Closing a Bank Account

[2atfa]

Does anyone know the correct procedure to close an unwanted French bank account i.e. would a letter + cash card (cut into little bits) + cheque book suffice?

[Teamedup]

Most banks charge for this service. I don't know when your card is due, but you need to tell them you are cancelling it ( if it isn't a free one) and within a certain time frame or you will be charged for the next card, and I know to my cost that some banks do not reimburse against cards that are cancelled if not done at the right time.

 

 

[Liz]

In my experience any transaction like this must be done by registered letter. Any other kind is routinely ignored. I speak from (bitter) experience

Liz (29)

[Johnb]

The last time I did this was when transferring our accounts from Credit Agricole in the Haute-Loire to what is now Credit Agricole Nord Midi-Pyrenees. I went to the bank in person, where I was told that all the money in our accounts would be put into our cheque account so that I could then write out a cheque to our new bank, and thereby transfer all the money.  A personal visit guarantees all loose ends are tied up.

You should have, somewhere, a copy of the bank's 'General conditions' where they will tell you how much it might or might not cost.

I have just had a copy of CA's charges from 1 Jan 2005, and there will be a charge of €50 to close an account (including codevis, my wife and I have four altogether). They also charge 50 centimes for each internet visit. Can anyone recommend a bank slightly less worse?

JohnB

[BJSLIV]

The good news is that M Sarkozy has persuaded the banks to stop charging for closing an account wef 2005. i suppose the bad news is that there will be new charges for wiping your feet on their doormats for instabce.

[Brian -there must be a way]

[quote]The last time I did this was when transferring our accounts from Credit Agricole in the Haute-Loire to what is now Credit Agricole Nord Midi-Pyrenees. I went to the bank in person, where I was told th...[/quote]

What's this?!  50 centimes for visiting an account via internet.  My God, no wonder my account's always so close to the edge!  Are you absolutely sure about this - does it say it anywhere in the account information?

Sue not Brian

[Johnb]

It's in the section 'Votre Banque en Direct', under 'Tous les services -- "Access libre"' [libre?!]. But it does only apply to those, like me, who don't pay a monthly fee for their account. I used to pay €5.35 'compte service' but cancelled that after falling foul of their 'dates de valeur' scam when moving some money from the UK a couple years ago. The €5 euros 'interet debiteur' they charged me was returned after I protested -- and to add insult to injury they told me it would be a 'cadeau', so in a fit of pique I cancelled the compte service -- I felt I had to get my own back somehow! I believe it is now impossible to open an a/c with this bank without some sort of compte service.

If they can't now charge to close a/cs, I wonder where they'll rake in the money from instead. They already charge €12 to start a prelevement.....The French consumers group reckon it can cost anything up to €300 to move banks. I believe they are going to law if things don't improve.

I wonder if Nationwide would like to open a branch here?

[Pucette<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Pucette<FONT><P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Qui ne connaît pas la campagne lhiver, ne connaît pas la campagne et ne connaît pas]

"They" are indeed "going to law": http://www.lefigaro.fr/france/20041116.FIG0381.html