Charges by Spanish Banks for cash

mikegreenland
mikegreenland Posts: 9 Forumite
in Credit cards
On a recent holiday to Spain I noticed a change from last year. When trying to withdraw cash from an ATM almost all banks were charging non-Spanish cards between €1.80 (Sabadell) and €5 (Santander) per transaction. Last year all banks made no charge.

I only found one small bank/savings establishment that did not charge. I stress these were proper bank ATM's and not private ones in shops.

I thought there was EU legislation preventing such discriminatory charges?
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Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 35,242 Forumite
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    No, there isn't.

    You're thinking of being charged for using credit cards for payments, and not other tender types.
  • Nasqueron
    Nasqueron Posts: 8,793 Forumite
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    Probably just the way these things are going, in Australia it was fairly common to be charged for using any ATM that is not from your bank. I was with a New Zealand bank, opened the account in Australia and they charged me for using one of their own branches in NZ!
  • YorkshireBoy
    YorkshireBoy Posts: 31,541 Forumite
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    mikegreenland wrote: »
    I only found one small bank/savings establishment that did not charge.
    And you're keeping the name a secret?

    There's a thread on the Overseas board (and on here somewhere as well) listing the various Spanish banks and their fees.

    I always try to use Banca March (it's not a secret! ;)) as they're still free to use (or at least were in March when I was last there).
  • virgo17
    virgo17 Posts: 955 Forumite
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    Spain is very bad for this type of thing. The Spanish banks are IMO the greediest in Europe.

    To comment on the post from Yorkshireboy, during our visit to Spain last week the only high street bank that didn't want to apply a charge for cash withdrawal was at a branch of Bankia bank. Just make sure not to have the currency conversion done by the machine.
  • bluffer
    bluffer Posts: 528 Forumite
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    happens in asia as well which is a pain even if using a monzo style card. back to carrying cash around with all the pluses and minuses that means :):(
    2023 wins - zilch, nada, big fat duck. quack quack,
  • guesswho2000
    guesswho2000 Posts: 1,703 Forumite
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    Nasqueron wrote: »
    Probably just the way these things are going, in Australia it was fairly common to be charged for using any ATM that is not from your bank. I was with a New Zealand bank, opened the account in Australia and they charged me for using one of their own branches in NZ!

    Ha yeah, ANZ in Cambodia wanted to charge me US$5 for using my Australian ANZ debit card to withdraw cash :mad:

    ING refund all ATM fees at home and abroad, thankfully.

    IIRC Santander in Spain used to be free to withdraw cash using a Santander UK card, no idea if that's still the case.
  • sausage_time
    sausage_time Posts: 752 Ambassador
    I'm a Volunteer Ambassador First Post First Anniversary Name Dropper
    Just back from Croatia, and ATM charges are creeping in there too. I had been using the same ATM for withdrawing drinking vouchers every few days. About half way through my holiday the ATM suddenly started slapping on a 22 Kuna charge if I chose not to let them do the conversion (that's about £2.60, or almost a litre of Croatian beer to put it in perspective) . Shopped around, and found another one that was still "free".



    Seems to be becoming a common tactic, sadly.
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  • Blackbeard_of_Perranporth
    Blackbeard_of_Perranporth Posts: 7,605 Forumite
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    In NYC, you!!!8217;re charged $3. Thank god you don!!!8217;t get charged in the uk. Then our savings rates are carp as well.
  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
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    virgo17 wrote: »
    Spain is very bad for this type of thing. The Spanish banks are IMO the greediest in Europe.

    Why should a business provide a service to non customers free of charge?
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,572 Forumite
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    Thrugelmir wrote: »
    Why should a business provide a service to non customers free of charge?
    Banks receive a commission from the issuer of any foreign card when it's used in their ATM. In the majority of countries, where banks are not excessively greedy, the cardholder is not charged.
    Evolution, not revolution
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