Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum

Information and Services in Turkey Section => Banks, Interest, Money Transfers, Insurance => Topic started by: ezza37 on July 24, 2008, 16:19:59 PM

Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: ezza37 on July 24, 2008, 16:19:59 PM
Hi all. We have just transferred some money from our bank account here in england into our turkish sterling account and we cannot believe the costs involved. We have always paid the usual £20 our end and about £10 the turkish end but this time another £35 has dissappeared. Apparently, according to our bank here, the transfer has to go through an agent first, hence the extra costs. We are disgusted and cannot get a straight answer from anyone. Has anyone else experienced these costs or is there a better way of transferring monies. There must be an alternative!!!!!
Thanks
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: tinkerman on July 24, 2008, 16:34:42 PM
We opened and account with HSBC for that sole purpose, it cost us £10 to transfer our funds to Finans Bank

Tinx
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: stoop on July 24, 2008, 17:26:39 PM
Yorkshire Building Society have an offer on until 30/08/08 where you can transfer sterling to foreign for free using their service. I'm not sure how long the offer remains but I might have a look. It would mean opening (actually I think we might have one)a YTL account but the savings would be nice.

Actually I've just checked and it appears to be free only until 30/08/08 BUT it is through AMEX and after that date appears to be £30 per transaction for sterling to sterling. Have a look if anyone is interested:

http://www.ybs.co.uk/savings/money_transfers/index.jsp?int_cmp=moneytransfers
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: ezza37 on July 25, 2008, 09:00:46 AM
Thanks guys.
Tinx, was that £10 just HSBC costs, then Finans Bank costs on top?
Does it matter how much you transfer at one time? Our bank (Lloyds TSB)charge extra if its over £5000.
I think we are being ripped off!!!
Thanks again
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: farry on July 25, 2008, 09:50:20 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ezza37

Thanks guys.
Tinx, was that £10 just HSBC costs, then Finans Bank costs on top?
Does it matter how much you transfer at one time? Our bank (Lloyds TSB)charge extra if its over £5000.
I think we are being ripped off!!!
Thanks again


You do seem to be paying a lot of charges.  If you opened HSBC accounts here and in Turkey you could probably save yourself a lot of money.  You can control everything on line, and there is a branch in Fethiye.  With HSBC Premier all transfers are free. :)
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: tinkerman on July 25, 2008, 12:00:23 PM
We tried to open an account at HSBC in Fethiye, but the manager wouldnt touch my money unless we had a utility bill from our previous house in England, why would I have one of those? its not my house anymore and I live here.
HSBC Fethiye is nothing to do with HSBC in England and is of no benefit, We went along to Finans Bank and opened our accounts there and then the transfer of our money was £10 to HSBC and no charges from Finans.

Tinx
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: tinkerman on July 25, 2008, 12:01:25 PM
Also there is no limit on the amount you transfer for £10
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: jackstee on July 26, 2008, 18:30:18 PM
Hi Tinker
I also have this problem since we sold our house in UK.
Very difficult now

Steve
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: tribalelder on July 27, 2008, 05:13:08 AM
Why would they need utility bills from the UK.......Ours would be about four years out of date but I could supply all our local utility bills since then:(
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: tinkerman on July 27, 2008, 12:45:12 PM
We were told by Finans bank last week anyone new opening an account over here will now need utility bills from their previous address in the UK, so be warned.
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: tribalelder on July 27, 2008, 13:23:15 PM
Surely that is bureaucracy gone mad by even Turkish standards. Picture this a guy gets married and ten years later gets divorced and goes home to live with elderly parent for twenty years, the parent dies leaves him a fortune and he comes here to live.  No utility bills.....does that mean he can't open a bank account or will they accept a utility bill he just had from twenty years ago.:(
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: jackstee on July 27, 2008, 13:48:43 PM
Wife and I whent to HSBC in Fethiye to open an account after buying our house there.According to the what they told us, an up to date bank statement would be enough to open the account. We allready had our tax numbers. They refused to open one, the bank statement was ok but as we now live in Pakistan ( work) thay wouldn't open one without an address in UK. Stupid as we had sold the UK property and not even lived in it for several years. The outcome is we have to wait until we get our Tapu, change our names for electricity and water and then we should be able to open one based on our Turkish address.
Of course, HSBC looses as I cannot deposit with them and we loose as we cannot enjoy the high returns.

Crazy

Steve
Title: Bank transfer costs
Post by: tinkerman on July 27, 2008, 14:10:45 PM
Try another bank!