Hello all,
When I first arrived here, I opened up a basic Sparkasse Girokonto account with Sparkasse Freising. I'm sick of the insane hours and monthly fees though. So I opened up an account at another bank. My Sparkasse account is about one year old and I would now like to close it.
1) If I do so, what do I have to bring with me to the bank (passport?)
2) What fees can I expect?
3) Can I close a Sparkasse Freising account from the Kreissparkasse in Munich?
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Advice on closing a Sparkasse bank account
Can this be done from any branch? Other tips?
QUOTE (thefirelane @ Dec 7 2007, 2:00 pm) 
Can I close a Sparkasse Freising account from the Kreissparkasse in Munich?
No I don't think you can. I tried to close an account I had with Sparkasse Bremen with the Kreissparkasse Munich some years ago and I couldn't.
I am not sure on the other things I assume just take usual passport, anmeldung, photocopies of birth certificates of the last 10 people you sat next to on the bus etc. I doubt there would be any fees.
It would have been easier if you had let the new bank do all this for you.
But now to your questions:
1, bring your passport, regardless if you need it or not. Better have it with you rather than having to get back to get it. Also make sure you bring all cards issued by the bank.
2, According to their Preisaushang/pricetable they will charge you 1 EUR for every cancelled regular money-transfer. They can't charge you for the cancellation of your account. But they will take money from you.
3, No.
But now to your questions:
1, bring your passport, regardless if you need it or not. Better have it with you rather than having to get back to get it. Also make sure you bring all cards issued by the bank.
2, According to their Preisaushang/pricetable they will charge you 1 EUR for every cancelled regular money-transfer. They can't charge you for the cancellation of your account. But they will take money from you.
3, No.
I think it's illegal for a bank to charge for the specific act of closing a current account.
But as MichiS says - they might try to find some other ways of charging you anyway...
But as MichiS says - they might try to find some other ways of charging you anyway...
Yes, it is illegal to charge for closing a bank account. Stiftung Warentest mentioned that a while ago (a year or so), but when I closed my Sparkasse Heidelberg account in the summer of 2004 they charged me €10. Now I know better but then I didn't, so if they charge you anything specifically for closing the account let them know what they are doing is illegal (it is possible though that this was something that changed between 2004 and now and that it wasn't illegal when they did it to me).
Here is a link about this: http://www.verbraucherzentrale-bayern.de/U...ink196899A.html
Here is a link about this: http://www.verbraucherzentrale-bayern.de/U...ink196899A.html
QUOTE
Entgelte für die Kontoauflösung und fristgemäße Auflösung des Sparguthabens
Kunden dürfen eine Geschäftsverbindung zu ihrer Bank - z.B. das Girokonto - ohne weiteres fristlos kündigen. Kontoauflösungsgebühren brauchen sie nicht zu zahlen. Auch bei einem fristgemäß gekündigten Sparbuch fallen keine „Strafgebühren" an. Ein Sparbuch kann der Kunde nicht vorzeitig auflösen, wenn das Sparguthaben für einen bestimmten Zeitraum fest angelegt ist oder eine Kündigungsfrist vereinbart wurde. Wer das dennoch will, muss sich mit dem Geldinstitut darüber einigen. In der Regel verlangt dieses dann für den entgangenen Gewinn eine Entschädigung
Kunden dürfen eine Geschäftsverbindung zu ihrer Bank - z.B. das Girokonto - ohne weiteres fristlos kündigen. Kontoauflösungsgebühren brauchen sie nicht zu zahlen. Auch bei einem fristgemäß gekündigten Sparbuch fallen keine „Strafgebühren" an. Ein Sparbuch kann der Kunde nicht vorzeitig auflösen, wenn das Sparguthaben für einen bestimmten Zeitraum fest angelegt ist oder eine Kündigungsfrist vereinbart wurde. Wer das dennoch will, muss sich mit dem Geldinstitut darüber einigen. In der Regel verlangt dieses dann für den entgangenen Gewinn eine Entschädigung
I closed my "spar"kasse köln account because of the unreasonable fees, to a bank which doesnt charge.
Guess what? The F***ers took 2 WEEKS to transfer my balance, and to do that needed me to go into a branch twice with passport etc.
Guess what? The F***ers took 2 WEEKS to transfer my balance, and to do that needed me to go into a branch twice with passport etc.
The best thing to do is to transfer the bulk of the balance out using a normal Überweisung to your new account and then fill out the closing paperwork.
I plan on closing my Stadtsparkasse Muenchen account this week. Can I just ask for the money I have to be paid out in cash (it isn't much) and then close it? Or do you reckon they'll make a fuss?
They should not make a fuss at all. I closed mine a few years back and just signed a few papers before receiving the money. If they kick up a fuss then just tell them to mind their own business and get the account closed.
Should be no problem at all, if you're there in person to sign the paperwork.
They will refund all the money except the amount charged on your "GeldKarte" ( in case you have charged it to purchase MVV tickets etc).
They should calculate the fees (Kontoführungsgebühren) on the spot and retain that amount, giving you cash for the remainder. Demand that they do it. Don't accept a bulk retainer, insist on the exact amount. If they refuse, just withdraw everything and give them the mental finger. Be mean, they were mean to Cat last week.
Eep - it says in the above quote that there's no Kontoführungsgebühren to pay.. what would I have to pay? You mean the ca. €6 they charge me every month for the 'honour' of having an account with them?
Also, 2nd dumb question - I presume that they keep cash/change. not just notes. I want every single cent back in cash!
Also, 2nd dumb question - I presume that they keep cash/change. not just notes. I want every single cent back in cash!
Yes, they would have coins.
As for the Kontoführungsgebühr: Maybe they will ask to receive the monthly fee for the ongoing month in advance (not sure if it's charged at the beginning or the end of the month). Beyond that, I don't think they can charge you anything (it's not legal to charge for closing an account, AFAIK).
As for the Kontoführungsgebühr: Maybe they will ask to receive the monthly fee for the ongoing month in advance (not sure if it's charged at the beginning or the end of the month). Beyond that, I don't think they can charge you anything (it's not legal to charge for closing an account, AFAIK).
Great, that's acceptable I s'pose Thanks for your help everyone! Quite sad to be breaking my last official tie with Germany (excl. friends).
Thanks for your help everyone! Quite sad to be breaking my last official tie with Germany (excl. friends).
QUOTE (thefirelane @ Dec 7 2007, 3:00 pm)
3) Can I close a Sparkasse Freising account from the Kreissparkasse in Munich?
i doubt it unless you are opening an account with the Kreissparkasse München at the same time. If you change banks within the Sparkassenverbund *sometimes* they will take care of sending off the paperwork for you (but not always).
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