Ulster Bank: Easy Access Savings Account at 1.25% pa

RG2015

From the Guardian on Monday 4th September including Ulster Bank comment;

"It seems Ulster Bank was inundated by savers after offering one of the best savings rates around – so inundated it could not cope with demand. Happily, someone at head office quickly got on the case and you have now been sent your reader. The bank has apologised and paid you £200 compensation.

Ulster says that it has now cleared the backlog and all services should be back to normal."

Backlog cleared? I think not, but £200 compensation sounds good.

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/sep/04/ulster-bank-card-reader-online-account

Gingerdiana

Yes, I am going to close the account. Said my sort code was incorrect, said my Member no was incorrect - what's the point?

colsten

Apparently any hard credit searches will now be wiped: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=73130498&postcount=1

RG2015

I have just received an email from Ulster Bank that includes the following statement.

"Some eSavings customers have been telling us they received a 'wrong PIN' message when they tried to use their Anytime Banking card online.
We're very sorry about this, and will be issuing you with a new card and PIN. These should arrive separately (for security reasons), over the coming week."

Five weeks after ordering the card reader I still have not received the first card. What are the chances I will receive two cards next week?

Mr_K

Cripes. Was looking at this account but won't bother as it seems like far too much hassle for an extra fraction of a percent.

veryintrigued

veryintrigued wrote: »

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=72909247&postcount=185


I hardly dare mention the format, frequency and distance between holes of the paper statements when you people with issues receive them - it'll need an extended Watchdog episode this...

An email today suggests those of us who've opted for paperless might not be receiving these from now on....hopefully.

SouthLondonUser

A quick summary of my experience.
On July 31st I applied for a CharterCourt ISA and for an Ulster saving account. My ChaterCourt account was up and running in 2 days. It is now Sept 18th and I still do not have access to the ***** Ulster account!

I called to chase at the end of August and they told me they had a backlog. I called again a few days ago; they said they had texted me an activation code. Nope, didn't receive it. They said they'd send me a new one in the post. It arrived by text. I try to use it to register online. I get a warning that it is quicker to register if I have a debit card - but over the phone they told me I need to register in order to order a debit card! The website asks for my sort code and acct #. The problem is, they told me the sort code via email, but not the account number - only the last 4 digits. So tomorrow I have to call, listen to their beautiful jingle for the nth time, and hope to sort this out.
At this point I am so fed up that I will probably open a Shawbrook account and put my
savings there. I am afraid I might still need to go through the painful registration procedure with Ulster Bank because in order to close my account, though. Honestly, who the hell designed these processes???

RG2015

RG2015 wrote: »

I have just received an email from Ulster Bank that includes the following statement.

"Some eSavings customers have been telling us they received a 'wrong PIN' message when they tried to use their Anytime Banking card online.
We're very sorry about this, and will be issuing you with a new card and PIN. These should arrive separately (for security reasons), over the coming week."

Five weeks after ordering the card reader I still have not received the first card. What are the chances I will receive two cards next week?

Yes, I have received two cards in the post this morning (Sat 23rd Sept). The accompanying letters are dated 21st Aug and 14th Sept.

Having received my PIN for the second card two days ago I am now fully up and running 47 days after opening the account.
:j:beer::rotfl:

Yorkshire_Pud

Tempted by the high (er) interest rate I opened this account.

Now I've found this thread! Opening online went OK but laborious inputting passport details, don't know if I was hard credit scored it didn't say I would be, marketing options are a trick which I don't like, first box of three is to opt out second and third are to opt in banks should be above this old fashioned do you want to not not receive marketing by phone text or elephant on Tuesdays but always on Fridays unless its raining

Sent a token amount to my new account immediately refused. Tried to register for online banking, like opening the account again! Failed.

Clarified with helpful lady in Ireland wait until working week starts before registering, card reader can only be requested after registering, takes about 3 weeks.

Having got used to slick Internet banks and systems this is a bit of a sheep dog trial of an account to get going on, hope I get there in the end.........and relax........:)

Jenfc

I opened this account at the beginning of August. It has been the most horrendous experience with everything possible going wrong. The system opened a second account 2 weeks after the first. I was told it had been closed nearly a month ago - but now see that isn't the case. I have been unable to log in and see my details or do anything in the account for over 4 weeks. I have been given different explanations. When at last I was told to reregister for anytime banking and that this would resolve the issue, I waited over 2 weeks for an activation code. When I queried this I was told I hadn't reregistered even though I had received a text thanking me for reregistering when I did this. I was told to go through the process again. When finally I received this I managed to log in and see my account details, I finally was able to try to activate my card reader - but the option on line wasn't working. Having queried this, I was told I needed to order the reader on line. I explained I already had a card reader and a card, but I hadn't yet been able to activate it because of the problem accessing my account on line. I was told I needed re-order the card reader, but that I should then be able to use the original one in 2 days. I will try again in 2 days, but am not optimistic. I have raised 3 complaints and have been told someone will ring me within 2 working days. The first time was on the 29th August, the second on the 5th September. I have heard nothing and then last week when I asked again for them to check a complaint had been raised they said there was no record of this, even though they could see the on-line chat I'd had and that I'd been told it had been raised. So they took details a 3rd time, and guarenteed I would be called that afternoon. I'm still waiting 3 days later. I had initial problems with the digidocs system. I had a text thanking me for changing my address - which panicked me because I hadn't asked for this and wondered if it was a sign of identity fraud. When I rang I was told this was a common problem and that the system was randomly sending out these texts for no reason. I have this month received a bank statement for the second account and not the one with my money. This also panicked me because the statement said I have £0 in the account - instead of several thousand pounds. All I want now is to take all my money out and close the account. I have wanted to do this since the end of August but am still waiting. I have read lots of similar complaints onTrustPilot. I cannot believe that I bank can be allowed to continue to offer an account they obviously can't service. I suspect they can't cope with demand - a previous top interest account that I was going to open was withdrawn before I got to it, because of the level of demand. Ulster bank should be forced to do the same. This shouldn't be a recommended account or there should be stronger warnings. I have spent hours over the last 2 months trying to sort this and am despairing. JUST DON'T OPEN an account with Ulster Bank. If you do open it, make sure you have a card reader that is activated along with a card and the pin before transferring money in. Or you might find you can never get at your money!