commission free and get the going rate at the time, but can't transfer cash back.

Thanks for any suggestions in advance