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UK/EU online purchases from 1 January 2021

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:13pm
6 replies246 views5 members subscribed
Kimmy11

Kimmy11

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Hi all,

Had a couple of "interesting" online shopping experiences in the last couple of weeks - an M&S parcel held in Customs for 10 days, so only arrived yesterday, and a QVC purchase not completed, because they can no longer deliver to me in Spain 🤔

Just read this article and thought it may be a helpful explanation for others too - seems like it's going to affect purchases in both directions:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/dec/28/brexit-customs-duties-to-apply-to-eu-goods-worth-more-than-390?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Kind regards,

Kim

elinspain

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 3:59pm

elinspain

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Posts: 3222

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Location: La Mata

Joined: 4 May 2018

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 3:59pm

Hi Kim

Pre Xmas I posted about an email I received from Amazon.co. uk saying ....because I have an EU delivery  address I could be liable for VAT & import duty on any goods I order. My son (  in the UK) has now bought me gift vouchers in euros to enable me to  shop on Amazon.es instead.

I also had a letter about a small annuity I receive from the UK direct to my spanish bank acct. saying  "In 2021 it "may not" be possible  to do this transaction anymore & asking if I have a UK bank  account. for them to pay it into.  Not confirmed yet but more info to follow.

So, more  minor changes to the the way we receive things  from the UK with our EU address's.

Cheers

Elinspain

Kimmy11

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:39pm

Kimmy11

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Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:39pm

Thanks El.  You've reminded me of a friend who has an account with Caixa bank.  She's been told that, from 1 January, payment of her private pension direct from her UK bank account to Caixa will attract higher exchange fees.  I've suggested she transfers it via an intermediary, e.g. Transferwise, but I'll be looking at my own account with Sabadell in the New Year to see whether, even using Transferwise, this is going to be another opportunity for the Spanish banks to apply more fees 🤔

Best wishes,

Kim

Mrmike

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 6:56pm

Mrmike

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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 6:56pm

Has anyone bought or tried to buy anything from Ebay.co.uk since the 1st Jan and if so what happened?

Back to Spain and last week:-

I tried to order some goods from RS Componentes.es but appeared to have some problems which weren't clear. I registered Ok but tried to use 1 card from a Spanish bank which did not work but I don't know why then I tried another from a different Spanish bank, so neither worked although there were more than adequate funds available, one message related to fiscal address, although none had been requested anywhere nor could I find any reference to it. My fiscal address is my home and account address and delivery address !!

Cheers

Mike

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Alba102

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:13am

Posts: 50

48 helpful points

Joined: 2 Sep 2016

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:13am

Kimmy11 wrote on Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:39pm:

Thanks El.  You've reminded me of a friend who has an account with Caixa bank.  She's been told that, from 1 January, payment of her private pension direct from her UK bank account to Caixa will attract higher exchange fees.  I've suggested she transfers it via an intermediary, e.g...

.... Transferwise, but I'll be looking at my own account with Sabadell in the New Year to see whether, even using Transferwise, this is going to be another opportunity for the Spanish banks to apply more fees 🤔

Best wishes,

Kim

Hi Kim,

I use a monthly direct debit to Moneycorp from a UK High St Bank which has been in force since 2008. Not once has there been a problem.

Moneycorp then convert from GBP to EURO and send the converted funds to La Caixa.

I was advised in Dec 2020 by La Caixa that as of 01/01/2021 a new charge for receiving money from outside UK would attract a fee.

The fee has just shown up on my Jan 2021 statement. The cost was 15 Euro. The bank cited: (EC REG 924/2009), would no longer apply.

Hope this helps in some small way.

Regards,

Donald.

Kimmy11

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:26pm

Kimmy11

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Posts: 6869

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Joined: 8 Aug 2017

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:26pm

Thanks Donald.  If I were you, I'd query this charge with MoneyCorp, as I've heard others have done so with Currencies Direct and successfully negotiated a refund of the charge.  If the originating account can be traced as UK, rather than EU, I can see how the receiving banks in Spain (and presumably other EU countries) believe they are now entitled to charge, but I don't understand how they can get away with this when they are receiving Euros.

I have yet to make a transfer this month (with Transferwise), so I think I'm going to contact Sabadell in the first instance, as they have a history of charging without advance notice.  I'll update this thread when I get an answer.

EDIT: Just thinking ahead, I believe the Currect Accounts Switching Service originated in EU law, so I guess we can no longer use this service to switch banks.  If anyone has tried this since 1 January, would you let me know how you got on please?

Many thanks and kind regards, 

Kim

Alba102

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 4:42pm

Posts: 50

48 helpful points

Joined: 2 Sep 2016

Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2021 4:42pm

Alba102 wrote on Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:13am:

Hi Kim,

I use a monthly direct debit to Moneycorp from a UK High St Bank which has been in force since 2008. Not once has there been a problem.

Moneycorp then convert from GBP to EURO and send the converted funds to La Caixa.

I was advised in Dec 2020 by La Caixa that as of 01/01/2021 a new charge for receiving money from outside UK would attract a fee.

The fee has just shown up on my Jan 2021 statement. The cost was 15 Euro. The bank cited: (EC REG 924/2009), would no longer apply.

Hope this helps in some small way.

Regards,

Donald.

Hi Kim,

Just a quick update;

I called Moneycorp as you suggested. After having listened to the normal platitudes about new Financial Services Regulations, EU rules, Brexit etc, I mentioned that I had heard anecdotal examples of similar scenarios where people had had a refund.

Guess what, I was advised to write/email the supervisor to request a refund.

Generally, the company has had more than a few similar enquiries. The customer advisor, in fairness, explained that the company was working on a solution, which I interpreted as a "Work Around", to resolve the situation going forward.

I will keep you and the Forum updated.

Thanks yet again, for your excellent approach to the spirit of this Forum and for your expertise.

Regards,

Donald.

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