Beware of New ATM Charges from January

From the 1^st of January, 2016, new legislation comes into force which is aimed at stopping banks from double charging clients for using ATM machines.

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The new rules mean that the ATM owner may not charge the card holder for using their machine, but instead are to charge the card issuer. The card issuer then charges the customer. Many of the banking entities have signed last minute agreements to ensure that fees are kept to a minimum, but CaixaBank, BBVA and Santander were not known to be making such deals.

Now, banks such as CaixaBank will charge 2 euro to non-customers for using their machines, BBVA will charge between 1.85 and 1.90 euro and Santander will impose a surcharge of 1.85 euro per transaction for users who are not their customers.

Bankinter has signed agreements with Popular, Cajamar, Kutxabank, Caja Rural and Deutsche Bank for the free removal of money on these terminals. So has ING with Popular and Banca March; Evo with entities of the Euro 6000, Popular, Pastor and Targo Bank network; Cajamar with Bankinter, Popular, Banca Pueyo, Banco Caminos and Caja Rural del Sur with Caja Rural, Popular, Bankinter, Kutxabank and Cajamar.

Other entities, such as Liberbank, Kutxabank or Abanca have imposed certain conditions for a free cash withdrawal at ATMs network Euro 6000, Bankia and Sabadell.

For Liberbank, extracting cash debit will be free as long as the amount exceeds 100 euro. Meanwhile, Abanca sets a limit of five operations per month and Kutxabank offers three withdrawals per month and three balance inquiries.

Evo Bank is the only bank that has announced it will take the commission from ATMs applying other banks, including those not in agreement. In this case, the customer must withdraw an amount equal to or greater than 120 euro for the operation to be free.

Meanwhile, Popular and Bankia have signed agreements with others to obtain advantages when a debit card is used to withdraw money. So, Popular, Kutxabank, Cajamar Caja Rural will involve a 0.65 euro charge for the use of their terminals, the same amount will be charged between Bankia, Sabadell and entities of the Red Euro 6000.

This policy leaves some entities outside agreements, so the fees charged between them for the use of ATMs varies depending on the bank. Sabadell for example will charge 1.80 euro to non-customers outside conventions, Kutxabank 1.90 euro, España Duero 2 euro and Bankia 0.98 euro.