Using UK Credit Cards

[Lavie]

Before i notify my card providers, is it ok to have a UK credit card and a French address?

Or does everyone keep a UK address they have their statements and new cards sent to?

I just don't want to tell them i've moved to France only to be told that i can no longer have the cards!

[Baz]

Most UK card providers will allow you to change your address to France. But you will need to retain an UK Bank or Building society account to make payments when due. You may find it useful to service your card online as your statement will be daily  updated, most cards can be registered for online use and it is worth doing it before moving to France. In order not to have late payment penalties, due to  say postal delays you may wish to set up a Direct Debit.

Baz

[Cat]

Hi Lavie

I have both UK credit and debit cards, I informed my bank (LLoysd TSB) of my new address in France before I moved over here, absolutely no problems.

I also have french bank cards, but find the UK ones (well, the debit card anyway) a useful way of withdrawing euros in France from my UK account to pay into my french bank account.  This generally works out cheaper for me (for small, irregular sums)  than using one of the many currency exchange firms available (and it was actually a currency exchange firm who advised me to do this).

Hope this helps

[Lavie]

Thanks for the replies!

Another big advantage of UK credit cards is that some are free of annual fees - unlike those i've seen in France!

[Maddie]

[quote]Hi Lavie I have both UK credit and debit cards, I informed my bank (LLoysd TSB) of my new address in France before I moved over here, absolutely no problems. I also have french bank cards, but find ...[/quote]

My UK bank would not let me change my address to a French address nor a UK P O Box address, even though they use a P O Box address themselves!

[Pangur]

While HSBC and First Direct happily send my statements and bills to my French address, Egg won't accept foreign addresses and have told me I have to close my credit card and saving account with them if I do not have a UK address - perhaps you should ask you bank about their policy before telling them you have moved

[BJSLIV]

Banks are gradually becoming more reluctant to allow Foreign addresses, for UK accounts. There were some exchanges a few months ago from someone who had run their account from France but had now been asked to close. Its a combination of Post 9//11 regulations, money-laundering, and cost cutting. There are some real oddities . For example you can open a french INGDIRECT account from the UK, but cannot hold a UK account from France!

[IAN_S]

I have a savings account in the UK from a company that would not normally allow an account to be run from a French address when I mentioned to them that I might move to France, I was already here actually, they said that it was not allowed although there was a way round the problem but I never found out what it was! I said not to bother and changed my address to my daughter-in- law's a week later, no problem.

I run this account online with a French address and they even email me here so not a lot of worry there.

The interest is taxed at source and the Inland Revenue communicate with me perfectly happily in France so what's the big deal?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LaBucherie]

I have found that when banks (and other institutions) insist upon UK residence, it is very often simply because their computer system will not accept a foreign address. A lot of institutions use the UK postcode as an identifier. I don't understand why they can't get round this - laziness/apathy I guess!

Regards

David