method of paying monthly rent and utility bills from UK - Page 3

oops  02075898989

The Web address is a long one so just Google Spanish Consulate and it should bring it up. The top middle shows information for foreigners. Click and the information on the left hand side mentions nie numbers. 

No obvious phone number but all you need is within the area. 

Thanks for that

I think that is the website that I looked at.  Could you just let me know if I will have to make a visit in person to the Consulate at any time in the application process.

Kathy

Yep. Its a visit. They are only open until something like 1.30pm, Mon - Fri. You do NOT need an appointment. You just join the queue, if any, outside and people are fed in by their security. The 'office' is on the second floor (I think). Its signposted. We turned up to find just one overworked lady trying to do loads of things. I think we arrived about 10.20 & left soon after 1pm. We had a busy day but I got the impression this was not unusual. 

Payment is made on the first floor.

I'd say make a day of a trip to London but aim to be there early. It may be quick but......... There was no waiting area, just the stairs outside the office. They do dish out a raffle ticket so people are done in order. Its quite a messy process but needs must and all that.

Martin.

Thank you for that useful information.

Kathy

Hello Kathy, I opened a Spanish bank account when it was easy 16 years ago.  If there is any way to pay bills from U.K. Bank account do it ..  I am going to do it if I can.  After April 1 st 2019 all the banks in Spain will be sending out letters to non residents to tell them to Prove they are Not living in Spain.  Copies of accounts and pension details etc.  So not easy if you are not in Spain at the time.   I’ve had things like this happen over the years and the threat that your account will be BLOCKED and your utilities cut off is a nightmare.  So I just Hope I can pay from uk

Thank you for your reply.   I tried to open a Spanish bank account when I was in Almeria but with no success.  I tried the cajamar and caixa banks.  I had my Irish passport but still no good.  They wanted a NIE which at present I have not got as I had only started to rent and knew nothing about this process.  I did contact the Sabadell bank online about a non-residence account and received information on what documentation that I would need and that I would have to call in person to a branch of their bank to open up such an account.  I will have to wait until I return to Spain.  However, in the meantime I requested the necessary banking details from the letting agency of my apartment.  I received the details, IBAN etc., and was able to transfer payment for a utility bill from my UK bank.  A charge of £9.50 was made for the transfer.  As I have no other method of payment at present that is fine.   I received a confirmation of the payment from my UK bank, so I hope that the payment does not take too long going through.  As I mentioned this renting and payment process is all new to me

If this process works for me I'm happy.

Hi L181SKY

I received an email from the letting agency that I had payed the bank transfer to fron my UK bank.   The utility bill was for a small amount around 36,55 euros as I had only been in my apartment for a few hours each day over one week.   The Spanish bank who the business deal with  charged around 14 euros for the transfer with the result that my payment was short 8,20 euros.   The lady dealing with the payment was 

very nice about it and told me they will add the 8,20 onto my next utility bill.  I didn't expect that to happen as I have never paid a bill by bank transfer to Spain before.   So the cost of my utility bill nearly doubled. Can't see any way of avoiding this.