Euro bank a/c in UK

[Narnia]

Anyone know which banks do euro accounts in the UK? I see that Barclays do but only if you have a sterling account with them. Anyone else?

[cincinatti kid]

Just out of curiosity, is this because you'd like to be able to cash cheques in euros into an English bank account without any conversion charges? If so I'd like to know myself.

[Narnia]

No, not for that reason. My other half is Spanish and sometimes receives funds from Spain which go into our sterling a/c. But she also travels to Europe a fair bit and needs to carry euros. It would be handy to have an account to store euros in.

But given what you require I believe Barclays will allow transfers from euro to current a/c without charges. Check out their website.

[cincinatti kid]

Cheers for the advice.

[Mick Mac]

What about a euro account with a euro bank? eg santander and extract the cash from cash machine on arrival in euroland each time its needed. Can check balance online etc when in uk / do bank trasnfers etc ?

[Narnia]

I've read some horrific things about Santander. Any others?

[Annette Curtain]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> on arrival in euroland each time its needed.

So we live where, in Poundland ?

Nette(?)

[dita-on-tees]

Citibank have this arrangement - I had one when I worked in Brussels. |You can transfer between accounts free of charge (though you need a sterling account too) i didnt rate Citi to be honest though and their customer service was not great.

[Mick Mac]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What about a euro account with a euro bank? eg

> santander and extract the cash from cash machine

> on arrival in euroland each time its needed. Can

> check balance online etc when in uk / do bank

> trasnfers etc ?

The point was why does it have to be a UK resident account?

[Asset]

Coutts do a euro account - for a price!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Coutts do anything - for a price!

[ontheedge]

Can she not get a Spanish Bank account. I have an Irish one and any euros go in there the Irish bank are aware my main address in London and theres never really enough in it to cause any concerns but handy when travelling in Europe

[dita-on-tees]

Coutts has nothing on what Expobank will do for a price... google "Expobank calendar" for what their staff will do for you...

[Mick Mac]

ontheedge Wrote:

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> Can she not get a Spanish Bank account. I have an

> Irish one and any euros go in there the Irish bank

> are aware my main address in London and theres

> never really enough in it to cause any concerns

> but handy when travelling in Europe

I agree - but I think that point has been made already ;-).

[womanofdulwich]

MY friend has the barclays account you are speaking of- he pays his foreign bills- but has to go to sydenham barclays at weekends when he is back - and that is a bit of a pain............

[ontheedge]

Sorry didn't realise yhat was what you meant by a santander account, just think of them as old abbey

[Narnia]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Mick Mac Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > What about a euro account with a euro bank? eg

> > santander and extract the cash from cash

> machine

> > on arrival in euroland each time its needed.

> Can

> > check balance online etc when in uk / do bank

> > trasnfers etc ?

>

> The point was why does it have to be a UK resident

> account?

Oh, I see. It could be an account in Europe. Don't know what the degree of difficulty is for opening one there if you are not a resident though. Something to find out.

[Guest]

First Direct do one but you may need an existing current account with them too. I investigated when I was doing some work outside the UK but stuck with being paid direct into my sterling account in the end. I think if you use the First Direct rather than HSBC sort code for the transfer you get a slightly better conversion rate to sterling. They'll give you a straightforward explanation if you give their foreign desk a call; they're good like that.

Depending on who the money is coming from and the amounts, might a FairFX card be another possibility? Works like a pre-loaded card. I have these in Euros and US$ and advantages are that you can upload money online quickly + no loading fee when you use it like a debit card and only a smallish flat fee for withdrawing cash.

[angiepangie]

I second Ms B with the Fairfx card. Got one after it was recommended to me by friends and online and you can load it up to a certain amount of money in either Euro or Dollar (or even a mixed version). If you apply for it via moneysavingexpert there is no fee to get it and it is set up and working within a week.

[Narnia]

Ms.B, can another party pay funds to your card account? I don't this anywhere on their website. Thanks.

[Guest]

I don't think a company could, but if the money's coming from family or an individual then I guess it would be possible to find a way through.