Daft Doctor Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Hi, I must have received over 20 virements in euros from the UK in the past 18 months (pension payments, savings transfers, etc), always without charge by my French bank. This time however a 10 euro charge appeared, so I contacted them to complain. They told me the charge had been made as it was a Swift transfer not a SEPA (Single European Payment Area) transfer, which would have been 'gratuit'.It is true that the paperwork from the FX company mentions a Swift code for the bank as well as the IBAN, but as Swift and BIC codes are identical and as the transfer was indeed made in euros between 2 countries in SEPA it I am sure should have been free, as it has always been. Does anyone think I'm mistaken? I've sent the bank an email response telling them (nicely of course) that its b**locks and I want my 10 euros back, but like most things like this in France I'm likely to need to send a letter of complaint 'recommandé avec AR', so spending half the 10 euros again for very uncertain return! Any insight gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grecian Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Hello DD, since our mutual friend The Nationwide started charging for withdrawing our own money from ATMs here in France, I have converted stirling into euros probably twice a year. The euros are paid into our CA account, for which CA charge us €2.55 for each transfer for the privilege of letting us pay money into their bank! After reading your post I looked at the contract notes for all our transfers and they were all via Swift payment, so I am guessing that it is in fact standard practice to charge for Swift payments here in France.Sounds like CA is a bargain at €2.55!Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 This may not be of any help in solving your problem. Your OP interested me sufficiently to look up SWIFT in Wikipedia. My understanding of that entry is that SWIFT is not a money transfer system as such but a set of protocols enabling communication between organisations. It would seem that organisations can charge what they like for any transaction. My guess, then, (and I'm quite prepared to be shown that I am wrong) is that SWIFT is used to communicate the details of the transfer and the banking institutions then charge what they can get away with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneySuckleDreams Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 [quote user="Clarkkent"] is that SWIFT is used to communicate the details of the transfer and the banking institutions then charge what they can get away with.[/quote]That's about the size of it. SEPA is a set of protocols that have been designed to have some sort of commonality across euroland. SWIFT is really the network. The IBAN number should be enough to locate your bank account, but they (SEPA rules) want your SWIFT-BIC code as well. With these two, the payments shouldn't go astray. There are other transfer mechanisms, I can think of CHAPS as one, which was very expensive as it would allow instant(ish) payments.I've got a project starting soon where I have to convert the payment files into XML and not standard text - talk about re-inventing the wheel. Ho hum...at least it helps pay for my booze.FYI: Both ING and BiL in Luxembourg charge (and that's EUR to EUR).The OP really needs to ask why things have changed, but don't make too much of a fuss as I could quite imagine the French bank looking at the older payments and asking for retrospective transfer charges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 I dont pay any charges to recieve money via Currencyfair with Credit Agricole Brie Picardie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 [quote user="Chancer"]I dont pay any charges to recieve money via Currencyfair with Credit Agricole Brie Picardie.[/quote]Me neither via Banque Pop.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I know that I have only for the past 10 years sent money from France to the UK, but I do remember that I had to be very careful as to how the forms were filled in to avoid extra charges at either or both ends. (I always knew what my french bank's basic charge was*)As I usually do my transfers via internet banking these days, then I can only assume that the way I was initially set up to do these transfers has continued.IF memory serves, then I had to give BIC and SWIFT numbers, I had to mark it as 'share', which I was told referred to charges at either end and the transfer be in €'s. Once it was all sorted, we paid no charges for the money credited to our UK bank account and some charges at the french end*. The french charges consequently reduced and now we don't usually pay any charges at all. I can only assume that this works the other way round too, or at least it should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 [quote user="Chancer"]I dont pay any charges to recieve money via Currencyfair with Credit Agricole Brie Picardie.[/quote]Interesting. I paid €3 for a transfer of €500 from Currencyfair to CA Aquitaine. I don't really resent it - it's better than paying £15 to my UK bank in addition to the CA's cut! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoss Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 The latest T&C for private accounts with CA Languedoc, dated 14/10/2013, which I have just received, states, on page 14, that transfers in Euros outside France but within the EEE cost 3€85 to send, but are free to receive. Outside the EEE both operations cost 21€.The method of transfer is not mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Clark Kent, didn't Chancer just mean that his receiving bank did not charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 [quote user="idun"]Clark Kent, didn't Chancer just mean that his receiving bank did not charge.[/quote]Oh dear. I must remember to take my medication. You are absolutely correct. I apologise for my misleading post.I've checked back. CA did not make any charge. The €3 charge was made by Currencyfair. [8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 [quote user="nomoss"]The latest T&C for private accounts with CA Languedoc, dated 14/10/2013, which I have just received, states, on page 14, that transfers in Euros outside France but within the EEE cost 3€85 to send, but are free to receive. Outside the EEE both operations cost 21€.The method of transfer is not mentioned. [/quote]But if sent as a virement from your online account they are free...I have monthly pension payments into my CA account and have never seen a charge... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodle Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 I paid a euro cheque in to CA 3 weeks ago from a IOM bank and it has just appeared on my statement with a 19 euros charge - yikes - I haven't questioned it as it is still cheaper than a 30 euros charge for using SWIFT and then whatever CA decide to charge for receiving.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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