So I need to make a large transfer from uk to france asap. looking at the different rates, direct from bank (which is worse than paypal. or a transfer agency. Who to use and who to avoid.
I have to have the money here asap though as need to buy a new car and im currently without.
I tend to use transferwise, but there are a few other companies that offer just as good a service now.
yes have a transferwise quote and its not much better than the bank to be honest. never having used them i just use the bank normally in the past but the rate is so crap i need to make a saving somewhere. Just saw on facebook a few weeks back people grumbling abut them as well
Transferwise usually matches bank rates but its great advantage (for me) is that it’s so easy. All done online in a few clicks and the money is showing in my UK bank in less than half a minute.
But, I tend to use it for occasional small amounts when I suddenly realise that my UK account has no money left in it and I need to top it up quick. For a large one-off transfer, I guess the priorities are different.
Sounds like you should be looking at ForEx companies. I used to use HiFx when I was in the buying a house phase, I assume they’re still going?
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I’ve used HiFx and Currencies Direct, but not much to choose between the bigger players really.
I used Currencies Direct in the past… many years ago, so no idea if they match up these days…
+1 for transferwise, the last UK->France transfer took about an hour to be deposited.
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We use HiFX and I’m very happy with the service.
Smart Currency are trying to get me with them.
I guess you have to see the rates on the day, have one on the phone, another online and ‘click’ / ‘say yes’ to the best deal at the time.
Transferwise for me too. They are easy to use online, quick to get the money into my French bank and give a good rate of exchange. Used to use Currency Fair and then FC Exchange but TW is now better.
On the same theme, in the past I’ve just got the live rates up on screen and then called my preferred company and asked if they’d beat the others rate. If you don’t ask…
thanks everyone all sorted and now going in my bank here ready for me to buy a new car tomorrow. ended up going with the bank as transferwise was offering a very similar rate to the bank and I had no time to haggle plus shed loads of documents I needed to fill out and half the stuff is locked in a safe in a different location lol and no car 
I got a friend to do a quote check on TW.
Which bank Harry? That seems great if you can get FX style rates from your bank all done and dusted on a Friday evening. What rate did you get? I just looked at TW but from experience I know if I dealt now the money wouldn’t arrive until after the weekend.
typing too fast its going in my bank here its not actually hit yet but now its going in I can go tomorrow and get a car if I find one as I cannot just drive out of a car shop with a car on the day, getting the paperwork done takes a couple of days I believe. I’m not getting a spanking new one but a second hand one so a new CT will be in order and other stuff too depending on the car I settle on. I edited and added the missing word as was scratching my head over your comment had to reread several times till i spotted the error. The rate was different and yes I did loose on some money but nothing that im bothered about as it was a choice of spend an evening messing round with paperwork for a one of transfer or loose some cash for using the bank. Had I been setting up for a long term multiple use thing I would have gone t torfx as James recommended but just did not seem like it was worth the time and effort to mess about on top of running ky business who i would have had to trouble someone t come and cover for me to dig through the paperwork i needed.
You didn’t say which bank you use but TransferWise saves me a worthwhile sum compared to direct transfers from my U.K. to French banks. Once set up, a five minute job, it is very easy to use and instantaneous. Tor FX, when I looked at them, were clunky in comparison. I guess it’s of more use to people like me than yourself as presumably you only transfer money very occasionally.
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It won’t help the OP now. For anyone else reading this in a similar situation: I found XE.com to provide the better rates. They were much better than many currency transfer companies.
Do bear in mind that there are laws requiring these companies to make checks on new accounts. These are to prevent money laundering and other ilegal practices. It does require filling in a form or two and providing proof of ID and address, but is not onerous. It will add a few days to the process.
From what I recall, setting up an a/c with TransferWise was very easy and ready to use instantly. I certainly don’t remember having to wait days?
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yes ive never used them before but as i needed to get it across asap having found out there was lots of forms to fill in and checks it was just simpler to do it with the bank.
Glad their procedures are in place though.
it wasn’t days it was the fact the documents they needed are in another house in a safe and I have no car 
would have meant someone coming to pick me up to go to open the safe to come back here and then go back to put it all in the safe again to then come back here again. would have taken the best part of 2 hours plus just for that part plus said person waiting round while i filled in the forms and found someone with a scanner to scan documents in at 7pm at night along with having to get someone to come here to sit with my dog guests while I did all this.
For one transfer that i needed doing asap as I cannot be without a car as without a car i cannot get kids taken to bus stop or pick them up.
Hence why i went with the bank.
the paperwork i was referring to taking a couple of days was the car paperwork cart grisse, ct etc.
There is no right-way, as such, of transferring money… the list is long and TORFX is one that gets good revues… as do others… …
Each of us will make a decision based on our own circumstances at the time…
One thing you can be sure of… for the many, many good experiences, there will be someone who had the reverse… but that’s just Life. 
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