How to close account

L5

Hi,

I am in the process of closing my bank of ireland current account. Do I need to do this in person in a branch? I'm not in a position to travel to the branch where I originally opened my account , presumably I can close it in any branch?  Is there any documentation I need to bring ?


Thanks

Bank of Ireland: Paula H

Hi L5




You do not have to call into your branch to close an account, you can:

a) Call into any Bank of Ireland branch. - You will need Photo Identification (Passport, Drivers Licence, Garda ID) and your account details. Please express your request to close your account and a staff member will be happy to assist you.

or

b) Written request by letter only (an email/fax will not be accepted). - You can post this to a branch or drop it into the branch mailbox. Branch contact details here 

Should you have a balance left in your account, please advise the branch what to do with the funds:

If you require the balance to be issued out to you by bank draft, please state who the draft should be made out to.

or

If you require the balance to be transferred to another account, please include the details of the beneficiary account (sort code, account number and account name). The IBAN and BIC code will also be required if the other account is held at a foreign bank.


Hope this helps L5. 




Thanks for posting.


Paula H

MadsL

Bank of Ireland: Paula H wrote: »

Hi L5

b) Written request by letter only (an email/fax will not be accepted). - You can post this to a branch or drop it into the branch mailbox. Branch contact details here 

Why is a fax unacceptable to CLOSE an account...??

Don't tell me - policy.

Bank of Ireland: Laura

Hi MadsL.

When closing an account, a fax is unacceptable as an original signature is required to complete this type of instruction in all cases.

Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause you.
Laura

MadsL

Bank of Ireland: Laura wrote: »

Hi MadsL.

When closing an account, a fax is unacceptable as an original signature is required to complete this type of instruction in all cases.

Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause you.
Laura

Hi Laura, 

I appreciate the reply, and I kinda knew this would be the case, but having transacted both legal contracts and ten of thousands of euros transfers on fax instructions, I am baffled as to why BoI still refuses to embrace the 20th Century, never mind the 21st.

It is very inconvenient for overseas account holders. 

A fax is a legally binding instrument  and surely in the case of CLOSING an account there isn't much risk in the way of fraud.

Baffling.

MadsL

Other Banks:

AIB 
Fax Banking

Ulster Bank
Fax Instructions

Irish Life
[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Your cancellation or encashment request can be sent in via post to: Irish Life Assurance plc, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1 or by FAX on: 01 704 1900.[/font]


[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Naturally BoI cannot comment on other bank's practices. :) [/font]


[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Please BoI - stop inconveniencing customers.[/font]

Bank of Ireland: Tara

Hi MadsL,

Hope you're getting on well in the States.

As you correctly mentioned, we cannot comment on other bank's policies.

We discussed this topic with you last year and there has been no change to this policy since then.

Thanks
Tara

MadsL

Bank of Ireland: Tara wrote: »

Hi MadsL,

Hope you're getting on well in the States.

As you correctly mentioned, we cannot comment on other bank's policies.

We discussed this topic with you last year and there has been no change to this policy since then.

Thanks
Tara

Thanks Tara, I appreciate the best wishes. All I can ask is that you continue to raise this with your legal/policy team and communicate customers frustrations. It is a very odd policy with no logic to it other than what BoI want to do, rather than what works well for the customer.

In the case of overseas customers it can take weeks to get an instruction to the bank.

I note that you have now set up secure mail through BoI online; can this communication method be used to give instructions to the  branch?

Bank of Ireland: Tara

Hi MadsL,

We continue to pass on feedback received here to the relevant areas in the bank and do understand it can be difficult to make contact when abroad.

The Online Service Desk Team try their best to help with the majority of queries however, the branches do not have access to these messages. Instructions for branch managed accounts cannot be fulfilled through that channel.

Thanks
Tara

MadsL

Bank of Ireland: Tara wrote: »

Hi MadsL,

We continue to pass on feedback received here to the relevant areas in the bank and do understand it can be difficult to make contact when abroad.

The Online Service Desk Team try their best to help with the majority of queries however, the branches do not have access to these messages. Instructions for branch managed accounts cannot be fulfilled through that channel.

Thanks
Tara

So can I send instructions for money transfer or account closure to the Online team? In other words, could say, an account closure, or change of address be done through the online messaging system?

Bank of Ireland: Tara

Hi MadsL,

The majority of transfers can be done through 365Online on the Money Transfer section. Change of Address can be done through Online Service Desk under that option in the drop down menu (if you have your mobile registered to receive security codes). But no, you cannot close an account online as an original signature is required by BOI to do this. 

Thanks
Tara

MadsL

Bank of Ireland: Tara wrote: »

Hi MadsL,

The majority of transfers can be done through 365Online on the Money Transfer section. Change of Address can be done through Online Service Desk under that option in the drop down menu (if you have your mobile registered to receive security codes). But no, you cannot close an account online as an original signature is required by BOI to do this. 

Thanks
Tara

Thanks Tara. Back to the 19th Century to close an account then, probably why it took my wife four months to close hers!