UK & Spanish Banking inc direct debits

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 2:49pm

39 replies7 members subscribed

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Malcolm16

Posts: 16

14 helpful points

Location: Pinar De Campoverde

Joined: 8 Oct 2016

Hello,

I have a place in Campoverde, like to come out as often as schengen allows. But effectively non-resident.

I am finally fed up with dealing with Caixabank. I often see this sort of complaint, but would like to check again with you all. What is the best method of paying direct debits etc without using a Spanish bank if possible - my preference is uk based. However I have noted that the IBAN number needs to be European,

I thought Revolut at one point, but I think they only give non res clients a UK IBAN, which is part of the problem. I know of Wise and am thinking about that, but have heard that you don't get the standard UK or Euro protections (up to £85000 or €100,000)

I would like to know what solutions other people have and your experience using them, especially interested in fee free options

Thanks to you all out there

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Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 3:00pm

marcliff

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 4129

5238 helpful points

Location: Rojales

Joined: 5 Jan 2023

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 3:00pm

About a thousand and a half posts on here all recommending Wise for non residents which gives you EU IBAN. I'm probably underestimating the number of posts on here about Wise.

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 3:08pm

Villas

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 5132

4225 helpful points

Location: Sax

Joined: 29 May 2017

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 3:08pm

marcliff wrote on Sat Jul 25, 2026 3:00pm:
About a thousand and a half posts on here all recommending Wise for non residents which gives you EU IBAN. I'm probably underestimating the number of posts on here about Wise.

& yesterday's news re: "Wise". V

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Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 4:28pm

Badger1234

Helpful member

Posts: 741

374 helpful points

Location: Los Balcones

Joined: 8 May 2025

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 4:28pm

Villas wrote on Sat Jul 25, 2026 3:08pm:
& yesterday's news re: "Wise". V

That's not an issue in the slightest. They got refused because the rules were changed in the middle of their application.

If anyone is really worried about them going bump (and they won't) it's easy. Just don't put tons of money in there.

Wise are great and they don't get loads of recommendations for nothing.

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 5:14pm

George55

Super helpful member

Posts: 1301

1244 helpful points

Location: Los Dolses

Joined: 29 Dec 2020

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 5:14pm

Badger1234 wrote on Sat Jul 25, 2026 4:28pm:
That's not an issue in the slightest. They got refused because the rules were changed in the middle of their application.
If anyone is really worried about them going bump (and they won't) it's easy. Just don't put tons of money in there.

Read more...

Wise are great and they don't get loads of recommendations for nothing.

Indeed - it's just background noise in the overall scheme of things but as usual it makes (business) headlines. They will eventually get approved having added some additional compliance and non-value add teams to their organisation!

It took Revolut c5 years to get a full UK banking licence (submitted 2021, finally approved 2026) - I appreciate that Wise were applying for a licence in the US but I'd have been more shocked if they'd actually been approved within c12 months!

As well as the question as to the extent the Fed moved the goalposts, there's also likely a political question of whether the US govt really want to approve a legal entity which retains a secondary listing on the LSE despite it's primary listing now on Nasdaq - I've no idea how far the "America First" mantra is now expected in US regulators!

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 6:45pm

Badger1234

Helpful member

Posts: 741

374 helpful points

Location: Los Balcones

Joined: 8 May 2025

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 6:45pm

George55 wrote on Sat Jul 25, 2026 5:14pm:
Indeed - it's just background noise in the overall scheme of things but as usual it makes (business) headlines. They will eventually get approved having added some additional compliance and non-value add teams to their organisation!
It took Revolut c5 years to get a full UK banking licence (submitted 2021, finally approved 2026) - I appreciate that Wise were applying for a licence in the US but I'd have been more shocked if they'd actually been approved within c12 months!...

Read more...

...
As well as the question as to the extent the Fed moved the goalposts, there's also likely a political question of whether the US govt really want to approve a legal entity which retains a secondary listing on the LSE despite it's primary listing now on Nasdaq - I've no idea how far the "America First" mantra is now expected in US regulators!

Plus the old standing institutions hate these newcomers anyway, purely because they know their rip-off practises are on the way out.

Agree about the 12 month thing too.

I've been tracking the shares and was tempted to buy, but I thought they might fall more than the 10%, but that never happened. I'm still watching, as I think they're the future.

and the constant recommendations proves it, imo.

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Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 7:35pm

BlueMooner

Posts: 43

42 helpful points

Location: Pinar De Campoverde

Joined: 18 May 2020

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2026 7:35pm

We have a place in Campoverde too.

Use Wise for all our direct debits, SUMA, electric, water etc. Never had any problems.

You also get interest on Wise, % varies depending on your attitude to risk.

We don’t put huge amounts in there so no worries about UK / EU banking protections.

Would definitely recommend.

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Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2026 12:10pm

Malcolm16

Original Poster

Posts: 16

14 helpful points

Location: Pinar De Campoverde

Joined: 8 Oct 2016

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2026 12:10pm

BlueMooner wrote on Sat Jul 25, 2026 7:35pm:
We have a place in Campoverde too.
Use Wise for all our direct debits, SUMA, electric, water etc. Never had any problems.

Read more...

You also get interest on Wise, % varies depending on your attitude to risk.
We don’t put huge amounts in there so no worries about UK / EU banking protections.
Would definitely recommend.

thank you

and thanks to all answering this.

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Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2026 1:11pm

Malcolm16

Original Poster

Posts: 16

14 helpful points

Location: Pinar De Campoverde

Joined: 8 Oct 2016

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2026 1:11pm

Hi again all,

Following all your helpful hints I have been looking at Wise, but.... have discovered they do not do joint accounts.(just assumed that all banks did this) Why is this an issue? It is because we are bith retired and the subject of mortality needs to be considered at some point. I know things can be done after the death of one of us, with probates or letters of authority etc, Then if it's the same as Uk banks, then a new account would need to be set up and all that stuff, the deceased account usually gets frozen and so on.

Was hoping to start getting things set up so that in the event of one of us going, the other can just carry on, as a joint account would. I am not sure if any internet bank does joint accounts either, or that they allow direct debits in Europe. I also know that there are expat accounts, but they seem to require huge amounts of collateral just to open an account.

Does anyone have a (preferably UK based) joint account that does all this. It is looking bleak, but I am hoping that the collective mind and experience out there can come up with something.

In the end I may just have to do a single wise account and try to mitigate for the future.

It never seems to be easy does it.

Thanks to you all

Reply

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2026 4:59pm

George55

Super helpful member

Posts: 1301

1244 helpful points

Location: Los Dolses

Joined: 29 Dec 2020

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2026 4:59pm

Malcolm16 wrote on Sun Jul 26, 2026 1:11pm:
Hi again all,
Following all your helpful hints I have been looking at Wise, but.... have discovered they do not do joint accounts.(just assumed that all banks did this) Why is this an issue? It is because we are bith retired and the subject of mortality needs to be considered at some point. I know things can b...

Read more...

...e done after the death of one of us, with probates or letters of authority etc, Then if it's the same as Uk banks, then a new account would need to be set up and all that stuff, the deceased account usually gets frozen and so on.
Was hoping to start getting things set up so that in the event of one of us going, the other can just carry on, as a joint account would. I am not sure if any internet bank does joint accounts either, or that they allow direct debits in Europe. I also know that there are expat accounts, but they seem to require huge amounts of collateral just to open an account.
Does anyone have a (preferably UK based) joint account that does all this. It is looking bleak, but I am hoping that the collective mind and experience out there can come up with something.
In the end I may just have to do a single wise account and try to mitigate for the future.
It never seems to be easy does it.
Thanks to you all

If you both set up sole accounts, you could - not necessarily should - and assuming your wills simply benefit each other have the surviving spouse move the money and DDs (if necessary) and close the sole Wise account of the deceased partner.

You'd then close the deceased partners account without notifying Wise that they had died.