Ulster application

atlantis187

What do I put in this branch address section.
no matter what I put I won’t let me proceed I have no Ulster branches near me?

please help guys

MikeJXE

Do a google search for a branch in Belfast and put that post code in, it worked for me 

flaneurs_lobster

Click on the "branch locator" link towards the bottom of the page, pick a branch, then type it's name into the Select a Branch page. 

dealyboy

Castlewellan branch BT31 9DB in Northern Ireland near the Irish border, nearest branch to me in Hitchin.

wizzywig27

So I’ve been told that because my previous application was abandoned I am able to apply again. 

He mentioned that I need to go through the whole process again (applying etc) to be treated as a new customer - what he didn’t say (and I forgot to ask) was it when applying I advise I am
a new customer or existing? Surely if I choose existing then I don’t meet the criteria, however if I choose new customer I am actually not.

anyone have any idea? 

dealyboy

Hello again @wizzywig27 ... I think if you don't have an account you are a new customer, but it doesn't matter if you are a new or existing customer, you would only be disqualified if you'd received an incentive from NatWest, RBS, or UB between 1st Oct 2017 and 13th Feb 2023 according to T&Cs. If you have an account just apply again as a new customer as advised.

As you know Ulster Bank's application process leaves a lot to be desired and they tell you one thing and do another. They will undoubtedly have notes from your previous application.

wizzywig27

dealyboy said:

Hello again @wizzywig27 ... I think if you don't have an account you are a new customer, but it doesn't matter if you are a new or existing customer, you would only be disqualified if you'd received an incentive from NatWest, RBS, or UB between 1st Oct 2017 and 13th Feb 2023 according to T&Cs. If you have an account just apply again as a new customer as advised.

As you know Ulster Bank's application process leaves a lot to be desired and they tell you one thing and do another. They will undoubtedly have notes from your previous application.

But I am now an existing customer as I opened the account where the switch failed. The guy from complaints advised I am eligible. 

So you suggest that when it asks if I am a existing customer say no, despite me having an account already?

dealyboy

... applying as an existing account holder seems more logical @wizzywig27 but you would not 'be treated as a new customer' but as a customer switching to an existing account not having had the incentive before. I would have thought that would produce the result as it is standard.

I think the complaints advisor probably could have been clearer with their advice, but I'm sure they will have a record of this.

mab3000

mab3000 said:

mab3000 said:

mab3000 said:

My ludicrous experience with Ulster so far. 

Applied online on the 15th Feb and requested a switch, providing all the account details for the account I was switching into Ulster Document sent to me in the post for me to sign and send to them a few days later which I did the same day I received it. Text arrives on the 23rd Feb and card, pin and customer number. 

However didn’t hear anything at all about what was happening with the switch. Got to Tuesday this week and still nothing. So decided to try and use their awful “Ask Cora” chat function to speak to someone about it. Said I would get a response in 4 hours. Many hours passed and nothing back so decided to call them.

Spoke to someone and they told me that they couldn’t see any switch request for me. I said I requested it online and provided all the account details. Even though they claimed they couldn’t see a switch they suggested I tried contacting the bank I was switching from to find out what was going on… in the end they said they’d raise a query and someone will get back to me. Fed up I then filled out a complaint form.

Later that day someone finally responded to the chat message but getting similar responses, cannot see a switch etc. After a lot of back and forth messages, someone finally responded saying that they could see I requested a switch but for some reason the details of the account I was switching weren’t there. But I got told not to worry, there would be a marker added that I requested a switch and asked me to fill out an online switch form. And I should then get the incentive as long as I do everything else to qualify. Filled out the switch form on Wednesday. Have still not had any confirmation the switch is happening… 

Today I received a response letter by email to my complaint. They basically told me that  as i signed a paper application I didn’t qualify for the switch as I had to apply online (even though I did apply online). And that there was no evidence that I requested a switch (the person I spoke to on chat found otherwise, and the form they sent out for me to sign did say “Yes” to was I requesting a switch). But despite this they have put £75 in my account without me even agreeing to this as for what I can tell money for me to go away. The letter was poorly worded and they even spelt my name wrong. 

Utter farce. 

An update on the above (from 2 weeks ago)

The switch finally happened on Wednesday. And today I received the £200 incentive money. So what I was eventually told on the chat was correct. And shows what the complaint handler told me was a load of rubbish. 

I did go back to the complaints team to challenge their resolution in the form of an email 2 weeks ago. After hearing nothing back from them after about 5 days I called them. They said they did receive my email, and they were still looking into it and needed time to investigate and they would get back to me. Now 2 weeks on, apart from the phone call I made I have heard nothing. 

Despite the switch being complete and received the incentive I feel reluctant to let the complaint slide. The thing that annoyed me the most about this whole issue was the way the complaint was handled. Their response was like poring petrol onto a bonfire that was starting to fizzle out. Even if it’s just an apology I feel that this is something that should be given in this instance. 

Going to give them another week or so then start chasing. 

Last week I sent them an email giving them a deadline to either provide me with an update or to resolve my complaint. Today I received a letter about the complaint.

Amazingly, despite all the evidence that I provided them, they still are insisting that everything they told me in the original complaint letter was correct. Once again the letter is poorly written, but they seem to be  insisting that the whole paper application process was the reason why they can’t see a switch request and saying I chose to do the paper signing…

I was so livid I today tried calling up to close the account down immediately. First of all they tried to tell me how to do it in the app, however there was no option to. And when I asked them to do it for me, I got told it was not possible for them to do and I had to go to an Ulster branch (live in England so that’s a no go). They didn’t really have an answer to how I can close my account otherwise. 

Have submitted the complaint to the ombudsman. 

Recently received a response from the ombudsman, who upheld my complaint. They based their decision on information Ulster sent them to try and defend their claim that I didn’t request a switch, which actually shows I did…. 

They have recommended a written apology and more compensation, currently waiting to hear Ulsters response to the case handlers findings,  not holding my breath though. 

dealyboy

... up make couldn't it ... (the right words not necessarily ...)

Well done @mab3000