Metro Bank stopping 0% f/x

gt94sss2

Metro Bank have today notified customers that they are introducing fees on all foreign currency transactions including those in Europe which were previously free.

retiredbanker1

Whilst Lloyds Bank are going in the opposite direction - from July1st Debit cards with a paid for account are going to be free of charges abroad.

lr1277

Metro bank don’t mention the fx fees on their credit card. As far as I know the credit card is fx fee free in many parts of Europe. But definitely don’t withdraw cash from an ATM using your Metro bank credit card.

soolin

lr1277 said:

Metro bank don’t mention the fx fees on their credit card. As far as I know the credit card is fx fee free in many parts of Europe. But definitely don’t withdraw cash from an ATM using your Metro bank credit card.

That’s true, it would be nice if credit card transactions were still exchange fee free but it seems odd that debit cards will be charged going forward but not credit cards. 

The fee free use is one of the only reasons I have a Metro account , I may have to find an alternative if credit cards do get included. 

lr1277

FD have been fx fee free on their debit cards since June 2023. However their credit cards continue to charge an fx fee.

jbrassy

retiredbanker1 said:

Whilst Lloyds Bank are going in the opposite direction - from July1st Debit cards with a paid for account are going to be free of charges abroad.

Is there a source for this? This is the first I've heard of it. Does this include the £3 a month Club Lloyds account?

Even so, there are so many options out there for fee free spending abroad now. First Direct, Starling, Chase, Virgin Money. 

soolin

lr1277 said:

FD have been fx fee free on their debit cards since June 2023. However their credit cards continue to charge an fx fee.

That might work for me then as I have a FD account. So I could use the FD debit card and the Metro credit card (assuming Metro didn't mean to include that in their ending email) 

gt94sss2

jbrassy said:

retiredbanker1 said:

Whilst Lloyds Bank are going in the opposite direction - from July1st Debit cards with a paid for account are going to be free of charges abroad.

Is there a source for this? This is the first I've heard of it. Does this include the £3 a month Club Lloyds account?

It is just for those with Silver and Platinum account customers 

PRAISETHESUN

jbrassy said:

retiredbanker1 said:

Whilst Lloyds Bank are going in the opposite direction - from July1st Debit cards with a paid for account are going to be free of charges abroad.

Is there a source for this? This is the first I've heard of it. Does this include the £3 a month Club Lloyds account?

Even so, there are so many options out there for fee free spending abroad now. First Direct, Starling, Chase, Virgin Money. 

Just gone hunting for info on this, and it's on the Lloyds website for the Silver and Platinum accounts. The monthly fee is going up and the benefits are changing, including the removal of foreign transaction fees::

https://www.lloydsbank.com/assets/media/pdfs/current-accounts/lloyds-silver-guide-to-changes.pdf
https://www.lloydsbank.com/assets/media/pdfs/current-accounts/lloyds-platinum-guide-to-changes.pdf

simonsmithsays

Also just received this email

Used to be my travel card of choice a few years ago but Chase and Halifax Clarity over took it.

SomeoneFromReigate

Fee free debit card transactions abroad is the only reason I have a Metro Bank current account.

I expect there to be some newspaper articles in the next few days pointing out alternatives.