This is a Post on Torrevieja section Hope we up here on La Marina are not going to have Problems like this?

Sabadell CAM Bank

I am just wondering whether any other person has experienced the inefficient manner in which the Sabadell CAM bank works.

My friend and I went into what was the CAM Bank at Almeda del Mar. She wanted to set up a direct debit for her SUMA car tax and I wanted to cancel an existing direct debit and set up a new one for car insurance.

We were told that you have to go to Torrevieja to do transactions like that.

So off we went to Torrevieja branch, parked the car and joined the queue of many! When we eventually sat down at a desk we were told in no uncertain terms: "If you don't speak Spanish we cannot deal with you."

My friend had all the relevant information from SUMA to initiate the direct debit but still the woman would not do it. She was unhelpful and extremely rude.

Whilst we both know some Spanish, when it concerns financial matters we like to have someone who speaks some English. Considering the CAM was originally supposed to be a Bank that was conducive to English speaking people they are now sadly lacking in customer relations.

We have both been in what was the CAM Bank for many years and have never been treated in such an off-handed fashion.

In fact we shall be transferring our accounts to a more efficient bank and especially a bank where the staff know what they are doing and are polite to their customers.

Despite several visits to the Punta Prima branch, my friend never receives any post from the bank, and despite knowing my post office box address which they have been using for the past 12 years they started sending private information to a box which I do not use.

La Marina

I became dissatisfied with the Cam bank years ago. I changed to the la Caixa Bank and have never regretted it. Although we have to travel to the village to do our business it is worth the journey as both the female and male counter staff are so friendly and helpful. If they see you walk into the bank they always take time to acknowledge you. They treat you like a human being and they both speak English.

Commented Caroline in La Marina 2013-02-03 16:56:17 UTC

Go to the Sabadell one in La Marina
this is who we bank with and are brilliant, ask for Katrin

Commented FOX160 in La Marina 2013-02-03 19:52:08 UTC

Have noticed that the A4 small information posters the put up are now only in Spanish. They have stopped putting it into the three languages as was displayed before. Is now not in German or English.

Commented Dreamer in La Marina 2013-02-03 22:55:15 UTC

Has any one heard any complaints about the Santander bank opposite the CAM bank on the strip? Or would any one recommend it?

Commented Peter Horsfield in La Marina 2013-02-04 08:50:37 UTC

I absolutely agree with Grant. Sabadell (formerly Cam) on the Urb has been so helpful and friendly. I recently lost my husband, when it was still Cam, and through the whole procedure the staff were fantastic. Having previously heard all the horror stories of what supposedly happens when a partner dies I was very worried, but that is all they are. Horror stories. The Bank was helpful and sympathetic and I never once had any problems about my money, direct debits or transfers. A special thank you to Christina who looked after me so well.

Commented Carol G in La Marina 2013-02-04 10:52:43 UTC

Could not agree more. Christina at Sabadell is one in a million. We have been with the La Marina branch for nearly 8 years and cannot fault them. They have always guided us and treated us with respect and manners.

Commented sallyan in La Marina 2013-02-04 14:35:40 UTC

Sabadell CAM are fast building a bad name for themselves. Last week my neighbor tried to use their Nationwide cards in cash point outside bank in Los Balcones, the card was rejected, the bank manager was called, shrugged his shoulders, pathetic!!!

They later tried another cash point miles away, no problem...

Commented Kas in Los Balcones 2013-02-05 09:28:57 UTC

Having used Sabadell for sometime i have found them excellent, however since the CAM rescue/takeover I have noticed that many of the staff that they inherited from CAM seem determined to maintain an attitude that clearly contributed to the demise and rank mismanagement of the Cam in the first place.

Commented zenophant in La Marina 2013-02-05 14:37:04 UTC

In Fortuna, Murcia the Cam Bank there took 2.5 hours to give someone a bank account. They took 4 hours to do a Bankers Draft then after the 4 hours said they didnt know how to do it. Nobody in that Bank spoke English. We went to the Cam Bank in La Marina and they did a Bankers Draft in 7 minutes, they are excellent.

Commented caprala in La Marina 2013-02-05 20:49:55 UTC

sabadell was a great bank. now closed and called sabadell cam a few doors down. absolute rubbish.

Commented Paul in La Marina 2013-02-05 21:15:50 UTC

I agree with you grant had no problems with Sabadell on the urb all the staff are friendly and Katrina is just fantastic

Commented Mick in La Marina 2013-02-06 01:53:40 UTC

So no comments on the Bank Santander opposite the CAM bank in La Marina?

Commented Peter Horsfield in La Marina 2013-02-06 15:10:33 UTC

I was going to say the same thing. I'm a new customer with caixa bank. I travel to the branch in Rojales. The staff there are very freindly as well. And also very helpful. I've only been with them since the beginning of last November. But so far, I've no complaints at all.

Commented mus_joplin in Guardamar del Segura 2013-02-06 15:42:02 UTC

I agree Sabadell - Cam in La Marina is great and so is Katrin - however recently it is a nightmare in there. Having to wait 45 mins to be seen is a joke and I am seriously thinking of changing banks because of it.

Commented Souxie in La Marina 2013-02-06 16:36:53 UTC

I must say have used the La Caixa bank in several places. The Almoradi Branch is my Bank but I have used the one in the village and Guadamar and I have found all the staff to be very friendly and helpful, they must have very good staff training.

Commented Caroline in La Marina 2013-02-06 20:14:46 UTC

After talking to Katrina at some length this week, I think it might be useful to give the bank some time to settle down. They are doing many changes which take time. I for one will give them time to make the changes then make my decision.

Commented sallyan in La Marina 2013-02-07 18:29:00 UTC

I joined Banco Sabadell not Cam, I didnt have to queue for 45 minutes and the staff knew me by first name and were friendly. Sabadell branch closed, and Cam branch name changed to Sabadell Cam. I have no idea what my bank charges are etc, service is disgraceful.

Commented Paul in La Marina 2013-02-07 20:38:12 UTC

been using Solbank at the top of the strip since 2004, never had a problem, always polite

Commented goonerpeter in La Marina 2013-02-07 21:52:30 UTC

sol were taken over by sabadell a couple of years ago, no such bank anymore!

Commented Paul in La Marina 2013-02-08 16:25:56 UTC

Yes you are right Paul, Solbank is now part of Sabadell, ,,same building/staff good service

Commented goonerpeter in La Marina 2013-02-08 18:16:38 UTC

no sabadell branch is now shut. old cam bank branch is now sabadell cam. nightmare to get to the counter. staff not very friendly. I will be looking for a new , bank shortly.

Commented Paul in La Marina 2013-02-08 19:16:34 UTC

Been with cam bank for 8 years
Was in branch last monday
I can only comment if this is the future then there customer service is appaling
New bank for me next time I a m over
Absolutely non customer focussed

Commented walkerhill in La Marina 2013-02-08 22:21:31 UTC

We bank with Banco de Valencia at the rear of Consum and the service there is absolutely brilliant. The staff are very friendly and helpfull and there is not usually a long wait for service. We have been with them for eight years and would not dream of changing. I believe they are amalgamated with Caixa who have a branch in the village.

Commented Tim in La Marina 2013-02-09 13:24:45 UTC

Solbank was always sabadell, it was just a trading name for branches by the seaside!

Commented zenophant in La Marina 2013-02-10 10:43:55 UTC

sabadell took over solbank because they were in financial difficulties, sabadell then bought cam from the spanish govt for 1 euro, the spanish govt had to take on cam because of the amount of debt they were in, move a lot of the debt off the books, and move it on.

Commented Paul in La Marina 2013-02-10 12:37:59 UTC

also have a small account with what used to be Halifax in Guardamar,now Lloyds, as they promise no charges if you sell a property and transfer the money back to UK,, but to get this in writing is hard work,,and a lot of banks have excessive charges to transfer money UK/Spain all this rubbish about the transfer has to go through Madrid etc

Commented goonerpeter in La Marina 2013-02-10 15:04:05 UTC

goonerpeter I tried to open an account at Guadamar Lloyds as I have been a customer of Lloyds for years, in England. I was told that I would have to deposit 2,500 euros into a current account to save me bank charges. If I went below this then I would have to pay 20 euros a month bank charges. If I had been a Halifax customer I would have had to have kept 600 euros in there before I paid charges. Talk about double standards. If I can find a way to get my English works pension paid into a different bank in England then I would do so on principle. Has anyone else had this problem?

Commented Caroline in La Marina 2013-02-10 15:56:32 UTC

Eve, Lloyds in Guardamar changed there rules,or rather moved the goalposts last year,I opened an account with just 500 eu just before this, get charged 25 euros annually,Halifax in UK dont know if there is a charge to transfer from Lloyds Guardamar to Halifax UK,,they play games,,
I bank with First Direct in UK,they charge £9 for each transfer to Spain

Commented goonerpeter in La Marina 2013-02-10 16:42:34 UTC

Hi I have just received 2 bills from Sabadell they equate to around 60 euros. I was a Cam customer for 6 years, I had no direct debits, standing orders, I only deposited money and hadn't used the cash card for 2 years. When I finally came to pay a restaurant bill last year the payment was refused. I went to the bank the next day and was told there was no money in my account. Admittedly there was only 120 euros in the account last time I checked, but they had taken it for what they called account maintenance. I was shocked that they had charged me for me landing them my money. I subsequently closed the account and asked if there were any outstanding charges I had to pay, I was told no. Last week I received a bill from Sabadell asking for 67 euros account charges and non resident charges. Can anyone tell me how this is possible.

Glyn

Commented oscarshields in La Marina 2013-07-01 14:02:10 UTC

yes santander is ok on the strip if youre willing to wait quite some time to be served, only one person serving - and for gods sake dont him your tel number as he'll be calling you every week to try and sell you something - otherwise they are ok

Commented Souxie in La Marina 2013-07-01 14:28:25 UTC

Hi Fox - yes couldnt agree more Katrin is brilliant and so helpful - Sabadell La Marina

Commented Souxie in La Marina 2013-07-01 14:29:39 UTC