Bankinter account - Page 3

Santander UK and Spain are actually 2 completely separate outfits. After 2 years experiencing most of the problems, costs etc mentioned in this thread, I have now set up a Starling euro account in UK. Does everything I need including DDs and it's free.

Bankinter is a bank with - and I can speak here only of its Los Dolces branch - no professionalism and, worryingly, no discernible ethics either. Sabadell is another 'take it or leave it' bank. (Both are charm personified on signing up, however.)

If you want to learn of my experience in more detail (either bank) my forensic reviews are on Trustpilot.co.uk under the same username. 

If what happened to me -largely and ultimately courtesy of Los Dolces's recently installed and profoundly apathetic latest female Branch Manager- had happened in UK., any bank there would have orchestrated its own investigation forthwith. 

It would have had to. And would have wanted to. 

It smacked very strongly of intentional destruction of a 'signed for' complaint letter sent for the new manager's personal attention or, a wanton deception by the manager who, face to face, denied that she had ever received any such letter. 

I supplied all the evidence I had, including the screenshot of the receiving signature. I implored her to investigate who is concealing letters marked in confidence to her.

Refused. 

Ultimately, I requested, at the least, a refund of the £8 cost of sending it. 

Refused.

.. Now, why might that be? 

The also newly installed deputy manager ('sub director') suggested that if I required a bank with 'personal service,' I should go elsewhere since they don't offer a personal service. 

I couldn't believe what the girl was saying. But, matter-of-fact, that is (I promise) exactly what she advised. 

In UK., there would be a well established strategy for reddress to force investigation and accountability. 

Here, no one cares. 

I say again, the service and financial industry here simply doesn't give a s**t what you think, say or ultimately feel compelled to write. Both seem equally disolbliging, sadly. 

Study Trustpilot to get your own take on client feedback. (Ensure you select the principle review site which has the most reviews.) 

Bankinter, as with Sabadell, has 'consistency.' But unlike, say, UK's First Direct which has consistently won Which? Consumer Magazine's adulation for years, the two Spanish bandits I mention are consistently awful; a sort of malignant apathy. 

The unwritten strap line across all banks in Spain seems to be that they simply don't give a damn what you say or how you complain. 

***

Tale of woe? 

Well, yes but it's also empirically, historically the score. There is no hyperbole here: only anger and a rekindled sense of powerlessness in responding to your question. 

Your lawyer chose Bankinter because it suited either that of their own nearby branch, their pocket personally or, very possibly, both. 

Sorry to here this ....

Who would you recommend and how simple is it to transfer bank accounts in Spain 

THANKYOU 

Unable to recommend any as my last heavily indicates.

Transferring from Sabadell (La Zenia) to Bankinter (Los Dolces) was a major headache also. When I binned the apathetic Sabadell for the even more dreadful immoral and ethics-free Bankinter, they managed to achieve some of the utility transfers themselves, leaving the ones that didn't suit. 

As a result and unbeknown to me -no display of any what we would call 'common courtesy' to let me know- I found myself unwittingly and suddenly in a 2 month default situation with Naturgy (gas suppliers) and this took some considerable time -from UK- to have to try to deal with myself. 

Credit where its due. It was Sabadell who wrote to me stating Naturgy was still trying to obtain funds from my now closed account. Otherwise, I would only have smelled a rat -and no gas- on disconnection and on being advised, no doubt, of reconnection charges and a bad debtor mark on my record. 

I have talked to many Brits but also several Spaniards. I don't just write an 'angry Brit abroad' review here; I researched the topic months ago to get a bigger picture. I am an investigator in the real world. I don't write to hurt people. I write to inform. Its not a good rate per word here! 

The Germans are absolutely incensed -as we could all well imagine (John Cleese has a lot to answer for, perhaps) at both the staggering incompetence and endemic apathy in the High Street banking world here - they are all pulseless amoebas whenever you need anything other than their most efficiently billing your account to their own benefit. That always goes like a slippery dream down a drainpipe, penalties and all. 

This 'Germans' issue (I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it) was further qualified by the latest sub director at Bankinter, Los Dolces. Many very angry, incredulous German clients. 

Why don't they see that as a challenge for change?

Because they don't care. It's a numbers game. 

And, in my experience and those of my friends and associates, Spanish banks become inherently obstructive when you do need any sort of assistance such as to resolve a problem, most especially including ones caused by themselves. 

By 'obstructive' I mean they simply refuse to answer further emails. Bankinter (Los Dolces) is famous for that. When I challenged that, they said they get hundreds of emails and don't offer a personal service. (Source: Sub director, Bankinter, Los Dolces) 

No pride. No shame. No standards. No redress (Forget complaining to Bank of Spain etc.. Futile.)

It is, once more, 'take it or leave it.'

The weather's better here though, isn't it? 

If only the Spanish knew how Brits, Germans, Scandinavians and Italians are correctly, efficiently and fairly treated by banks in their respective countries, there would then and only then need to be a swift change, both in terms of competence, willingness to resolve and, not least, a new fear of redress; the unchartered phenomenon of accountability. 

In my country, UK., there is no charge for excellent service. When I tell my home bank, First Direct -with whom I have been for 25 years and who I most certainly can recommend, incidentally- of my experiences here across two banks, they find it hard to believe. 

But for now.. 

I know satisfactory service when I come across it. I also know what appalling and excellent service looks like. I am nothing special, then.. don't we all. 

'Satisfactory' has always been, for me, an acceptable base line. It is, in itself, good enough. 

You won't get 'satisfactory' here and you will notice this sharply only when something needs addressing and you need help. 

Your only chance is if it suits them. 

It's always been driving over lemons here... 

The weather's better here though, isn't it? 

.. Did I say that already? 

A very well written reply!