Paying deposit on apartment from UK to Spanish Bank in Euro

[Juren]

I am in process of booking an apartment in Puerto Pollensa for a week in August. I have been communicating with the owner by email.

I have to transfer 100 Euros into her bank account as a deposit for the booking and she has sent me all her bank details for me to transfer the 100 Euros.

How do I make the transfer? From my bank here in the UK? Can I use my internet banking to do this?

Would be glad of any good advice.

Thanks

Juren

 

[roig cat]

Yes you can use internet banking. However, you will be charged. My bank (Lloyds) would charge at least £10 to transfer £100. Some banks only transfer amounts over £250

You will need to set up an International payment with the IBAN and SWIFT codes the owner has given you. You will most likely need her/his address so they can confirm the recipient is who you think it is! The other alternative is to ask if he/she has Paypal?

 

[Juren]

Thanks v much for that reply. I tried my telephone banking this morning and was told I can't fo this via phone or internet banking "for security reasons". Was told I should be able to make the transfer in person at my branch - so am off to see to that.

Btw, yes, the apartment owner has given me her name and address in Pollensa, as well as the address of the bank and the codes.

Thanks v much

Juren

 

[kcdc230]

Maybe you need to look at changing bank. I made the final payment on our villa a couple of days ago - they gave me their bank name, IBAN and SWIFT codes, and I was then able to make an international payment using my internet banking. I use Nationwide, so they obviously allow it.

Hope you enjoy your holiday!

 

[sws97sdg]

I did the same with Halifax, the good thing about setting up someone like this is that if you use them again next time, everything is already set up!!
Mind you, telephone banking is different to online banking, less secure I would say, perhaps that's why they don't do it that way!!

 

[Juren]

Well, I went into my branch (the Clydesdale, who said I can't do this by phone or internet banking) this afternoon to be told they could transfer the 100 Euro but it would cost me £39.00 (!). I didn't make the transfer.

The woman at the counter directed me to a nearby Thomas Cook branch, suggesting they might do it for me more cheaply. So of I trundled to Thomas Cook, who gave me a leaflet for MoneyGram (I am not at all familiar with MoneyGram). I have googled "MoneyGram" to find out what I do and how it would work but I am, admittedly, bamboozled by how that would work and with all the jargon (E.g "SWIFT"? I have no clue what that is.

I now don't quite know what to do now. I have never encountered this issue before - but then I have never been asked to transfer money to someone's personal Spanish bank account before. I am now going to email the owner and tell her I am not paying £39 to transfer 100 Euro and ask if she has any other suggestion.

Any other suggestions from the forum would be most welcome
Thanks for all comments so far. I appreciate.

Juren

 

[Juren]

Having now done some homework via google, I signed up to Western Union and tried to make the transfer through them to apartment owner's bank account using my bank debit card.

After registering I went through the whole transfer process three times only to be 'told' (three times) that it didn't work. Each time I did check the information I was in-putting was correct. Each time, just before the process wen to the 'receipt' stage, I was told it 'didn't work'. No reason - just 'didn't work'.

I could try again using a credit card rather than my debit card, as I suspect this may be the problem (though it does say I can use a debit card), but am concerned about charges that the credit card will make for the transfer, as I have no idea how much these might be.

Arranging this holiday is starting to become a real pain in the neck. Does anyone know anything about making transfers via Western Union using a credit card (or a debit card)

Sorry to bore!

Juren

 

[eleanor]

I am afraid I can't help you with Western Union. Haven't there been warnings about Western Union? I might be wrong but suggest you do a little more homework here. Maybe someone might have the answer for you.

Can you not pay by paypal? This would seem the easiest way forward at this stage I would think?

Hope someone can help you as this has taken most of your day hasn't it> I assume you have spoken to the owner and explained the problem? I personally would look into Paypal which is quite simple. Good luck!

 

[Juren]

Thanks Eleanor. Yes, it has taken up most of my day and I'm no further forward. I will look into using Paypal and suggest this to the owner. I have emailed her to say I am not paying bank charges of £39 to make a 100 Euro transfer and asked if she can suggest another way to pay. I don't think they are remotely interested in the cost at this end so long as they get rheir money.

On another topic, as a matter of interest, once I had said - by email - that I would like to reserve the apartment she sent me more details - "extras", which (if I understand her broken English, and I think I do!) included a charge of 30 Euro for getting/collecting the keys after 8pm and a charge of 50 Euros for getting/collecting the keys after 10pm.
Is this normal?! Our flights to Palma bring us in before noon so by good fortune we are managing to dodge her (late arrival) "extras".

If I wasn't already needing a holiday, I sure am now ):

Thanks for replies.

Juren

 

[roig cat]

I sympathise Juren. I chose a property to rent this coming December on the Holiday Lettings site which had a pay instantly quote of £460 (5 nights). I emailed the owner for clarification and was then given a list of extras to be paid on arrival including 300 euros for 5 days electricity. I Decided to start my search again and booked with Sealand villas, heating included in the price. This hasn't put me off booking with owners directly but you do need to be careful. Indeed the property I am renting in two weeks time was from the Owners Direct site. They accepted PayPal merely adding the fee to my balance which was ok by me.

 

[tangofan]

I really sympathise with you Juren, this does sound very stressful. To be honest I would be considering an alternative apartment now, preferably one that I could pay the deposit by credit card, even if there are charges, then if anything goes wrong you will have protection. I don't like the sound of the "extras" even though you said you would be able to avoid them. It doesn't seem like a good start to me having all these problems just with paying the deposit.

 

[Juren]

Thanks for your reply and advice Roig Cat. The weird thing is about the "extras" for getting keys after 8pm and 10pm is that the actual owner's address (as per the details I have been given for the bank transfers) is on the fourth floor of the same building! (her daughter, who also lives in the port, deals with the bookings, as I gather), so these "extras" sound like money for old rope to me.

Yes, next time I will ask about ALL extras before I confirm anything, though at this rate there's a fair chance the deal might fall through anyway.

Cheers

Juren

 

[Juren]

Thanks Tangofan.

I did use this apartment two years ago and really liked it - the "extras" are a new thing! We didn't have any issues then. It was a last minute booking though; I asked for a reduction in the rate because it was so last minute and I got a fair deal, and I paid the full amount on arrival, so I didn't meet with all of this nonsense and had a lovely holiday.

Having said that, I am prepared to cancel my plans if things don't get sorted very soon (I know what flights I want and the availability of them, but I haven't booked these yet - was going to do that today... but got caught up with other things (!) and am now waiting to see how things pan out before I book the flights.

Thanks for your response.

Juren

 

[sws97sdg]

All I can add is that every time I have booked via this website it has been pain free, all owners have been so friendly and helpful and we have never had to pay 'extras', in fact the place we are staying at, thorough here, have just sent me the keys through the post!!
Have a look on here and compare prices, you will find the peace of mind by knowing you are dealing with honest genuine people is worth it's weight in gold!

 

[eleanor]

This all seems too much trouble and too many extras! We advertise our property on this site and holiday lettings and the price is the price. I have had a quick look at various properties on this site and can't find any private renters charging extras. The only time I would think it to be necessary might be for heating in the main winter months and possibly if the rent includes a heated pool.

My suggestion would be to dump this property and take a look on this site to see if you can find one which will be more convenient to deal with and without all the extras! Good luck and certainly I wouldn't spend any more time on this property unless you can likewise charge the extras for your inconvenience!

This is just my opinion of course. BUT 90% of cases of dealing direct go ahead without any worries or complications. I would suggest you find one of those. take a look on this site under private villas/apts. good luck!

 

[ragdollabbi]

Have booked, on numerous occasions, with 2 different apartments through this site and have had no bother whatsoever. With both apartments, I send a cheque for deposit (one also asks for a Key deposit which is refunded at the end of the holiday). I then send a cheque for the balance and lo and behold both sets of people send me the keys by post a few weeks before the holiday. A self addressed envelope is also included to return the keys at the end of the holiday. That's what I call good service I think, that by phoning or even emailing someone a few times, asking a few questions etc etc, you do get a feel whether everything is going to be ok or not. Either that or we have just been incredibly lucky It is necessary to do your homework as they say

 

[Juren]

Ragdoll

Thanks for your comment. I thought about offering to send a cheque but then I wondered how that would work as my cheque would be for pounds sterling and the deposit is asked for in Euro... how does that work for you when you have sent cheques?

The owner has got back to me and offered to set up PayPal but she doesn't sound very keen.... too much trouble! Someone said I should now look for another apartment, but it was this apartment I wanted (have had it before, from Owners Direct)) and having searched all the sites quite thoroughly, there is precious little else available for the dates I want... those that might be available are too far out of town for me - I like to be quite central.

Thanks

Juren

 

[eleanor]

If you have made up your mind on that apartment then you will have to do as the owner wishes. It was only a suggestion that you look elsewhere as it is sometimes possible to find an alternative apartment in the same block which might offer less hassle. I hope you are able to sort this and have a nice holiday.

 

[Juren]

Thank you, Eleanor.
I understand what you mean; it's a reasonable suggestion. I think I'm just exhausted and can't face the hunt for another apartment; I'm sure this one will be fine once I get the payment sorted out. I'm not worried about anything going wrong - I've done business with this owner before and had a lovely holiday - it's just this deposit payment that's turning out to be a pest.

Thanks v much for your replies.

Regards
Juren

 

[ragdollabbi]

Juren, I always send the cheques in sterling as both owners are based in the UK so have never had any problems in that respect. You could try asking if they would take a sterling cheque and perhaps round it up so that they are getting a few more euros when they exchange. Only other option that may (and I say may as I haven't used them for years) be possible is to send a travellers cheque for 100 euros Just out of interest, how are you paying the balance?