Quote from: Newportnobby on August 25, 2026, 04:15:07 PMJust for general info, according to Natwest the SWIFT code is now a BIC

A BIC (sometimes referred to as SWIFT code) is a unique set of characters, being either 8 or 11 numbers and letters. This enables easy identification of financial institutions (e.g. banks) when carrying out international transactions.

Some countries, and the finance departments in companies in those countries, have different names and even different codes.

Getting paid by a South African company proved quite difficult, and don't even expect any company in the U $ of A to even pretend to recognise your bank account, let alone want to part with their own dollar$.

Just personal experience 

Just for general info, according to Natwest the SWIFT code is now a BIC

A BIC (sometimes referred to as SWIFT code) is a unique set of characters, being either 8 or 11 numbers and letters. This enables easy identification of financial institutions (e.g. banks) when carrying out international transactions.

Quote from: Malc-c on August 25, 2026, 11:16:37 AMNow I'm not defending RM - Compared to other countries we pay extortionate prices to send parcels to both internal and overseas destinations.  But as far as tracking is concerned I can't complain

Try using the USPS some day 

I pay more for shipping a Zimo decoder from a US supplier than I do shipping a loco from UK shops.

Regards,

John P

Thanks for the donations so far.   

Quote from: Newportnobby on August 24, 2026, 08:55:17 AMAll seems a bit pointless to me as, once it's left the UK, RM don't give a 
That's their bit done and you can't even see if it's arrived in the destination country, let alone the actual delivery address.
Anyone experienced the same, or knows how to get further details?

May I ask what exactly do you want from RM when sending a package abroad ?

Once the parcel leaves the UK and arrives in the destination country it is entered into that countries postal service.  The tracking information update frequency is down to the overseas system and RM have no influence on how often updates are posted.  Should something go wrong and the package get lost RM will contact the overseas service provider on your behalf to instigate a case.  They can't do any more than you can and get the same info you will see when entering the overseas tracking system.  If after a period set in the ts & cs (often 30 days) its deemed a total loss RM will compensate you and handle the reclaim from the overseas company.

Its been established from other posts that the frequency of the overseas tracking info appears is very varied, with some being very frequent to very late.  That's not RM's fault.

Now I'm not defending RM - Compared to other countries we pay extortionate prices to send parcels to both internal and overseas destinations.  But as far as tracking is concerned I can't complain

I used bank transfers 20-30 years ago for dealings with friends and shops in Germany, but the cost was stupid. I could use online banking (I use that for domestic bills and transfers),  but mostly I find Paypal much much easier

Quote from: Bealman on August 25, 2026, 09:21:01 AMI'll come clean. I've never tried the IBAN code yet. When I got out of the doc's it was very cold and pouring down. It's winter here, remember.

Went home instead 

Wimp

I'll come clean. I've never tried the IBAN code yet. When I got out of the doc's it was very cold and pouring down. It's winter here, remember.

Went home instead 

It doesn't help that a certain Australian Moderator and myself are Luddites

Quote from: Graham on August 24, 2026, 11:41:43 PM3. Wise or Revolut cards, often the best exchange rate available, as Chris explained.

One of the key things about what I wanted to say on Wise was that it does not even need to involve their card. To collect money it just generates bank account details in the sending parties country's banking system that you share with them (I suppose you could call it a kind of "collection account") so that they only need make a domestic transfer. And to send money it is similarly super simple,

Cheers,

Colin.