Ulster Bank: Easy Access Savings Account at 1.25% pa

miller

As I look to the right of my MSE display I appreciate the irony when I see a link to "Banks to be forced to publish service data under new plans from regulator".

Think I am almost approaching the 4 week mark now waiting for that anytime card.

getting_close

My sister in law opened an account-it went through quite quickly.
Set the on line account up and ordered a card reader. Yesterday she received a txt thanking her for informing them of her change of address?? and another account opened with a different customer ref no.
Spent ages on the phone to them-their Indian Customer services were next to useless and quite rude - not listening and continually speaking over what she was trying to say and telling her she had opened this additional account when she hadn't.
Passed on to a higher level after insisting repeatedly, this call was handled more professionally but they could not explain why the second account was opened or the reason for the txt. To cap it all she can't log into her original account.
Pathetic to say the least, including the random way they ask for details during the account opening process.
Fortunately no money was transferred into the first account-letters in the post to close both these accounts.

PauloF1

I opened an account with these comedians, yes it's a good interest rate, but no it's not worth it. The online application process is flakey, as described by many others here, the online registration process is rubbish & confusing, signing up for an e-saver with online banking & not being able to do any online banking is a complete joke!

I have loads of different accounts & used pretty much every provider... but I made the mistake of putting money in that I need & whatever you do they won't give you it to you, even though they made a mistake weeks ago on the card reader when they said it's on the way.

My advice is AVOID ULSTER BANK AT ALL COSTS, I intend to push this to Watchdog to see if they're interested, plus the press, if anyone wants to get involved then do get in touch with me. A simple online search, or this forum, shows how many people are having this issue. If anyone want's to read my sorry tail, here it is: -

1. I applied for an e-saver with online banking, e-saver was confirmed, no online banking detail was ever provided though, even though it said I would receive them through the post or email...

2. I tried the credentials from the initial set-up, not recognised, so I registered again for anytime banking & I received an email confirming it, I logged in the next day & it worked.

3. A couple of days later I logged in to move some money, it let me go through the whole process & said I needed a card reader, I didn’t have a card or a reader, but when I tried to order one it logged me out!

4. I rang & spoke to a phone banking rep the same day, as I needed to move money urgently, she transferred it for me & assured me the reader was on the way as it was showing pending.

5. I rang yesterday, as I needed to move money before the end of the month, I was told that no card reader was ever ordered, she’d got it wrong! I was also told that I can’t transfer any money & it would take 7 days for the card reader to arrive. Despite me arguing that they’d moved money before, now it apparently can’t be done!

6. I escalated it as a complaint, the complaints rep told me that she would try & sort it & get back to me tomorrow, it also appears it’s a “won’t move money”, as it was admitted that the original person shouldn’t have moved the funds last time!

7. I got a call back today to say nothing can be done, all that they can do is escalate it & that takes 7-10 days to be investigated! She also told me that I need a card for the reader & that comes after the reader arrives, so could take up to 15 days! I also can’t shut the account & move my money to get access to it either, without doing this in writing & it could take days.

What an online banking service, I now read of other people who have waited 3-4 weeks for their reader & card even though they ordered one the day they first logged in! It would be nice to get this trending on social media: #AvoidUlsterBank

veryintrigued

PauloF1 wrote: »

.....my sorry tail, here it is...

PauloF1 wrote: »

I intend to push this to Watchdog to see if they're interested....

:eek: No-one wants to see a sorry tail (sic) on prime TV.

On a more serious note its been a real pickle for quite a few of you people. Hope it gets resolved. Fingers crossed some of you new posters hang around.

PauloF1

Yep, auto correct is wonderful thing, apart from when you have a tale to tell..

I consider myself savvy when it comes to this sort of thing, I had an account that needed a reader from the Co-Op a few years back, they made it crystal clear in the application process & it, plus the card, was with me within 5 days.

I should have checked I could withdraw money first, rather than that it was just in the account, what a pillock to assume setting up online banking actually let me carry out online banking...

The major annoyance is that their customer service sucks & they seem to have no regard for trapping peoples money. I chased it to check/resolve the issues & have been given incorrect info pretty much every time (as have a lot of people on here). Everything they do seems designed to make it as awkward as possible, antiquated IT is one thing, but lack of any attempt to help a customer, or a work around like fast tracking a card reader & card out is another thing.

eskbanker

PauloF1 wrote: »

I also can’t shut the account & move my money to get access to it either, without doing this in writing & it could take days.

According to the extract from their Ts & Cs that I included in post #68 above, accounts can be closed online - is there actually an option on their site to do so and if so, does it work?

Iris_Rose

I had a nightmare just opening this account and got caught in the same traps as Paul Plus CS contradict each other, and you get cut off at the slightest thing. Not to mention hours just waiting to be answered. To be honest at least the Indian web chat works quite well, even if they give you the wrong info. There are instructions on how to close online, but when I followed the instructions they were wrong - and links mentioned not there. So DON'T put any money in that you cannot afford to have no access to. Or go to Shawbrook Bank who do 1.2% and the ease of set up and access is just balm after UB. I reckon my blood pressure has gone up enormously. I have decided to wait until the card reader comes, transfer just about all of the money out and then close the account. The amount of hassle I have had is just not worth it.

PauloF1

They have nice contradictory T&Cs, which I shall invite the FSA to look at, although they'll expect me to have dealt fully with the bloody bank first!

You can't do anything online, without the bloody reader & card, I had that argument with them today; apparently they don't send out these readers because some customers don't want to be able to take funds out of their account because they can't control themselves :rotfl:

More like they are penny pinching, or just plain incompetent, now I've had dealings with their badly trained staff.

PauloF1

Oh, by the way, if anybody fancies getting this trending on Twitter, I've gone with #AvoidUlsterBank

colsten

eskbanker wrote: »

According to the extract from their Ts & Cs that I included in post #68 above, accounts can be closed online - is there actually an option on their site to do so and if so, does it work?

It's not only in the T&Cs. It also works. I have closed an old Ulster savings account by sending them an online request. It took a couple of days for it being closed but all went without a hitch. Closing interest was transferred to my new saver. The only "warning" I would give is that you could lose any payees you may have set up. For me, this was a minor issue as I had only 1 payee, and it was easily set up again as I have had an Ulster card and PIN, and plenty of card readers for ages.