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Starling Bank

Posted: Tue Nov 5, 2019 8:34am
19 replies968 views12 members subscribed
Kenbo

Kenbo

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Location: La Florida

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I have recently opened an account with Starling, very good for travel withdrawals and card payments.

You can also open a Euro account alongside, operates from the one card.

The Euro side of things allows direct debits, I am considering closing my Spanish bank account and using the Starling euro account to pay direct debits on holiday home, no charges, has anyone done this ?

If so, how easy/difficult was it to move the direct debits over ? Starling have a switching service in the UK but obviously will not apply to Spanish bank accounts.

richard22

Posted: Tue Nov 5, 2019 9:33am

Posts: 161

46 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 11 Nov 2018

Posted: Tue Nov 5, 2019 9:33am

i thinking of doing the same but with reverlot like you not happy at paying 140 euros a year to pay my direct debits but have nobody replied to the same question i have posted  on how easy is it to move my direct debits and close my sabadell non resident account

Kimmy11

Posted: Tue Nov 5, 2019 10:46am

Kimmy11

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Posted: Tue Nov 5, 2019 10:46am

I'm considering doing the same thing.  I'm resident, so slightly easier to do, as I'm here all the time.  My issue is how to access free cash withdrawals easily.

For non-residents, I think it's prudent to open, say, a Starling account first, visit each of the utility offices - electricity, water and SUMA - to arrange switching of your direct debits from Sabadell and then, once you're sure that everything is working as it should be, close the Sabadell account.  As water charges are quarterly, you may not be able to do this in time to avoid paying the first of Sabadell's new quarterly fee, but I think safer to do it this way.

Good luck! 

Kind regards,

Kim

Leafy211

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 10:31pm

Leafy211

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Posts: 228

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Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 15 May 2019

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 10:31pm

I will be closing my Sabadell account next week.  Watch this space to see how smoothly that goes! :-)

To change my direct debits I dropped Iberdrola, Agamed and Urbagest an email each, asking them to change my direct debit to Starling (my Euro account).  
Iberdrola confirmed completed very quickly. 
Agamed was a much less slick process for me as I couldnt do anything on their website. Eventually they made the change for me and I now just have to email them a scan of my completed SEPA transfer form (which they emailed to me, as I couldnt access it from their website). 
Unfortunately Urbagest Torrevieja are only able to accept Spanish bank account direct debits, so I have tested a 10€ bank transfer to them successfully, and now will pay all of 2020 costs upfront by bank transfer (they provided their IBAN and reference details etc), to save me having to think about it again until 2021. 
That leaves IBI - for which Ive not yet had my first bill .. but at worst will do a bank transfer if direct debit not possible.

In the meantime I have blocked all direct debits from my Sabadell account.

I shall be an extremely happy bunny to be free of the Sabadell headache i have suffered since being introduced to them :-).

Leafy211

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 10:44pm

Leafy211

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Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 15 May 2019

Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2019 10:44pm

FYI: Starling cash withdrawal limit .. £300 per day

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Kenbo

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 5:52am

Kenbo

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Location: La Florida

Joined: 6 Dec 2017

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 5:52am

Very informative, thankyou Leafy.

Colin Ballard

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 3:45pm

Posts: 18

9 helpful points

Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 5 Feb 2018

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 3:45pm

richard22 wrote on Tue Nov 5, 2019 9:33am:

i thinking of doing the same but with reverlot like you not happy at paying 140 euros a year to pay my direct debits but have nobody replied to the same question i have posted  on how easy is it to move my direct debits and close my sabadell non resident account

Yes Richard I'm also with Revolut and will be cancelling my Sabadell account very soon, as soon as I have notified all of my direct debit componies, then I will close my Sabadell account, I can't wait to do this, I am also a non resident. 

Simon24

Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 6:27am

Posts: 4

Location: Orihuela Costa

Joined: 26 Aug 2020

Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 6:27am

Leafy211 wrote on Sun Nov 10, 2019 10:31pm:

I will be closing my Sabadell account next week.  Watch this space to see how smoothly that goes! :-)

To change my direct debits I dropped Iberdrola, Agamed and Urbagest an email each, asking them to change my direct debit to Starling (my Euro account).  
Iberdrola confirmed completed very quickly. 
Agamed was a much less slick process for me as I couldnt do anything on thei...

...r website. Eventually they made the change for me and I now just have to email them a scan of my completed SEPA transfer form (which they emailed to me, as I couldnt access it from their website). 
Unfortunately Urbagest Torrevieja are only able to accept Spanish bank account direct debits, so I have tested a 10€ bank transfer to them successfully, and now will pay all of 2020 costs upfront by bank transfer (they provided their IBAN and reference details etc), to save me having to think about it again until 2021. 
That leaves IBI - for which Ive not yet had my first bill .. but at worst will do a bank transfer if direct debit not possible.

In the meantime I have blocked all direct debits from my Sabadell account.

I shall be an extremely happy bunny to be free of the Sabadell headache i have suffered since being introduced to them :-).

Hi Leafy, how did you get on with IBI DD transfer?

Russ66

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:12pm

Posts: 2

5 helpful points

Location: Orihuela Costa

Joined: 17 Oct 2019

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:12pm

Hi,

I've set up my Direct Debits for Electricity, Water and Broadband through my Starling Euro Account. It works very Well. Unfortunately I was Unable to do the same with the 6 monthly community charge, However its just a case of remember to pay it every 6 months via the Euro Account. I hope this helps.

Leafy211

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:30pm

Leafy211

Helpful member

Posts: 228

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Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 15 May 2019

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 8:30pm

Simon24 wrote on Wed Aug 26, 2020 6:27am:

Hi Leafy, how did you get on with IBI DD transfer?

sorry!  I missed this.  Ive not yet had my first IBI, so watch this space :-).  But same as Russ for me - most utilities are now paid  by d/d, however my community fees have to be paid by d/d from my Starling Account (I pay a year up front).  Unfortunately they dont accept non Spanish iban numbers (which directly contravenes SEPA rules .. but who is monitoring!).  For me, these minor inconveniences disappear completely in comparison to dealing with my ex Spanish Bank - Sabadell - who robbed me of some of my life :-)

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