Ulster Bank: Easy Access Savings Account at 1.25% pa

soulsaver

I have to take it back:mad: - just tried again to make a telephone banking payment and can't.

Their telephone banking guy says it wont let him do it, and his supervisor says the same ... and his manager!

"Nothing they can do until (other than you can write in...:eek:)until the anytime card is activated".

I've asked the manager to take ownership of this problem and chase the complaints team/card team. He has undertook to come back to me Monday.

I asked them for a payment from the Ulster Banks suspense account until it was sorted. I thought that was reasonable.

He was categorical that was 'NEVER going to happen'.

I asked if I had a UB current account would I be able to transfer to it without a card reader: Yes, he said.

So maybe I'll open a current account, at least then I will have a solution (if correct) on the horizon.

This is going to cost them with the FCA /banking ombudsman in fines, I'd suggest.

Have edited earlier post to avoid misleading (more) people.

PauloF1

Come on people, lets' not stand for this terrible service from these charlatans, if they can't run a proper bank to avoid trapping peoples money & offer decent customer service, then they shouldn't be in the banking business.

I'm going to BBC Watchdog on Monday & looking to take this further with the FCA & Ombudsman if anyone wants to join in?

In the meantime a little Twitter publicity via #AvoidUlsterBank would be good!

steve65e

Today is four weeks since I opened the account, but still no Anytime card. I've just spoken to them via the chat box. Apparently it was 'dispatched' on 5 July, so must be 'lost in transit'. A new card and pin has been ordered.

I'm sure it is just a coincidence that other people haven't received their cards. Perhaps theirs are also 'lost in transit'.

eskbanker

£€$Â¥ wrote: »

I have had no problems at all opening the account and depositing money, but I do not think that I was alerted at any time during that process that I would need a card to use in a card reader if I wanted to withdraw it, or that this would not be sent out automatically.

[...]

Ulster Bank should definitely explain this much better at the stage of opening the account.

To be fair to them, the summary box outlining the high-level product features at http://digital.ulsterbank.co.uk/personal/savings/instant-access-accounts/eSavings.html does clearly state:

5. Can I withdraw money?

Yes. No notice is required.

You can withdraw money by online transfer, on the mobile app or through telephone banking.

You will need a card and a card reader to withdraw money from your account. You must order and enable your card reader through Anytime Internet Banking. An Anytime Banking card and PIN will be automatically provided for use with the card reader if you do not have an existing Ulster Bank debit card.

Many people moan about not wading through full Ts & Cs but surely reading a brief summary box before applying for an account isn't too much to ask?

PauloF1

How does that help those who have ordered the reader & it's never turned up, who then need to re order it. Or me, who queried it with customer services shortly after opening, to be told it's on the way & then find out it isn't several weeks later, starting the whole sorry chain of crap again.

I'm not confident it's ever going to arrive, looking at the amount of posts saying its' lost in transit on here.

This is only part of the issue, I would not be completely & utterly stuck if they would let me access my money via telephone banking, however, that is something they are not prepared to do...

soulsaver

eskbanker wrote: »

To be fair to them, the summary box outlining the high-level product features at http://digital.ulsterbank.co.uk/personal/savings/instant-access-accounts/eSavings.html does clearly state:
Many people moan about not wading through full Ts & Cs but surely reading a brief summary box before applying for an account isn't too much to ask?

Well knew what it says. It also says: How do I operate my eSavings account once it has been opened?

"You can manage your account and withdraw money either online, on the mobile app or by telephone banking. Our mobile app is available to customers with Anytime Internet Banking and a UK mobile number.
To keep your money safe, you'll need to order a Card and Card Reader to withdraw money from your account. If you don’t have one, you can order one and enable it online through Anytime Internet Banking. It’ll take 7-10 working days to arrive".


The issue for me is I've had the reader weeks and that was after a couple of weeks delay... and am still waiting for the card that I know hasn't been issued yet.

For me they say they have now ordered the card reader 3 times, reset the customer number to a new number and 'the system' still won't issue a card.

I was told by their CS team not to worry, as I can make a withdrawal by phone banking anyway - not once but on several occasions, and by different representatives.


Now I understand they can be swamped, but they no have system in place in the event it stalls (other than the unacceptable write a letter? No plan B?


They say it's their security, but they should at least be able to return funds to the original source?
They have no corrective action plan other than to bat you away and I would have thought asking when they will expect to have it resolved shouldn't be met with - "...you're being unreasonable".

And worse still, they are still accepting new applications with no warning that there could be delays in accessing their funds.

eskbanker

PauloF1 wrote: »

How does that help those who have ordered the reader & it's never turned up, who then need to re order it. Or me, who queried it with customer services shortly after opening, to be told it's on the way & then find out it isn't several weeks later, starting the whole sorry chain of crap again.

I'm not confident it's ever going to arrive, looking at the amount of posts saying its' lost in transit on here.

This is only part of the issue, I would not be completely & utterly stuck if they would let me access my money via telephone banking, however, that is something they are not prepared to do...

My post wasn't aimed at you or others waiting for a reader, but was specifically answering a poster complaining about not being informed that a card and reader would be needed, hence the text I quoted from that poster.

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to defend them here and clearly their customer service leaves something to be desired, but equally there's no point adding stuff to the charge sheet that doesn't actually hold water....

tg99

I opened the account early on just before it started to appear in the Best Buy tables so everything happened v quickly in terms of account opening, receiving card reader, being able to get through on phone etc. Did have an issue though whereby they incorrectly advised me regarding withdrawal cut off points which meant could not access my money over weekend when needed. Complaint thus filed and was told someone would be in touch within 3 days. About 4-5 weeks later heard nothing....looks like they might have been a bit busy with other things though judging on the above!

PauloF1

Actually eskbanker, the more I think about it, the more it is too much to ask; here are the reasons why: -

1. I'd intended to do it all in one go, so registered for online banking as part of the application process but then couldn't get in to it, at all, even though the acceptance process said I was registered & should have been able to. This appears to have occurred a lot, to many customers.

2. I then quickly got an email saying I'd be sent details, so I left it. This never happened, so I ended up re-registering for internet Anytime Banking sometime later, at that point I'd forgotten all about the card reader, so my fault, but hardly a convenient slick process!

3. It's a savings account, so I once i checked I could pay money in I left it, it's not a current account, I don't use it frequently. Like several people on here & on social media I have been given conflicting information about pretty much everything, by phone, reading T&Cs, FAQs etc.

4. The first time I called to see what was going on they helped out, made sure the reader was on order (it wasn't but that's another story), made a substantial transfer by phone banking, so no major problems. It's only now that they seem to be unwilling to transfer money again that it becomes a major issue for me.

5. The MAIN reason is this however; If you can't manage or use the account at all in any reasonable shape or form without the reader & card, do what the Co-Op & other banks do, don't make it an option, it's not optional is it, it's bloody mandatory!!! Who at some point is not going to want their own money!!! So send the bloody thing out when people register for internet banking.

It borders on the sharp practice to me, it's certainly not very fair, or otherwise they would not be the raft of complaints, essentially they are saying: -

- Need to use your account... register for Anytime Banking
- Didn't order a card reader... well you've cocked up there then sir/madam
- Need to get to your money... oh you can't... well that's also your fault then isn't it!

Budget airlines used to have online practices like this, they were designed to confuse, they are now banned.

steve65e

No, it isn't that. It's just sheer incompetence.

The IT doesn't work, there are no admin systems, staff training is bad, and there are at least two CS sites doing different things.

They have launched a market leading product without the ability to deliver it. It isn't crooked, but it seems to be an unacceptable shambles.