Comments on: stand and deliver

By: Scroobious

Scroobious — Sat, 02 Apr 2005 13:28:01 +0000

Whereas back in South Africa, banks charge for – quite literally – everything. For withdrawals, deposits, and transfers, whether performed at your own bank’s ATM or even the bank counter; in fact you pay extra to transact at the counter, because you’re taking up their valuable time. You pay for every single cheque, every direct debit or standing order. On top of that of course you pay a hefty monthly fee if you want to bank online. Some banks will offer a package deal, where you pay a set monthly fee to include various transactions, but as with the French system (as described), it’s tricky to compare across banks, or to work out what’s best for you.

Since moving to London I’ve been delighted at the luxury of not having to pay to give the bank my money (never mind manage it). Of course, that’s assuming you can open an account in the first place – not the easiest thing. But once you get that first chequebook, a whole terrifying world of credit pimps come a-knocking at your door. Still, pleasant to have free banking.

By: Chicago

Chicago — Sat, 02 Apr 2005 01:44:35 +0000

Banks? I know they are bunch of crooks…I work for one of them. And a big one.

L8er,

By: ontario frog

ontario frog — Fri, 01 Apr 2005 18:03:44 +0000

Sure, in France it’s harder to get a mortgage, you have this 33% limit and everything. It is true that our culture is much more conservative when it comes to credit.

Now, are you really sure you prefer the British or American approach? The French language has no equivalent for “negative equity”. My humble opinion: Let’s keep it that way.

By: helene

helene — Fri, 01 Apr 2005 15:06:52 +0000

Oh I see I am not the only one to moan about banks and their charges. Here in Greece if I don’t withdraw from my own bank, I get charged 4 euros on a withdrawal of 400 euros which is daylight robbery.

The best bank account I have had (and have still) is a bank in Lithuania (part of a Swedish bank) where I could pay all my bills on the internet and make international transfers as well.

I won’t start on my complaints about Citibank and their Indian call centre as I am going to change as soon as I move in the summer.

By: Colin

Colin — Thu, 31 Mar 2005 19:28:04 +0000

Come to live in Yorkshire property is reasonably priced and you could get ten application forms through the post in a week, judging by my mail box.

By: petite

petite — Thu, 31 Mar 2005 18:59:04 +0000

I also have fond memories of my foray into Barclays, also on place Léon Blum. Barclays in France is not related to Barclays in the UK either. The woman basically told me that you had to be rich to bank with them, I needed something like 10,000F just to open an account.

And as for everyone else’s horror stories, well it seems I’ve hit the mother lode of topics today!!

By: Jim in Rennes

Jim in Rennes — Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:14:56 +0000

When I worked in a ski resort sometime in the last century, my girlfriend at the time and I were told we had to have a letter attesting to our good character from the Mayor of our home town before we would be allowed an account. Despite our request, the The Lord Mayor of Sheffield never sent us that letter.

I was also told last year by my current bank that they were “not in the business of performing miracles”.
Oddly, I was deluded enough to think that lending money at the prevailing interest rate, secured on a property actually WAS the bank’s business.

By: David

David — Thu, 31 Mar 2005 15:31:04 +0000

A positive development over the last few years seems to be that French cash machines now accept EC/maestro cards and not just credit cards or the Carte Blanche (whatever that was, if I’m even calling it the right name). I used to spend ages traipsing around looking for a branch of the Societe Generale bank which did accept EC cards. I was never even sure if I had a PIN number for my credit card, let alone what it might be. Whatever the cost, it does seem easier these days to get cash in France as a non-resident.

By: Rich

Rich — Thu, 31 Mar 2005 15:24:23 +0000

l’autre : CCF. No. The fact that you have an account with HSBC in the UK is of absolutely no relevance in France. And woe betide you should you even suggest that it might make a difference.

I remember having walking into the Lloyds branch in Cannes to naively ask if it were possible to access some of the money on my English account (I was 18 and seriously broke – not ideal in Cannes). I made my excuses and left, but I can still hear the laughter now…

As regards the essays that oyou are obliged to fill out every time you subscribe to anything with a bank, they are apparently essential. I’m told that they’re also completely meaningless from a legal point of view, but the banks appear to hold them dear. And despite all that I now work for a French bank (albeit not on the retail side).

By: l'autre

l'autre — Thu, 31 Mar 2005 15:06:34 +0000

I dont think Kirstie & Phil actually fork out for the house themselves…

Does anyone use the CCF? As a subsid of HSBC I wondered if their customers get better service than your average Crédit (but not respect) Mutuel.