International bank transfer

[Jennybeans401]

I'm self employed and have a client who is now overseas in Holland. I'm really struggling financially at the moment and waiting for a bank transfer from them. They sent it last Wednesday but still not received it here.

My heating, gas, food is so high at the moment and I've got to pay for Xmas yet with the dcs.

Does anyone know how long International transfers take,? My bank are very vague

They can take 7-10 working days. Have you got the transfer receipt as you might be able to track the payment with your bank using that.

Thanks, yes the client sent me the receipt. Its a Dutch bank called Amro, initially the client said 1-2 working days. I've been beside myself as its a large amount.

I just use Paypal, could this work for you in future?

I'm having problems with PayPal too unfortunately, it's been really hard recently

Was it a SEPA or a SWIFT payment? Assuming SWIFT if they have sent GBP? These can take anywhere between 4-7 working days but if not received by close of business today (and you're happy with details on the receipt being accurate) I would be asking the remitter to put an urgent trace on the payment.

I'm not sure, this is new to me and I'm trying to work it out. Is there anything on the receipt that would show SEPA or SWIFT? My client spoke to her bank yesterday and they said it could take 'several days'.

The payment was sent in the evening last Wednesday so its been approximately four working days by close of business today.

Did you provide them with your IBAN or just account number and sort code?

ABN AMRO have a UK clearing arm so it's likely going through them and onto your bank. If the details were wrong though it may get held up but the sender would likely have to chase to find where it had reached so far

Was it a direct transfer? I do that from my banking app overseas (UAE)to the UK and payment is instant. The longest from another account (Oz) to Jersey takes max 3 days.

The system they use is antiquated or something has going wrong. Can she send you a screenshot of the transfer so you can check the details?

A payment I sent once got ‘lost’. It hovered around in the ether for a week before reappearing in my account so I could resend.

Usually a couple of working days but can be a week, other countries have different holidays which explains most delays.

abn amro is one of the big banks in the netherlands so hopefully if should be fine.

can your client give you a screenshot so that you can follow up with your bank?

for the future would setting up ability for card payments be viable for you?

Banks often take around a week outside the euro zone. For future work, Wise gets money to the UK within an hour and is normally cheaper.

I frequently transfer between EU and UK and at most (using SEPA) it shows in my accounts the following day.

(the SEPA transfer uses the HSBC Swift code for the other account)

I did think that post Brexit SEPA would no longer work (or as quickly) but at least between Italy and the UK, nothing has changed.

Wise and Paysend are almost instant but I've often found bank transfers outside of the UK to the UK can take about 7 days. Longer if there's any bank holidays. Maybe in the future if money is tight you could both set up a wise account (goes directly into your bank account but very fast and efficient).

No more than 3 working days for payments from Ireland / France / Spain to my UK business account.
Have you got proof they sent it or are they buying time using the 'transfer time' as an excuse?

There's a receipt with the Dutch bank logo at the top, a reference number beginning with EM at the top and the amount paid in euros converted to sterling amount. All my account details are right, I'm looking at the worst case scenario of 7-10 working days and trying to figure out if we will manage till then.

I will look into the Wise account if it makes transfers quicker! I'm so stressed with it

How "big" is big?
Don't shoot me, because these are big numbers, but moving under £1000 was fairly quick. More than that seemed to need some extra checks, and things slowed down. 10,000 took awhile - and that was from our account to our account.

It's under 1000 but would make a massive difference to our finances if it comes in today or tomorrow

Wise is quicker. When I used it I would send money from my foreign bank card directly to my UK bank card. With paysend I send money from my foreign bank card directly into my UK bank account. So both examples are a bit like making a sale on your bank card.

I hope you can get it sorted OP. I'm not experienced in these matters but I would say give it a few more days and hopefully it will be there.

Hope it’s in your bank account very soon OP. We worry about bank transfers too, but it’s always ok in then end as I’m sure yours will be.

Just transferred money from a UAE bank to Natwest in the UK for my DS It arrived instantly.

There are no excuses for these banks to take longer. They are deliberately incompetent.

Hope it arrives for you by tomorrow OP!

Checked this morning and still nothing. I rang my own bank yesterday and they said they felt sure it would arrive by today. Today I think is four working days.

My bank said there's nothing they can do but seem totally clueless about international transfers.

Some posters on here said it can take 7-10 working days, has anyone got experience of this?