Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Information and Services in Turkey Section => Banks, Interest, Money Transfers, Insurance => Topic started by: charlste on February 06, 2018, 20:48:31 PM
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Just heard that the turkish banks might be stopping the withdrawel of sterling from the atm's.
Has anybody else heard this?
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Yep. I saw on Facebook, so it must be true ! :)
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HSBC branch in Fethiye have stopped offering sterling in their two ATMs
(Rather worryingly the message on screen says 'your bank will not authorise this transaction' !!!)
Somebody contacted HSBC Fethiye by phone and was told that all other banks will follow.
We shall see.
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AK Bank in Fethiye is still dispensing sterling from its ATM this morning.
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Any particular reason for this?
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This could result in no exchange shops willing to change Sterling, which could be a problem for tourists who want to change their money when they arrive in resort. I know some people will be happy to change Sterling if they’re going back to the U.K. but it’s strange move really.
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Copied and pasted. Went to the HSBC atm outside their Fethiye branch and both machines were out of order . I spoke to a Manager inside the branch and he informed me that HSBC will no longer have sterling in their atm's as of today FOR GOOD! i.e. not a temporary thing but a permanent one.
Also HSBC will not be represented in N. Cyprus anymore.
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I wouldn't use HSBC as an indicator here - this is the bank that even ING wouldn't buy a couple of years ago! Since then they have restructured, cutting branches from 300 to 90 and openly admitted that they aren't that interested in the retail side (i.e. personal banking) unless you're in the higher income bracket, preferring to look to corporate and institutional customers.
JF
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We had our Sitesi account with HSBC in Fethiye, and had done for a number of years, but last year (or might have been end of 2016) they suddenly decided that they were not going to deal with "business" accounts any more.
The really bad thing about this was that they did not tell anyone - they just stopped paying direct debits and when they were asked why they had not paid our maintenance company they just said that they were not doing business accounts any longer. That was the first we knew about it.
Luckily we had a good relationship with the maintenance company who confirmed that fact with HSBC and waited for us to make an alternative payment arrangement.
That behaviour by a bank is utterly disgraceful and must break every banking code ever made. They got what they wanted though as the account is now closed and opened with another bank.
Steer clear of HSBC in Fethiye!!!
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I gleaned more info today, 4 main banks still giving sterling. For how long, not sure. Until it all settles down a bit the atm news which change on a hourly, daily basis lol. Did that possibly you will not be able to use an English bank card to withdraw stirling, BUT if you have Turkish bank card you can. I think its because they want you to use the bank service. You cant use your card in the UK to withdraw Turkish. Just another change in little bit of paradise!!! Along with the SGK debacle and now the private medical insurance saga. At present the Letoon Hospital is gonna clean up!!!! Esnaf Yok.
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Barb, Do you know which 4 banks are giving sterling please?
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I asked to some one from Akbank if all banks' ATMs in Turkey will stop giving sterling or not. She said she didnt hear anything like that.
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Apologies if we are being dim, but why would you want to withdraw sterling whilst you are over in turkey ?
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Apologies if we are being dim, but why would you want to withdraw sterling whilst you are over in turkey ?
I guess because some UK banks charge you 2,75 or 3% for the privilege of taking out foreign currency. So it is cheaper to take out sterling (without charge) and change it into lira over the counter of your favourite exchange agent/bank. [There are still some ways to take out lira with a UK bank card without being stung 2.75/3.00% if you have the right bank account.]
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And also get a better rate for changing it in Turkey than in the Uk.
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I spoke to the HSBC manager in Fethiye yesterday. You can no longer use a "foreign" Card to draw sterling and this will apply to ALL banks. You can still draw TL on the card. If you need sterling here, you will need to open a sterling account in your Turkish bank and transfer money from UK (for example) into that account via an internet account, and then draw over the counter in Turkey.
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And which banks would they be Colwyn?
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If a Calis/Fethiye based CBF member requires a "worthwhile" amount of sterling, I guess there would be no problem bringing it over and coming to a mutually satisfactory exchange rate that has benefits for both i.e. the bringer gets more Lira and the receiver gets more sterling than the banks would give.
Is there a problem with this?
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Yes, what you're suggesting is illegal within Turkey.
JF
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Ah.
I understand that I can bring in any amount of sterling into Turkey but I cannot exchange it "privately"?
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You'd be acting as an unlicensed currency broker, similar to the guy in the clothes shop opposite Carrefour.
JF
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And which banks would they be Colwyn?
I am using Barclays Platinum travel credit card. No fee, no load, and you don't get charged interest on ATM withdrawals. The Santander Zero credit card is also not bad but you have to pay interest on withdrawals until paid off. Same with Halifax Clarity credit card. All three give you either the Visa or the Mastercard exchange rate without your bank taking a cut for doing precisely nothing. In contrast I don't use my Santander debit card as, if I wanted to withdraw £100s worth of lira, it would charge me £2.75 for foreign currency and £1.99 for using an ATM. Total £4.74 to access my own money! No thanks.
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AKBANK, GARANTI, IS AND TEB, Liz still giving sterling. Some Bankamatics do also. For us expats there is no need to panic it is ONLY HSBC. For now......lol. after all this is Turkey. Nearly all give Euros and some US Dollars. People have been raiding ATM's for Sterling and people now think its all ATM's...
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Thanks Barb, very helpful
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Are people still getting sterling out of the atms in fethiye?
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AK Bank ATM in town was dispensing Sterling last week.
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I took GBP out of the ATM across the road and sort of opposite the exchange shop on the corner of the one way system in Fethiye a couple of weeks ago.
When changed them to TL at the bank 4 of the 15 £20 notes were rejected. Inch wincy little tears and red pen on them were apparently the problem.
I know I could have gone to AK Bank with my ATM receipt and got them to replace them but I didn't. I've saved them to take back to the UK.
But, in 15 years of withdrawing GBP from HSBC I have never been issued with an unacceptable note.
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Had the same problem with Seker Bank refusing to accept some of the £20 notes I had got from the HSBC cash machine,shortly before they stopped dispensing Sterling. Just went to Kuveyt Bank instead and they changed the notes with no problems.
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It was Şekebank that wouldn't take these notes.
I'll try the bank you mentioned... I'll get a better rate now :)
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i love the Kuveyt bank always get a little bit better rate in there too
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"Inch wincy little tears " - really Nicola, you shouldn't get so upset about a few bank notes.
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haha very funny ;D ;D ;D