Moving to Singapore? Ask our regular expats in Singapore questions on relocation and their experience here. Ask about banking, employment pass, insurance, visa, work permit, citizenship or immigration issues.
-
domshum
- Newbie
![Newbie Newbie]()
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun, 28 Aug 2011 1:14 am
- Location: London
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by domshum » Fri, 09 Sep 2011 6:33 pm
Hello All,
Hope you can help me. As most in this forum are, or already have, I am moving to Singapore in October! Woo Hoo!
My question is simple, and I'm sure someone will be able to provide me with an equally as simple answer...so here goes!
How do you pay your bills back home? I will be getting paid in $S, but will have bills to pay back in the UK (obviously in £UK). Do you money transfer from SG bank to UK bank? If so am I going to get ripped off on exchange rates etc

? You get the jist, hope you can help.
Thanks

Danke
-
beppi
- Manager
![Manager Manager]()
- Posts: 1767
- Joined: Thu, 07 Sep 2006 11:15 am
- Location: Ahlongistan (O$P$)
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by beppi » Fri, 09 Sep 2011 8:21 pm
You either do bank transfers to your UK account, or you arrange to pay the bills with your (Singapore) credit card.
In both cases you lose a few percent in conversion and transfer fees (the banks will always get your money!). Payment by credit card, although normal in Asia and North America, seems still uncommon in Europe. Shame on them backward societies! (I am European, too ...)
-
durain
- Director
![Director Director]()
- Posts: 3666
- Joined: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 8:15 pm
- Location: Location: Location: Location:
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by durain » Fri, 09 Sep 2011 9:22 pm
so you are paying bills on your empty
property in UK?
-
domshum
- Newbie
![Newbie Newbie]()
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun, 28 Aug 2011 1:14 am
- Location: London
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by domshum » Sat, 10 Sep 2011 7:05 am
Hi thanks for the advice, it's pretty much as I thought.
The bills are my credit cards in UK and also a car i don't wish to sell just yet...I'll maybe go see what inquire what outrageous charges the UK banks will hit me with
Danke
-
JR8
- Immortal
![Immortal Immortal]()
- Posts: 16522
- Joined: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:43 pm
- Location: K. Puki Manis
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by JR8 » Sat, 10 Sep 2011 8:04 am
I used to just leave a grand or two in the UK bank account, and bills were paid by DD. The credit card was set to pay in full each month from the same, but I got a local card for say to day spending. That arrangement would tick over untouched for six months+ at a time.
Any time back in the UK I'd take another grand or two (cash exchange rates in SG are probably the sharpest you'll get anywhere in the world) and deposit that. You can keep an eye on things via online banking.
If your UK outgoings are going to continue at more than say £100-200 a month then you're going to have to put a bigger float in the UK account or maybe bite the bullet and do wired fund transfers. The latter are c. £25-40 a go.... but if you're an expat I trust your package in-the-round compensates for these little annoyances.
-
domshum
- Newbie
![Newbie Newbie]()
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun, 28 Aug 2011 1:14 am
- Location: London
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by domshum » Fri, 16 Sep 2011 5:19 pm
Thanks for all the advice guys, much appreciated
Danke
-
QRM
- Manager
![Manager Manager]()
- Posts: 1831
- Joined: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 5:23 pm
- Location: Nassim hill
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by QRM » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 9:07 am
I use an independent
property manager she looks after all the properties, I give her a float and at the end of the tax year she send over a breakdown of all the costs. She charges a fee but all it takes is one rogue council tax bill to slip through your net and you get hits with all the summons, balif fees etc. which far exceeds her fees.
-
JR8
- Immortal
![Immortal Immortal]()
- Posts: 16522
- Joined: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:43 pm
- Location: K. Puki Manis
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by JR8 » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:42 am
QRM wrote:I use an independent
property manager she looks after all the properties, I give her a float and at the end of the tax year she send over a breakdown of all the costs. She charges a fee but all it takes is one rogue council tax bill to slip through your net and you get hits with all the summons, balif fees etc. which far exceeds her fees.
That's interesting, an
annual statement. I get monthly statements, and even then find a I spend a large amount of time managing the managers.
-
QRM
- Manager
![Manager Manager]()
- Posts: 1831
- Joined: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 5:23 pm
- Location: Nassim hill
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by QRM » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 4:44 pm
The one rule, anything that cost over 200 quid she need to inform me, other than that she has a free run. Because she is independent it doesn't mater which agency gets the tenant in, it doesn't effect the management of the place.
-
JR8
- Immortal
![Immortal Immortal]()
- Posts: 16522
- Joined: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:43 pm
- Location: K. Puki Manis
-
Quote
-
0
login to like this post
Post
by JR8 » Sat, 17 Sep 2011 7:58 pm
QRM wrote:The one rule, anything that cost over 200 quid she need to inform me, other than that she has a free run. Because she is independent it doesn't mater which agency gets the tenant in, it doesn't effect the management of the place.
OIC. I think the issue with my agent is that I deal with so many different people that accountability gets lost, mistakes happen, and their statements are wrong perhaps 50% of the time.
Also, thinking about it, perhaps one of the bigger causes of trouble is that they issue the statements as they come out of their system without any checks on whether the figures add up or make sense.
-
-
- 3 Replies
- 2725 Views
-
Last post by PNGMK
Thu, 09 Jan 2020 1:22 pm
-
-
Back to Back EP Application for same FIN holder
Replies: 5
First post
Hello,
I have an unexpected situation.
My current EP is due for renewal hence, my current employer submitted the EP renewal application last...
Last post
Hello,
I have an unexpected situation.
My current EP is due for renewal hence, my current employer submitted the EP renewal application last...
- 5 Replies
- 2386 Views
-
Last post by Siv
Tue, 07 Jan 2020 1:26 pm
-
-
Problem paying Unsecured Loans
Replies: 2
First post
Hi , i have read many threads about outstanding loans here in singapore
I was singapore PR from 2005-2017, in 2017 i moved back to my country.. then...
Last post
Actually Michael MAS is extending that (with some conditions around part payment) to June 2021 I believe. However a giant freaking caveat - your...
- 2 Replies
- 4073 Views
-
Last post by PNGMK
Mon, 12 Oct 2020 11:47 am
-
-
- 0 Replies
- 2869 Views
-
Last post by Jayson L
Thu, 27 Aug 2020 1:07 pm
-
-
- 7 Replies
- 12187 Views
-
Last post by BBCDoc
Sun, 17 Jan 2021 11:50 am
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests