Ulster Bank: Easy Access Savings Account at 1.25% pa

colsten

organum wrote: »

Who on earth still uses these stupid dongle things? Clearly Ulster do so I have ordered the dongle. I will try an HSBC app security code as advised in these parts.
HSBC do seem on top of online banking with excellent apps on both iOS and Android. No more dongles with them! Interest rates are .... Well you know...

Edited. I logged in via the web browser but cannot test other app security until the dongle has been issued. We shall see but they do say that pending arrival to phone for help.

There's no dongle for Ulster bank. It's a card reader, similar to the one used by Natwest, RBS, Nationwide and Barclays. In fact, your Ulster card, once you get it, will work in all of them.

I don't know why you think an HSBC security code would work at Ulster Bank. It won't.

eskbanker

colsten wrote: »

talexuser wrote: »

I assume the card pin (which they say is 3 to 5 working days away) is different to the login pin?

yes it is

10 chars

That's an unusually long PIN!

soulsaver

CanadianDream wrote: »

I opened my e-savings account last month and just received my card. Still waiting for the card reader and PIN number to come through.


For those who haven't received the card reader etc, you can make payments via the mobile app but I still think the card reader method of setting up new payees is ridiculous.


Most banks do this by codes via text message.

See posts c #187 on. App allows £250 max per day without card reader & (My) Windows phones don't allow you to save payees, although one person reports possible with Android OS.

Impressed? Not.

TiVo_Lad

4.5 weeks after opening my account, the card finally turned up, so now I can operate the account. The letter was dated the day before the PIN was sent out (25th July), which implies UB have production issues.

What was ironic was that the card arrived the day after I got a txt from UB confirming they had sent me a letter in response to my complaint about the delays. It also arrived about an hour after I opened an account with Bank of Cyprus....

neill2407_2

I had problems receiving PIN code for the card reader. It didn't arrive after receiving the card machine so they had to reorder a new card and PIN which I then received and a few days later the first PIN code notification arrived. Took about a month and you have to request the card reader which is wrong as this is an instant access account and lots of people aren't aware of this.

LJH149

I opened my account in mid June, ordered the card reader thing in mid July as I stupidly thought if that was the only way to withdraw my money they would send it without being requested...
I phoned today to chase it up to be told it hadn't been ordered!!!
I've lodged a formal complaint and now written a letter which I have to post to Belfast to ask for my account to be closed.
How this account can be advertised as an online account when you need a card, card reader, and have to write to them to close it, or phone them up to withdraw money without the card reader is TOTALLY BEYOND ME.
I'm looking for other ways to complain but feel MSE should not be advertising this account when the service is so poor.

talexuser

Got my card pin this morning. The letter says "Please note, this PIN does not allow you to withdraw cash"....? Obviously they mean from a cash machine rather than online payment, but considering some of the posts complaining here I can see some people rushing to their nearest cashpoint!

soulsaver

soulsaver wrote: »

Seems like there's some facts that need straightening out as an element of hysteria has crept in...?

I'll say it again - [STRIKE]even if you don't have a card reader and/or a card, you can still manage this account. You can set up a payee by telephone banking and make withdrawals to it on line without the reader & card; and you can make a withdrawal by telephone banking - so, there is no need to get all tabloid and say don't put your money in 'cos you can't get it out - you can.
[/STRIKE] Edit: Now you can't! see #162
And I've been on their help line several times, talked to several agents, lodged a complaint... and haven't spoken to an Indian yet unless they have a strong Belfast accent.

So - in the latest twist/ development: Now you can, again! maybe..

I recently received a 2nd card reader, no card, no pin... nothing new there then.

Decided today to phone and ask if the card was in the post and eventually calm & polite (unusual for them) lady says she checked with the chat line ("that's the process..") and they say "it's in the post, should get it next week". Never heard that one before... ho ho.

Anyway she gives me the chatters name for my contemporaneous notes.

Then asks if I wanted to make a withdrawal?
Eh?
She says limit is £10K pd on phone. I say you sure this will work? She - you got level 2 security at the moment, should do.

Go on then I'll have £1k out please. She does the sort code, ac number etc stuff and it pays! I check receiving ac.. it's there!

Eh? I say again, they tried this 10 days ago and it didn't work. "Does now".

Now I had no communique saying I was approved, but she says I must have used the (phone banking?) activation code? Not AFAIK.

So if you want to try & get your dosh back out (at 10k per day) I'd give it a(nother) go on phone/set up phone banking. Good luck.

soulsaver

PS - She said level 2 at the moment. When asked why 'at the moment', she said that if you don't use the telephone banking facility for some time, they may downgrade the security level.. so you can't use it.

Bonkers.

fwor

I probably shouldn't comment as I'm still not completely through the process - so I still don't have a card or cardreader but (thanks to the advice above) I haven't yet put anything into the account so I don't have anything "trapped" there.

I don't really want to add to the UB-bashing comments, but a few observations so far:

1. The application process seems to be far, far too complex. It's hard to keep track of where you are and what you're supposed to do next - especially when days or weeks elapse between each step.

2. UB do not seem to have tested their application website well to confirm that it works for a wide range of browsers. With Firefox (54.0), the buttons that are critical to navigate through the process are invisible!

3. There are inconsistencies in the letters/email that you receive - so for example you are told that your Customer Number is your DOB plus a four digit code that you are told separately - but at the top of one of the emails, my customer number was stated - with the last four digits blanked - but the first six digits were not my DOB!

It's hard to escape the conclusion that UB have not properly tested their software and processes, and that they would have saved themselves a lot of aggravation if they had thoroughly tested it ~before~ making it available publicly.