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method of paying monthly rent and utility bills from UK

Posted: Tue Oct 2, 2018 12:29pm
27 replies418 views5 members subscribed
kathy2017

Posts: 114

19 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 15 Apr 2017

Hi All

I am thinking about renting an apartment in Roquetas for one year. but i will still live in the UK.  I intend to  travel back and forward to the apartment during that year  to see how things work out, with of course the view to moving to the area permanently. As yet I do not have a bank account in Spain and I would like any advice on the safest possible way of paying my monthly rent and utility bills to the organisation from the UK. 

Kathy

BobL

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 9:45am

BobL

Super helpful member

Posts: 2170

1225 helpful points

Location: Mojacar

Joined: 18 Aug 2016

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 9:45am

Hi,

I guess the simplest way is just to open a Spanish Bank Acct and if possible remit a reasonable lump sum which will cover a year of DDs.

We tried to move payments offshore to avoid Embargoes and.then found.our offshore Bank wasn't signatory to an International Banking Agreement.

So we needed to retain our la Caixa acct for Utilities, IBI, internet, etc. Gratefully we are able to pay annually on our Offshore Acct DC which Nordic Electric and our Property Insurance accept. We pay other fees in cash but then we live in Spain for most of time.

Rob has indicated previously that Transferwise may be setting up some mechanism but have no further details.

Make sure you shop around the Banks as everything costs. With La Caixa it's 12€ per quarter for the Acct & 39€ annually for the CC/DC.

Hope that's of some use.

Best Wishes,

Bob and Sandra

Mojacar Playa and Puerto Lumbreras

ksloan5

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 3:01pm

ksloan5

Helpful member

Posts: 148

78 helpful points

Location: Albox

Joined: 9 Jul 2017

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 3:01pm

kathy2017 wrote on Tue Oct 2, 2018 12:29pm:

Hi All

I am thinking about renting an apartment in Roquetas for one year. but i will still live in the UK.  I intend to  travel back and forward to the apartment during that year  to see how things work out, with of course the view to moving to the area permanently. As yet I do not have a...

... bank account in Spain and I would like any advice on the safest possible way of paying my monthly rent and utility bills to the organisation from the UK. 

Kathy

Simple to open a Spanish bank account? NOT! It took us forever to do it on our own without the help of a solicitor as part of a house buying process (we are renters).

If you are dealing with agents there may be a way to pay into a UK account in pounds, ask the agents.

If you are not, in this day and age apps such as Transferwise or even your UK bank itself may be able to do regular international transfers. Ask them (although this may be a bit more costly)

BobL

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 3:13pm

BobL

Super helpful member

Posts: 2170

1225 helpful points

Location: Mojacar

Joined: 18 Aug 2016

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 3:13pm

Hi,

My word how times change. Sandra.and I moved to Spain in 2002/3. Opening the Bank Accounts took.less than 15min. I didn't even have an NIE. 

Guess it's all down to bureaucracy and money laundering.

What a world.

Bob and Sandra

ksloan5

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 3:28pm

ksloan5

Helpful member

Posts: 148

78 helpful points

Location: Albox

Joined: 9 Jul 2017

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 3:28pm

Bob they wanted all kinds of paperwork including full tax returns from the previous year for both of us, as I am a dual national that meant three returns between the two of us...well over a hundred pages...

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BobL

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 3:33pm

BobL

Super helpful member

Posts: 2170

1225 helpful points

Location: Mojacar

Joined: 18 Aug 2016

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 3:33pm

Hi again,

It gets crazier & crazier.

Must have been so frustrating & irritating.

Hate to think we would ever have to go through that process.

Bye for now,

Bob and Sandra

kathy2017

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 8:14pm

kathy2017

Original Poster

Posts: 114

19 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 15 Apr 2017

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 8:14pm

Hi all

For some reason couldn't get on website.  However, all working now. 

Applying  for a Spanish bank account appears to be more difficult than I thought.  I did go into my local bank and the girl there told me that payments can be made overseas on my behalf for a fee of around £9.50 per transaction.  Another bank told me that their fee is £30 per transaction. However, I would of course have to get details of creditor.  When I first applied for the apartment the guy who I spoke to told me that some people pay with their credit/debit card each month.  That seems ok but I won't be there every month to do that unless I could pay so many months in advance if that is a good or acceptable idea.  I suppose I'll not know until I go over.  Nothing seems straight forward.

ksloan5

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 11:17pm

ksloan5

Helpful member

Posts: 148

78 helpful points

Location: Albox

Joined: 9 Jul 2017

Posted: Wed Oct 3, 2018 11:17pm

Well, if doing things from the UK accounts proves too expensive you can return to the idea of a Spanish bank account. It's not impossible, just a hassle. I advise patience and persistence. Allocate yourselves a few days to go dig up various things they ask for. You'll need ID (passports) and proof of address and P60s...if no P60s they will want tax returns (the whole things, not just front and signature pages). Remember banks are only open in the mornings and there are often long queues.

kathy2017

Posted: Thu Oct 4, 2018 2:48pm

kathy2017

Original Poster

Posts: 114

19 helpful points

Location: Roquetas de Mar

Joined: 15 Apr 2017

Posted: Thu Oct 4, 2018 2:48pm

thanks for the information

I'll gather up what docs I have and take them with me in January when I go over.  

Just changing the topic, there are few flights to Almeria at that time of year, I'm travelling from Belfast to Gatwick, then Gatwick to Almeria  - quite expensive.   If things go well for me,  I'll eventually think of travelling to Malaga and getting a bus from there to Almeria - although I don't fancy that bus journey.

L181SKY

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2019 3:42pm

L181SKY

Very helpful member

Posts: 999

690 helpful points

Location: Mojacar

Joined: 24 Jan 2017

Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2019 3:42pm

How did you get on with flights.  We have to fly from Edinburgh but easy and cheap to get to Alicante. We park our Spanish car there with Plane Parking for €300 a year and they are great.   

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