Likely to affect Motorhomers & Tuggers as well ??

[KevinTuplin]

In Dec 2023 I arrived at a campsite in Oliva, Spain and when I handed my passport to the receptionist she declined it and said she must have my ID card as she had to send my information to the local police station. I tried to explain to her the info was in my passport and the UK didn't have an ID card system but she wasn't accepting this until a Spanish man came into the office and heard our discussion and told the girl that I was correct and to accept my passport. It turned out this man was the owner and he apologised saying that the receptionist was new to the job and that this new system was giving them a lot of issues.

 

[gus-lopez]

Typical Spanish , I know how you feel.

When we were blocked from our Spanish Bank Account (they had changed to the OTP System), You had to go into the Branch to unlock account.

We went over to Spain to deal with legal issues and were deported on arrival during Covid as we were not EU Citizens or Residents.

The Bank, Santander Albir, would not Give out any details of our account over the phone, by text, email or post. I had to guesstimate what was in the account so I could pay bills. They paid out DD that I was unable to cancel and it took me an age to get the money back. Ridiculous system.

+all the charges.That's why I use revolut and N26 to pay all the so's and dd's for the last few years.

now there is an imaginary debt they are charging interest on.

No it's probably the account charges. Daughter left over 500€I hers and after 4 years dormant it had all gone in charges for'maintenance', cards ,etc.

I understand they are asking for bank and card details as well with the new system.

Apart from the passport, which I don't give to anyone nor have I ever carried it, I have multiple email addresses, phone numbers, home address I'd give them anyones. Can even give them a dormant bank account and cards if needed.
I have an ACSI card to use in place of my passport if anyone ever wanted it.

 

[Sue and Rick]

But I rented an apartment in Benidorm this month. No deposit taken and he did not register us with the guardia . He did have a rental license so I assume he did not declare it . Owner was a Spanish lawyer. So I guess he had no worries.

I wonder whom would be in trouble in this case?
You, the renter, not being registered or the owner not registering you?

Does the visitor have a legal duty to register?

 

[EuroTrotters]

I wonder whom would be in trouble in this case?
You, the renter, not being registered or the owner not registering you?

Does the visitor have a legal duty to register?

No, It is the sole responsibility of the owner/agent

 

[EuroTrotters]

+all the charges.That's why I use revolut and N26 to pay all the so's and dd's for the last few years.

Yes, I use Revolut too.

Just the Basic IBI, Car Tax, Utilities that go through the Bank.

I believe there is a new alternative around too!

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[David and Sally]

Illegal immigrants arriving by boat are unlikely to be checking into hotels.

They don’t have to here. The HO does it all for them.

 

[The Old Man]

They used to do that in early 70s take your passport when you arrive give it back when you leave,

And at Dover you remember that your Passport is in the hotal safe!

 

[Sue and Rick]

No, It is the sole responsibility of the owner/agen

No, It is the sole responsibility of the owner/agent

I wonder if hes not declaring for tax reasons then.

 

[hja]

I remember camp sites wanting to keep passports. We used to take a Camping Carnet with us and that was acceptable instead.

 

[gus-lopez]

Just the Basic IBI, Car Tax, Utilities that go through the Bank.

All of those go through my Revolut Bank account or N26 bank account.

We used to take a Camping Carnet with us and that was acceptable instead.

which is why I have the ACSI card which is the same.

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[Puddleduck]

I used my bus pass as an ID card in Italy.

 

[nicholsong]

It appears to me that this system will lead to quite a lot of crimes based on the information passed on.

One that springs to mind is that it would be easy for a hotel employee to sell the fact that you were absent from your home address to a burglary gang.

If I were asked for this information I would expect to be able to ask the employee for evidence that they had passed a police security check, just as I would ask a person claiming to be a policeman in plain clothes for his identification before providing similar information.

Would any of you do the same?

 

[martxer]

+all the charges.That's why I use revolut and N26 to pay all the so's and dd's for the last few years.

No it's probably the account charges. Daughter left over 500€I hers and after 4 years dormant it had all gone in charges for'maintenance', cards ,etc.

Apart from the passport, which I don't give to anyone nor have I ever carried it, I have multiple email addresses, phone numbers, home address I'd give them anyones. Can even give them a dormant bank account and cards if needed.
I have an ACSI card to use in place of my passport if anyone ever wanted it.

Yes it could well be bank charges, now if only they hadn’t blocked access to online banking I could have monitored it.

 

[Widge]

It appears to me that this system will lead to quite a lot of crimes based on the information passed on.

One that springs to mind is that it would be easy for a hotel employee to sell the fact that you were absent from your home address to a burglary gang.

If I were asked for this information I would expect to be able to ask the employee for evidence that they had passed a police security check, just as I would ask a person claiming to be a policeman in plain clothes for his identification before providing similar information.

Would any of you do the same?

I am puzzled, how have you managed to travel up until now without providing hotels, campsites, carhire, airlines, ferrys etc, with name address id, and most importantly dates, so i don't really see why the new regulations will make any difference regarding crime.

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

when we sold up the Spanish bank stopped access to my banking app

Is that because you are no longer a property owner in Spain?
Is it a requirement that you have to be a property owner in Spain to have a Spanish bank account and a Spanish residential address?
If when you sold up did you not close down all your ddr and so'ds prior to, or at, completion?
Could these charges now accumulating be for the bank continuing to ' run' your account?
I understand that they denied access to on-line banking, but surely that still allowed personal banking, telephone banking, or correspondence via a notary such as a solicitor etc ( albeit at a fee )

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[gus-lopez]

Is it a requirement that you have to be a property owner in Spain to have a Spanish bank account

No,non residents accounts are easy to open

and a Spanish residential address?

No. Many banks will take your Uk address but use the bank branch address for you in spain.

Spanish bank account and a Spanish residential address?
If when you sold up did you not close down all your ddr and so'ds prior to, or at, completion?

You'd need an account to pay in the cheque from the house sale. Yeatrs ago they would only accept an actual spanish bank .Nowdays under Sepa regulations they have to accept any euro denominated account

but surely that still allowed personal banking,

Not a lot of use if you have left the country.

, telephone banking,

They will tell you anything just to get shot of you in many places.

or correspondence via a notary such as a solicitor etc ( albeit at a fee )

I had an Abogado (solicitor) ring Telefonica ( Now movistar) years ago on my behalf.
She was told" get him to ring as he needs to speak to someone in his own language " & then cut her off.

 

[EuroTrotters]

All of those go through my Revolut Bank account or N26 bank account.


which is why I have the ACSI card which is the same.

N26 ?

It is the 8th safest country in the world

Depends what you believe, I cant see Morocco in any top ten. That and number 8 varies from Armenia to Canada.

 

[EuroTrotters]

All of those go through my Revolut Bank account or N26 bank account.


which is why I have the ACSI card which is the same.

https://n26.com/en-eu/bank-account ?

 

[TheHat]

N26 ?

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n26.com

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

No,non residents accounts are easy to open

No. Many banks will take your Uk address but use the bank branch address for you in spain.

You'd need an account to pay in the cheque from the house sale. Yeatrs ago they would only accept an actual spanish bank .Nowdays under Sepa regulations they have to accept any euro denominated account

Not a lot of use if you have left the country.

They will tell you anything just to get shot of you in many places.

I had an Abogado (solicitor) ring Telefonica ( Now movistar) years ago on my behalf.
She was told" get him to ring as he needs to speak to someone in his own language " & then cut her off.

So really then, not a very glowing picture to owning or disposing of, a property in Spain or banking therein.
Think I would have stayed in Spain until the sale was finalised and money paid into my account, then paid all outstanding bills and services to bring to a conclusion and closed, then transfer the sale money to my UK bank. And finally, then given all the cards back to the bank ( debit, credit etc ) and then closed the account fully so as not to have the bank 'running' the account and making charges.
IF, however the OP wanted to keep the Spanish bank account open for future use if and when in Spain, then I am not surprised that ongoing fees to do so we're applied by the bank.
Some banks charge for banking. And some don't.
Very unfortunate if the OP was not aware of potential ongoing charges and had not cleared all chattels before leaving Spain.
It's bad enough trying to deal with UK banks whilst in the UK without throwing into the mix a foreign bank, with foreign rules and a foreign language.
Hope the OP gets it sorted before charges mount any further.

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[Barriesimpson]

Ok you asked.
We used to have an apartment in Spain and when we sold up the Spanish bank stopped access to my banking app and now they are hounding me for my bank being over drawn due to me not being able to cancel direct debits. There is no way I am paying interest on a debt that is totally the fault of the Spanish bank.

This has nothing to do with the OP's post.

 

[Barriesimpson]

I understand they are asking for bank and card details as well with the new system.

I doubt that very much.

 

[martxer]

So really then, not a very glowing picture to owning or disposing of, a property in Spain or banking therein.
Think I would have stayed in Spain until the sale was finalised and money paid into my account, then paid all outstanding bills and services to bring to a conclusion and closed, then transfer the sale money to my UK bank. And finally, then given all the cards back to the bank ( debit, credit etc ) and then closed the account fully so as not to have the bank 'running' the account and making charges.
IF, however the OP wanted to keep the Spanish bank account open for future use if and when in Spain, then I am not surprised that ongoing fees to do so we're applied by the bank.
Some banks charge for banking. And some don't.
Very unfortunate if the OP was not aware of potential ongoing charges and had not cleared all chattels before leaving Spain.
It's bad enough trying to deal with UK banks whilst in the UK without throwing into the mix a foreign bank, with foreign rules and a foreign language.
Hope the OP gets it sorted before charges mount any further.

We stayed in Spain until the sale completed, turned up a the notary and lift with a cheque this was handed to an fx company who dealt with the transfer. We left some funds in the Spanish bank to cover any costs that cropped up later( sometimes the tax you pay can change).
There was a 20k euro deposit paid into the account that we transferred back to the uk.The bank wanted to know where that cash came from so I told them it was deposit on property sale that’s when they froze access to the account. They didn’t seem to care about all the transfers from uk to Spain

 

[Barriesimpson]

We stayed in Spain until the sale completed, turned up a the notary and lift with a cheque this was handed to an fx company who dealt with the transfer. We left some funds in the Spanish bank to cover any costs that cropped up later( sometimes the tax you pay can change).
There was a 20k euro deposit paid into the account that we transferred back to the uk.The bank wanted to know where that cash came from so I told them it was deposit on property sale that’s when they froze access to the account. They didn’t seem to care about all the transfers from uk to Spain

Probably because you need to pay tax on that deposit (unless you are 65 or over), so until that is cleared up you will not have access to it.

 

[Bolti]

Yes, I use Revolut too.

Just the Basic IBI, Car Tax, Utilities that go through the Bank.

I believe there is a new alternative around too!

Mine are all paid from my Starling euro account.

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[Captain Yoghurtpot]

We stayed in Spain until the sale completed, turned up a the notary and lift with a cheque this was handed to an fx company who dealt with the transfer. We left some funds in the Spanish bank to cover any costs that cropped up later( sometimes the tax you pay can change).
There was a 20k euro deposit paid into the account that we transferred back to the uk.The bank wanted to know where that cash came from so I told them it was deposit on property sale that’s when they froze access to the account. They didn’t seem to care about all the transfers from uk to Spain

I really don't get this, and without going into further personal questions I am going to bow out, as I can't work out which bank is questioning what and who is denying access.
One thing for sure is that this has put me right off thinking about owning a property abroad.
I sincerely wish you well in trying to sort out your predicament.
As for myself, I will still be visiting Spain, but purely as a holidaymaker and probably 2 or 3 times next year.
Good luck Sir.

 

[martxer]

I really don't get this, and without going into further personal questions I am going to bow out, as I can't work out which bank is questioning what and who is denying access.
One thing for sure is that this has put me right off thinking about owning a property abroad.
I sincerely wish you well in trying to sort out your predicament.
As for myself, I will still be visiting Spain, but purely as a holidaymaker and probably 2 or 3 times next year.
Good luck Sir.

We enjoyed owning our property in Spain but it’s not for the feint hearted.

 

[martxer]

Probably because you need to pay tax on that deposit (unless you are 65 or over), so until that is cleared up you will not have access to it.

As soon as that cash bit the bank it was transferred back to uk

 

[Barriesimpson]

As soon as that cash bit the bank it was transferred back to uk

Maybe that is the problem, albeit I'd be surprised the bank allowed that. Either way, you would be liable for tax on the sale of the property.

 

[martxer]

Maybe that is the problem, albeit I'd be surprised the bank allowed that. Either way, you would be liable for tax on the sale of the property.

Yes we paid the tax on the property sale, all done at the notary the cheque received was minus all fees,taxes due and anything else they can dream of charging you

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