Santander say Northern Ireland is not part of UK!

fluffnutter

Thing is, however stupid, they can make their own rules up (provided they're not illegal). If they want to decide that they'll block your card in NI, then that's up to them. It's only some dozy call centre employee who's decided NI's not in the UK - I doubt it's a company belief. If NI comes under 'areas that constitute unusual spending' then so be it. Christ alone knows why people bank with Santander anyway.

Azari

Santander may be being a bit daft with their terminology (although NI is 'abroad' in the sense that 'abroad' can mean overseas) but their intent is sound.

If someone normally only uses a CC in the UK then it is quite reasonable to check when that person suddenly uses it from somewhere that requires either a flight or ferry crossing.

mamabuddah

sounds like The Isle of Man is out of bounds as well then....lol

redped

RichGold wrote: »

Northern Ireland IS part of the UK.

They have a history of not wanting to be, but they are.

That'll be a minority percentage who don't want to be, whilst the majority do (I'm not getting into if/when the minority will become the majority, just clarifying the current position).

As for the ignorance of the muppet in Santander's call centre, it's not the first time a lot of people in NI have encountered such things. I was on a course in England a few years ago, and a well-educated manager in Vodafone was certain that she would have to use the Republic of Ireland's international dialling code (353) to phone people in in NI.

Don't the schools teach even basic geography these days? As others have said, do these people know about the Channel Islands, Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, umpteen Scottish islands?

George_Michael

redped wrote: »

Don't the schools teach even basic geography these days? As others have said, do these people know about the Channel Islands, Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, umpteen Scottish islands?

What do the Channel Islands have to do with it?
They are not part of the UK.

redped

George_Michael wrote: »

What do the Channel Islands have to do with it?
They are not part of the UK.

I never said they were - I'm fully aware they're a crown dependency (as is the Isle of Man). I'm just making the point that some people on the UK mainland tend to view anywhere that requires a ferry or plane to get to as being foreign.

bingo_bango

redped wrote: »

That'll be a minority percentage who don't want to be, whilst the majority do (I'm not getting into if/when the minority will become the majority, just clarifying the current position).

Why mention it then? It has nothing to do with OP and is just you getting your view across on a public forum.

Cheap shot if you ask me. And I don't actually care one way or another what failed reports and skewed statistical analysis say. I'm quite happy to remain in the UK. Unless of course the South suddenly becomes extremely wealthy again and provides everyone living there with a free au pair just to make life a bit easier

As for banknotes....I've only ever once had a problem with a northern banknote, and that was in a Wilkos(?) in Glasgow. Accepted everywhere else I've been across GB.

This just reaffirms why my Santander account only has £0.81 in it.

redped

bingo_bango wrote: »

Why mention it then? It has nothing to do with OP and is just you getting your view across on a public forum.

I was only clarifying a point made by a previous poster, so that others don't think everyone in NI wants out of the UK. It wasn't my intention to get my political view across on a forum.

bingo_bango wrote: »

Cheap shot if you ask me. And I don't actually care one way or another what failed reports and skewed statistical analysis say. I'm quite happy to remain in the UK. Unless of course the South suddenly becomes extremely wealthy again and provides everyone living there with a free au pair just to make life a bit easier

Sounds like you're getting your view across on a public forum FWIW (i.e. very little), I actually agree with you on the views you've expressed.

bingo_bango

Fair point!

I won't mention it again if you don't

redped

No problem, just don't mention the free au pair to my wife :rotfl: