Another bank rant. I have been trying today to find out how much it would cost me to receive some money in US dollars wired to my bank account. HSBC’s web site does not detail these charges, but two (yes TWO - because the person I thought could answer my question was unable to but she gave a number of who might) phone calls yielded some nebulous information.
It will cost between £8 and £15. I told them how much I thought would be transferred (actually a minimum figure -this is a spot of research for some people I work for), and they could not narrow it down. I’d have to actually get the payment to see what it will cost.
I have also found out that HSBC in the UK is a separate business entity to HSBC in the USA, so shunting money around, even between accounts held with them in each territory will yield fees at both ends of the transaction.
What is annoying is the lack of information on their web site (Natwest and Barclays actually tell you what their fees are up front). The only information on HSBC’s site about receiving payments is in their international bank account section, where it says that they would only tell you once you have signed up for that particular account. That account appears to be a fees magnet.
My next port of call is to drop a complaint their way. Yes, I ranted here first, you lucky, lucky people!
), and it still hasn't 
