EBS Building Society. Any issues with a branch near you?

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gledswood

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The EBS branch in Blackrock village has been closed for months due to flooding problems.

The EBS in Stillorgan is closed today due to technical difficulties. It's happening a lot in Stillorgan.

Just wondering if there is something more sinister going on behind the scenes.

Anything happening at a branch near you?
 
Nothing, it's a great branch! But then again its in a small town, if it were a big city where there might be many it's more likely something is afoot!
 
Some of the branches are now privately run, which may explain some issues.
 
No problems for me in the last year in Baggot St or Rathmines. I'm able to login atm and saw an online tx made yesterday come thru'.
 
I walk past one of their branches frequently (City, not Dublin) and it amazes me that they keep it open. Generally one staff member visible, and zero customers. Presumably the active staffing at any point in time is 1.x staff members. Often see a note on the door "Back in 15 mins". With staffing level so low, it's easy to see how the branch needs to close in the event of sickness, Force Majeure leave or the like. Given their size it's incredible that they can sustain 66 branches when the larger banks are struggling with their not that much larger (proportionately speaking) networks (AIB 170, BOI 169 and PTSB 98 incl ex-UB). You'd wonder what ever happened to the strategic review that AIB were conducting into the future of EBS.
 
Mrs. M and her elderly mother are very happy with the service in the EBS in Artane. But they always make an appointment if they want to transact anything out of the ordinary.
 
A few years ago it was reported that AIB were considering shutting EBS branches and turning the brand into a mortgage only brand. Higher interest rates and the exit of UB and KBC might have put plans on ice. But it is hard to see how there is any long term future in a legacy retail banking brand with high costs maintaining 66 branches, albeit some are franchise owned.

The number of EBS branches has being slowly and quietly trickling down in recent years.
 
Do you think an imminent closure is on the cards. EBS provide a personal service. I have a current account with them. I suppose if this happens these accounts might automatically transfer to AIB. There has been speculation about this for years.
 
I have a MoneyManager debit card that I use. I also have a savings account with them. I pop in to my local branch and top up my MoneyManager account with a transfer from my savings account. It's a very old fashioned system but it's what I like about it. I can also withdraw up to €1300 in cash in the branch.

I seldom use my AIB debit or credit cards.
 
I know when I opened my moneymanager account early last year they did tell me that it was likely that all accounts would eventually be switched to AIB and they would be mortgage stores only, hasn't happened yet though!
 
Hello,

Can someone please explain to be the logic for keeping EBS open, as a seperate entity to AIB?

It's a failed entity, that had to be rescued.

It continues to offer very limited services.

It's owned by AIB, so it's not additional independent competition in the marketplace. I'd argue the same point about Haven, btw.

It's not a mutual society, so not returning it's profits for the benefit of its members(customers).

If it was to be sold off very soon, okay, then I see a logic, on the same way as UCS was sold off by BoI, but that doesn't seem to be the plan here.

Running it as a seperate brand is just adding costs to AIB's bottom line. Thats taking away from posdible investment for the benefit of AIB customers, or reducing funds available to repay the State, or distribute to all shareholders.
 
I was told the same - that it might all get switched to AIB but heard nothing since. Current account with EBS paired with Revolut works well for me now, but yeah, won't be surprised if I have to move again (before EBS I was with NIB, Ulster and.. yep..KBC... sgh...).
 
MrEarl said:
Hello,

Can someone please explain to be the logic for keeping EBS open, as a seperate entity to AIB?

It's a failed entity, that had to be rescued.

It continues to offer very limited services.

It's owned by AIB, so it's not additional independent competition in the marketplace. I'd argue the same point about Haven, btw.

It's not a mutual society, so not returning it's profits for the benefit of its members(customers).

If it was to be sold off very soon, okay, then I see a logic, on the same way as UCS was sold off by BoI, but that doesn't seem to be the plan here.

Running it as a seperate brand is just adding costs to AIB's bottom line. Thats taking away from posdible investment for the benefit of AIB customers, or reducing funds available to repay the State, or distribute to all shareholders.
Click to expand...

The logic to keep EBS open is probably:
- Additional net interest margin. EBS pay depositors little no nothing in most cases and now have higher mortgage rates. Margins are high. If the ECB cuts next year then it will be a different story.
- With KBC and Ulster Bank exiting, AIB probably thought that now is not the right time to make changes at EBS.

But surely only a matter of time until AIB closes the EBS brand or mergers deposits into AIB mergers mortgages with Haven and makes it an online-mortgage-only brand.

Keeping 66 legacy retail branches, that are largely not needed, open is far from cheap.
 
Also services very limited in the branch, I went in to one where my current account is, and wanted to transfer money to Raisin, told in branch can only transfer to another EBS account, couldn't transfer online due to 5k daily limit, so services offered in branch seem to be very limited.
 
I have an older account with EBS, with no online facilities. Like cloughy, I wanted to transfer money to Raisin via my ptsb current account. My only option was to withdraw funds as a bank draft then bring it to ptsb to lodge.

I couldn't withdraw in cash due to EBS' cash limits, and there was no transfer option.

I was also charged 1.77 euro for the bank draft.
 
The online offering is ideal for anyone wishing to live the 1990s Internet banking reality....its basic but it works, painful logging in sometimes due to constant failure of the 2 step verification to send a confirmation notice to my phone
That said, it's free, I like EBS, when I vist the Blanchardstown SC branch the staff are so helpful and I would like to see it continue indefinitely.
 
EBS has no future, it would have gone the way of the dodo by now had KBC & UB remained in the market. The only reason it's still around is that the state owns 40% of AIB and the Govt didn't want another bank closing (even one which is a Potemkin village at this point).
 
EBS provides a personalised banking service, like banks used to provide in the past. Its great that their current account is free.
 
The people at the counter might be nice to chat with, but it's a fairly primitive service, tbf.

I'd rather do my socialising separately, and have a good banking service, myself.
 
Is there a limit on the amount you can transfer from the EBS money manager account to a different bank?
 
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