Santander customers caught out by Spanish branch ATMs which DO charge for withdrawals - MSE News

NoodleDoodleMan

Indeed, the era of fee free ATMs is going to be a thing of the past - sooner, rather than later it appears.

eDicky

ManAtHome wrote: »

Haven't been to Greece since 2016, but used the Nationwide debit (until they started charging) then Halifax Clarity (credit card) for many years without fees

Since you were last there, Greek banks have begun charging.

huw01

This happened to me today. A few days ago I took €70 out of a Banco popular ATM machine which was a freestanding machine in Alcudia, Majorca. Looking at my online banking they charged me £1.99 ATM fee and had converted €70 into £66.06.

Initially they told me I had used a non-Banco popular ATM, I advised them that I still had the withdrawal slip and if they wanted further proof I took a picture with my phone and I could send it to them showing the Banco popular livery. They then offered the refund for the £1.99 ATM fee, And eventually they refunded me the difference between the euro rate on the day which I should’ve been charged and the actual amount I was charged. The adviser took some persuading from me on this.

She kept telling me that I had been charged 91 euro cents for the conversion but I had to explain to her twice that 70 X 0.91 did not equate to £66.06. Twice I went through it with her but she was having none of it. In the end I told her to get a calculator out and advised her that a conversion rate of 0.91 on €70 should be £63.70. Then she said there was a problem with the calculation, I don’t think she even knew what an inbuilt fee was in respect of the currency conversion .

After she spoke to her supervisor she said that there had been an error! It is all resolved now however I would have expected them to know their maths!

EveryWhere

huw01 wrote: »

This happened to me today. A few days ago I took €70 out of a Banco popular ATM machine which was a freestanding machine in Alcudia, Majorca. Looking at my online banking they charged me £1.99 ATM fee and had converted €70 into £66.06.

Initially they told me I had used a non-Banco popular ATM, I advised them that I still had the withdrawal slip and if they wanted further proof I took a picture with my phone and I could send it to them showing the Banco popular livery. They then offered the refund for the £1.99 ATM fee, And eventually they refunded me the difference between the euro rate on the day which I should’ve been charged and the actual amount I was charged. The adviser took some persuading from me on this.

She kept telling me that I had been charged 91 euro cents for the conversion but I had to explain to her twice that 70 X 0.91 did not equate to £66.06. Twice I went through it with her but she was having none of it. In the end I told her to get a calculator out and advised her that a conversion rate of 0.91 on €70 should be £63.70. Then she said there was a problem with the calculation, I don’t think she even knew what an inbuilt fee was in respect of the currency conversion .

After she spoke to her supervisor she said that there had been an error! It is all resolved now however I would have expected them to know their maths!

Looks like you got hit by DCC. You were lucky to get the refund.

https://transferwise.com/gb/blog/choose-local-currency-at-foreign-atm

huw01

No it wasn't DCC the withdrawal was in euros, Santander just treated it as another bank’s ATM and added an exchange load of 2.75% onto the amount and then £1.99 on top for an ATM charge.

I have to say that the Santander 123 debit card when used in Spanish Santander ATM is the best option for getting cash in Spain as Spanish ATMs these days are more hit than miss on issuing an ATM fee. I think that it’s just the Banco popular takeover hasn’t quite yet been fully integrated into the Santander network.

NoodleDoodleMan

This happened to me today. A few days ago I took €70 out of a Banco popular ATM machine which was a freestanding machine in Alcudia, Majorca. Looking at my online banking they charged me £1.99 ATM fee and had converted €70 into £66.06.

Which bank is your debit card ?

Even if it's a Santander UK card it won't be fee free at a Banco Popular ATM (unless there has been a recent policy change) as they advise that this benefit only applies to Santander branded machines in Spain and the Canaries.

There is also a condition that Santander UK current accounts need to be funded with a minimum £500 monthly credit.

If you use a non Santander card then I believe the fee is a standard 5 Euros per transaction.

Seems to be a fluid scenario.

huw01

I bank with Santander as my post says, I have a select 123 current account which is fully funded to qualify for the select 123 account conditions. The Select 123 account conditions allow for free ATM withdrawals in any Santander ATM in more countries than Spain (Portugal, Germany etc). Banco popular was taken over by Santander a couple of years ago, and is now part of the Santander group.

The ATM transaction should’ve been fee free as I am a Santander customer and the ATM was now a part of the Santander Bank although branded Banco popular they are now part of Banco santander group

NoodleDoodleMan

I have a Select account likewise, however the basic Everyday Current Account, funded £500 minimum monthly, meets the conditions for fee free transactions from Santander branded ATMS in Spain (including the Balearics) and the Canaries.

Banco Popular machines which have yet to be rebranded are very likely to incur a fee.

Santander UK will almost certainly refund, although there is the inconvenience of having to go through the reclaim process.

A Select debit card is also fee free from Santander in 11 other countries, however anecdotal evidence suggests that these are few and far between compared to Spain.

Unlike the other Santander current accounts, except the 1-2-3, the Select account has a monthly fee of £5 and has more stringent conditions, for example, either a minimum of £5,000 minimum funds credit into the account, or £75,000 in savings or investments held with Santander. Where the latter condition is effect it still requires a minimum £500 monthly pay in to satisfy the fee free ATM deal.

https://www.santander.co.uk/assets/s3fs-public/documents/fid-select-current-account.pdf