Inernational bank transfers and exchange rates

[Joanna]

A guest from the US transferred their deposit and it arrived £20 short (before our bank charges). It's now time for the balance and I've emailed the guest letting them know the amount that we need to make it up to the correct total. They've emailed back to say:

"will attempt to net fees to arrive at a correct amount due. Hopefully with the exchange rates that are given this will be close. If not, I can mail any difference to you once in the U.K. if there is a shortage. "

I thought that if they told the bank what amount they wanted in GBP then the bank would make sure that was the amount that was sent, regardless of the local currency. We've had a few overseas payments from Australia, the US and Canada and as far as I can remember they've all arrived as the right amount (before our bank deducted it's fees).

Does anyone have experience of foreign currency transfers and can fluctuating exchange rates make that much difference?

[Big Sis..]

Ive had this happen Jo,sometimes fees are deducted both ends and the sendee isnt aware.
There is a one thread here about it, but it has been discussed quite a bit on here so there are other threads.

viewtopic.php?t=12712&highlight=bank+transfers

[Joanna]

Thanks for the link - I tried searching for other threads but I was looking in 'handling rental enquiries' so that one hadn't come up. Sounds like the £20 is probably bank fees rather than something to do with exchange rates. I'm happy to let it go since most other times the money comes through OK and I don't think they are deliberately trying to rip us off.

It's probably more than it would have cost us to go through PayPal but if it's only once in a while then I won't worry about it. We only have about half a dozen overseas guests a year so it's not going to have a big impact on our turnover!