"The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well."
Posted
Well, La Caixa has finally pissed us off enough that we want to take our business elsewhere.
So others can be aware:
On Friday we initiated an aval bancario of several months rent on our new piso we're moving into on Thursday. Today they called us and said we'd have our aval, but they were putting 110% of the amount into it instead of 100%, "...because that's the way we are doing it this year." That 10% was over €500 more that they were going to tie up inside this 5-year aval.
I said absolutely not and they eventually gave me "an exception" and I'm supposed to go back next time I get paid to re-do the aval with the extra 10%. Needless to say, I'm not going to do that. Of course they know we are in a bind because the signing is this Thursday.
I was so angry! I dropped in on BBVA just to ask if all the banks were doing things this new way and he said they were not.
I know all the banks rob you in one way or another, but I was wondering if anyone was particularly happy with their bank and would recommend them as less horrible than the rest?
sorry you are having a problem with la caixa i have used them for about 8 years and love them but i have never had to deal with an aval or anything like that. the employees at my branch know me well and have always been great.
as for bbva, i think it is a terrible bank as far as the employees attitudes go. i had to do a few transactions there once and the service was terrible.
as for bbva telling you that they were not doing that. it may be so today but then you may find that after switching to them, another employee tells you that they are doing it. i find that it often depends on the employee and the day you go in (or the mood of the employe). this is the way things are here in spain more often than not, no consistency at all.
you may recall the thread here on the board about spanish bank accounts and how some banks were requiring a letter of non-residency if you are not a residence and others were not. then the next day, the same bank that required the letter all of a sudden did not and the bank that did not require it all of a sudden did according to a different employee. no rhyme nor reason to it all
i know that does not make you feel better but i just thought you should keep it in mind before you perhaps make a rash decision you may regret.
I too have been thinking about changing from La Caixa, not because they have done anything, but simply because it seems easier and more convenient to find Caja Madrid ATMs everywhere I go. When I have tried to take out money from La Caixa at a Caja Madrid ATM, the bank wanted to charge me 8€, which is the most exorbitant fee I have ever heard of!
Anyone have an opinion on Caja Madrid?
azucar!
Posts: 321 | Location: NYC to Paris to Madrid!!!!! | Registered: 21 August 2003
I have banked with Caja Madrid for the past 6.5 years and have never had a problem with them. I have my personal account, business account and pension plan with them.
While they may not be the most competitive as far as rates are concerned, I like them due to their easy accessibility and the fact that I have a good personal relationship with my local branch's employees.
My husband calls them the poor man's bank, but personally, I find it quite ridiculous to pay the silly fees that other banks charge you whether or not you are rich.
just goes to show ya how people have different takes on banks.
i used to bank with caja madrid when i first moved here to spain but got tired of their bad attitudes (at just about every branch i went into, especially the one across from my apt. on calle mayor) and their, as Chica said, non-competitive rates so i left them for la caixa years ago.
as for not finding la caixa atms, i do not understand that as they are everywhere in madrid and very easy to find. i have never had trouble finding one.
I actually wasn't planning to switch to BBVA as I think the big ones are probably all the same. Maybe they ALL are the same, I don't know. We are considering Caixa Penedes as it comes well-recommended by a friend of ours who is very in-the-know about financial things. The trade-off will be less availability of ATMs but if we can get slightly better service and not quite as ripped off (ya know La Caixa now charges .30 every time you use their debit card?), I'll be happy.
Under the mattress is looking very tempting these days...
I've been with Santander for the past sixteen years, and they drive me mad! A while back they started charging 50c per withdrawal, if you didn't use the ATM at your actual branch They've stopped that now!!!
The other thing that has ticked me off this year is that I now have to wait 21 days for a dollar cheque to clear. Never mind that for the past god knows how many years it has only been 5 days. The reason given is that there are too many foreigners writing duff cheques - so I have to suffer, right!! Trouble is, the staff are brilliant to me, and I would be loathe to lose all the "help" they have given me over the years.
________________________________________ Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional
sanander is the worst. our business account is with them (not my choice) and they are totally incompetent at the branch in madrid that is our home one.
as for the "ya know La Caixa now charges .30 every time you use their debit card?", that depends. when they start doing something like that, just go into your home branch and threaten to take your money elsewhere if they do not stop doing it to you. it works for me, i get a lot of their silly commissions waived that way.
I have been with La Caixa since Jer recommended them to me about 6 years ago and I have always been super happy with them. I have a good relationship with the girls at my neighborhood branch and they are extremely helpful always. I have three accounts with them and have never had any trouble. Besos, Joy
Posts: 537 | Location: Madrid (but from Boston) | Registered: 16 December 2002
as for the "ya know La Caixa now charges .30 every time you use their debit card?", that depends. when they start doing something like that, just go into your home branch and threaten to take your money elsewhere if they do not stop doing it to you.
This is so true. I think it is hard for us Americans to wrap our minds around the fact that even stuff like bank fees, mobile phone charges, etc. are negotiable. And the thing is, if you just complain nothing will happen. You have to actually threaten to leave. Then all of a sudden things change. We just got two free phones worth over 500 euros and 30% off our bill for 6 months by threatening to leave Vodafone! Gotta work the system here.
Posts: 1064 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 10 December 2002
i have used them for about 8 years and love them but i have never had to deal with an aval or anything like that. the employees at my branch know me well and have always been great.
- rent or buy a cell phone from me for your stay in spain, more info at 
- already have a cell phone, get a spanish SIM card for it at 
