# Halifax Bank



## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

My partner banks with Halifax and her registered address with them is here in Spain.

She was sent a form which needed all manner of complicated things doing regarding her address in Spain but, also a visit to a branch with her passport would also suffice.

As she was going to the UK it seemed most sensible to simply visit the branch with her passport. 

She has now done this and they have apparently told her that they are stopping overseas banking so it would appear that people overseas with accounts may struggle if they don't have a UK address.

This information might be a bit half baked I don't know as I am not sure what she was told in the bank verbatim but she has needed to change her address to her son's in the UK.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Did your partner bank with Halifax Spain? Or did she bank with Halifax UK while being based in Spain?

I ask because Halifax Spain ceased to exist a while ago, I think it was was bought by LLoyds during the crisis, and then last year LLoyds' Spanish business was bought by Sabadell. So anyone who had a Halifax Spain account probably has a Sabadell account now.

If she banks with Halifax UK then I'm surprised they let her provide a Spanish address in the first place, usually you have to be a UK resident to open a UK bank account.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Chopera said:


> Did your partner bank with Halifax Spain? Or did she bank with Halifax UK while being based in Spain?
> 
> I ask because Halifax Spain ceased to exist a while ago, I think it was was bought by LLoyds during the crisis, and then last year LLoyds' Spanish business was bought by Sabadell. So anyone who had a Halifax Spain account probably has a Sabadell account now.
> 
> If she banks with Halifax UK then I'm surprised they let her provide a Spanish address in the first place, usually you have to be a UK resident to open a UK bank account.



To OPEN one, yes, but to keep one you already have has always been possible.

I too have Halifax accounts (in UK) and have not been told that I have to close them.


My Halifax Hispania account became Lloyds International and was then transferred to my (existing) Sabadell account.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Dunpleecin said:


> My partner banks with Halifax and her registered address with them is here in Spain.
> 
> She was sent a form which needed all manner of complicated things doing regarding her address in Spain but, also a visit to a branch with her passport would also suffice.
> 
> ...


That's a bit worrying, as we also have a Halifax UK account registered to our Spanish address. Our pensions are paid into it! We have so far not heard anything about this change.

Is your partner's account "idle" as it were, or are regular deposits and payments being made?


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> To OPEN one, yes, but to keep one you already have has always been possible.
> 
> I too have Halifax accounts (in UK) and have not been told that I have to close them.
> 
> ...



Yes I've been able to keep my Halifax UK account as well (but I have given them a UK address).


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Chopera said:


> Yes I've been able to keep my Halifax UK account as well (but I have given them a UK address).


... should have said, mine has a Spanish address.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> ... should have said, mine has a Spanish address.


OK I never realised you were able to do that (well, I never asked either).


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## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

Sorry I never replied to the posts. Been a bit busy. The situation is this:

She has had a Halifax UK account since before we moved out and the account is very much active. When we moved out, as a result of reading posts on here, she changed her address on the account to the Spanish address. There were no issues whatsoever.

Then she received this letter asking for various hoops to be jumped through such as getting this and that certificate etc. But the alternative was to go into the branch with her passport. This was some weeks ago so I would assume everyone would get one, but obviously not sure of whether they would be all at once or at differing times, so if you didn't get this letter, maybe it's on it's way I'm not sure.

She is now back and told me that the branch told her that they were closing accounts where people did not have a UK address as they were closing down their overseas accounts. So they asked if she had a UK address and of course she gave her son's so it was problem solved. She can still use her cards here and has internet banking so it's not a big issue.

If you've not had any letters or anything it might be an idea to contact the bank to see what the status of your account is.


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