N & P Woes

 Got myself my N& P account. Got my cheque book, debit card and all set up as should be. Landed in Spain, card in ATM and it won't work. PIN number is fine as I used it in the UK before leaving. Telephoned N&P at 38p min (thanks Orange!!) to be cut off after a 5 minute wait at their call centre. They did call me back after sending a secure message (another 5 minutes at 14p per minute for receiving) to be told nothing was wrong. Tried again, again, again and again in different atm's. None worked so no access to my money . Backup Barclays card will have to go into action now where I can have the priviledge of being charged for withdrawing the cash. Time for a big complint when I return..

Moral of the story? Grass isn't always greener!!!

Mark

No problems with Citibank Euro Account (so far).

Oh dear Mark  That's not a good advert for N & P.

You advised us to use XE.com & we do. Aren't you bothering with it now?

 I am using Xe for regular transfers into our Spanish account for bills, community fees and such like, but this is spons for my holiday that I can't access. Worked in the Post Office in the UK before I left, won't work in the Spain atm's. I am wondering if it is because the ones I have tried are in the Servired network? Shouldn't make any difference, they all have the VISA logo on them .

 Mark,

Have you been able to contact N&P? I returned to the UK at the weekend after spending 10 days at our place. I used the N&P card at a Solbank cash machine around 6 times and it worked fine. I've checked my bank account on my return and received and excellent inter-bank exchange rate.

It seems unfair that having oferred good advice to members of the Forum on this you fall unlucky and aren't able to use the card

UK Citibank Euro account for me too, for general spend and transfers. Easy for transferring cash at a good rate from my firstdirect account, then transfer into my Halifax Spanish Mortgage Account. Use the Citibank account for general cash withdrawal in Spain. 

 I have contacted N&P in the UK (ouch, expensive!!) and they say there is no problem with my card, so why it won't pay out? I don't know . Going to try it in a Barclays atm later today (if the car starts) to see if it was a network problem. Yes, I do feel a bit of a prune for mentioning this account and then falling victim to a (rather major) problem.

I had a Citibank account for 12 years but have recently closed it due to poor service (anyone see the irony here??) over the past couple of years, with a couple of visits to the ombudsman thrown in for good measure.

Mark

I've also opened up an account and will be using it in America in a couple of weeks. 

My heart dropped when I first read the thread but rose again when Costachris confirmed that his had worked.

Will post later to confirm whether I've had any success.

I have drawn out $'s from our Nationwide and new Norwich and Peterborough account. No problems getting the money and will report back when the transactions go through.

Be interesting to see which account gives the best rate.

Have checked both bank accounts on-line and they both gave an exchange rate of $1.62 but with Nationwide I had to pay £5.26 charge and £1 atm charge.

I thought that N & P's rate would have been lower, I'm pleased that  I perservered to open the account, it was worth the drive up to St Ives.

N&P are in talks with the Yorkshire Building Society regarding a merger. The Yorkshire has already subsumed the Barnsley and the Chelsea Building Societies. I've checked their websites and they seem to be continuing as a separate entity with their own products retained. Probably no threat to individual account types to begin with but something to watch.

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/Yorkshire-Building-Society-reuters_molt-3963659829.html?x=0

 Just thought i'd update te thread. N&P must really hate me!!! Despite using my debit card happily in the UK since my return, I put it in a Spanish ATM and once again, it is blocked . I really despair of these banks, as all they say is "no problem this end", but the atm message is "refer to bank" . Time to look for another new account I feel.

Mark

I've just returned after spending 5 weeks out in Spain and I didn't have any problems getting cash from atm's. 

Just a thought did you inform them that you would be using your card in Spain?

 Old thread I know, but some good news at long last!!!

I lost count at the amount of times I couldn't use the card and had many heated "conversations" with N&P. They finally referred it to Visa, who also couldn't find a problem as to why the card didn't work abroad. Visa decided it must be a "dodgy" chip, so eventually, a new card was ordered.

The result is that I arrived on Monday evening and withdrew (yes that's right, I withdrew) cash from those same ATM's that had previously refused me . Checking my online statement today shows that I got a rate of 1.235€ to £1. So all in all, not a bad couple of years whingeing!!!

Mark

Good news!

I'm off to the atm today as I believe the rate has gone up again.  Some suggest it will go up to as much as 1.30, yesterday it was 1.25.

Hi, great rate for sterling, allmost interbank rate and no charges from the N &P. but did the ATM in spain  make any charge ?

No charges from the ATM, I used a Cajamar branch, but so long as the ATM displays the Visa sign, all should be free.

Mark

 And managed to get more today, so not a fluke 

Mark

I've always used Servired machines, normally these give you the option of paying in Euros or £'s and show their exchange rate calculation.  By using the Euro prompt the amount you pay at N & P is less.

I was looking for a machine in Torrevieja last week and found a Servired in CatalunyaCaixa, was a bit concerned as it didn't ask which exchange rate I wanted to use.  The receipt showed Euros and when I checked the account I got 1.22 for a £.

I also withdrew money yesterday and I think I'll get the same exchange rate.  Still waiting for it to come through.

Rate was 1.23931, spent the extra .02centenimos having a couple of coffees after the market!