Recommend a new bank for me?

Danye

Hi,

I currently have a current account with Bank of Ireland and recently started up a savings account with them as well earlier in the year. I also have a small loan of around €2,000 still to pay them back.

I want to change banks because of a whole host of reason but the main ones being their rip offs and their customer service is awful.

Any reccomendations? How much hassle would it be to close my account with them, move my savings over and still pay off the loan?

Thanks in advance.

jack888

Go with AIB,

They are pretty good and offer free, no fee banking if you keep 2500 in your current account.

cookie1977

I'd say no to AIB and yes to Ulster bank. AIB require you to maintain 2500 every day of the year and never drop below this to get free banking. This would be difficult for most customers.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2056583219

Savman

Ulster Bank tbh.

Danye

Thanks for that. I appreciate it. Has anybody any experience of Ulster Bank?

Be it good or bad, I would like to know?

Thanks.

meemeep

I though Ulster were about to introduce fees also? I need to change too - from NIB, but I'll wait a while until they all come clean about new charges.

Vic Vinegar

Ulster Bank are very good in all areas i find.

I haven't heard about them introducing charges...

Danye

Bombleswizzum wrote: »

Ulster Bank are very good in all areas i find.

I haven't heard about them introducing charges...

Taking to a guy from the bank today and I ask him about any charges or upcoming charges and he said there was none.

patwicklow

Iv switched from aib to ulster bank today after hearing of the rip off charges aib are about to do.

mickoneill30

I moved to Ulster Bank a couple of years ago. Very happy with them.

The positives for me are

I use the Cloghran branch near the airport which always has no queue. My alternative used to be AIB in Swords. Good luck wasting your lunch hour in that queue.

They have a Visa debit if you care. I don't really.

Their credit cards give you points when you use them. This is only of benefit if you pay off in time so as not to pay interest. If you're paying interest charges on a credit card then don't worry about getting a few piddly points. I've been using mine for a couple of years and got €80 worth of Dunnes Stores vouchers for my points around Christmas.

AIB sent me a letter saying that my AIB Visa had to be paid off in full each month to avoid interest charges. I thought this was unusual. Ulster Bank allow me to pay it off in full every second month to avoid interest.

I've a cheque book with UB. Handy for the odd thing.

In a couple of years the only fees on my UB account have been the government charges on the cards.

I've kept my AIB acct open mainly due to 1: lazyness and 2: the credit limit on my AIB cc was fairly high. I was thinking it'd be handy in emergencys. With the recent fees announcement I won't be lazy anymore.

meemeep

Danye wrote: »

Taking to a guy from the bank today and I ask him about any charges or upcoming charges and he said there was none.

This is good to know, and seems to be backed up by an article in the Examiner today:

http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/customers-of-aib-told-to-switch-banks-over-new-fees-187906.html

I have until May - NIB introduce their charges then. I'll sit tight for the moment to see how it pans out.

Mr Simpson

As soon as AIB tell me I can't have my student account anymore, I'll be gone, probably to Ulster Bank.

Danye

Is there any negatives to moving to a new bank? I've got to know the people in my local branch for good and bad reasons.

I'm at the age now where I'm going to be looking into start working towards buying a house and a man in work was saying it would help that I'm known in my bank and have an account with them since I was a teenager.

How true is that? Would it be best to keep my BoI current account open and just have it there or to just completely close it and wash my hands of them?

Thanks

Ladjacket

Would have 3k in the current a/c which would mean that I would meet the criteria but on principle I am thinking of moving banks as well.

The general consensus is that UB is the way forward? What is their Internet and Phone banking like?

readyletsgo

Not too sure about a person in a branch knowing you and being with that branch since being a teen would make a difference now adays, as all banks can just check you credit history, and sure you can show statements going back years from one bank or another so...

I have been with aib since my teens too, 30 now, charges coming in in May, frak that!
Moving to UB, sent in details online to open too current accounts with them yesterday.

I have a lot of DD coming out of one of my AIB a/c's so want to move all them over a UB one soon but I dont want to miss any of the bills so taking my time doing this right.

I have 2 loans with AIB, I will hold onto my internet banking with aib so I can keep track of them and pay them off with bank transfers online with UB. But will defo set internet banking with UB, have no idea how good UB's internet banking is compared to AIB's, AIB's online banking seems to be the best, no waiting times to do a transfer with that code card they have, will miss that.


PS: I heard on Newstalk yesterday a lady was talking about AIB charges, she was saying, UB are in a lucky situation at the moment as an English bank, they could get most of AIB custs over and advise the new custs that they will not put any banking charges for at least 5 years, can only be good for them, I'll give them a shot.

Also, there is something about all banks, they will switch accounts from one bank to another for you, as in they have to do EVERYTHING for you to set up your accounts, as in they will set up all DD for you and tell your old bank you are leaving, even close a/c's for you if you want them to, so its pretty easy to switch over.


Hope that helps (in a non-messy way :-))

homer911

Ulster Bank have a switching team - they are going to be busy..
http://www.ulsterbank.ie/roi/personal/daily-banking/current-accounts/useful-information/switch.ashx

scotchy

Opened my Ulster Bank account yesterday. Currently in the process of getting my wages paid into it, then it’ll be goodbye AIB.

.