Moving current accounts to another Irish Bank

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confusedtech

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I’m sure the question that many are now asking is; what to do about switching banks?

I’m sure many people (like me) want to have a bank that has a physical branch office - to walk into when needed. I’ve been a long term UB customer (going back to Henry hippo days) with current accounts for day-to-day banking. I prefer to have a bank with a branch network for those scenarios where you need ‘a neck to choke’ when something goes askew.
That, I guess, means looking at AIB / BOI / PTSB?

So my question is, if looking at basic banking services such as current account for the day-to-day banking, a credit & debit card. Is there much difference between the above three? They all look to offer the same, but is there any compelling reasons to avoid one vs the other?

As a follow up question; Should we, UB customers, be looking actively move now from UB, or should we just ride out the storm and wait for whoever takes over their retail banking (e.g PTSB?). If all the UB customers start to pull their savings, no doubt a run on the bank might complicate things, no?

thanks.
 
How often do you go to a bank branch? For me it's once a year at most. The cost of the service being provided (current account or mortgage) is by far the most important factor. Having had accounts with many banks over the years (AIB, BOI, KBC, EBS, Nationwide, PTSB, Halifax) the service is hit and miss with all and is more dependent on the person you interact with as opposed to the institution. If you can get a better deal elsewhere then you should switch banks in my opinion.
 
PGF2016 said:
How often do you go to a bank branch? For me it's once a year at most. The cost of the service being provided (current account or mortgage) is by far the most important factor. Having had accounts with many banks over the years (AIB, BOI, KBC, EBS, Nationwide, PTSB, Halifax) the service is hit and miss with all and is more dependent on the person you interact with as opposed to the institution. If you can get a better deal elsewhere then you should switch banks in my opinion.
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Thanks for the feedback.
There’s certainly been a couple of cases where having the branch network has been a life saver, for example when UB messed up their payment system - I was abroad at the time and we’re it not for the fact I had a name of a branch manager I would have been left pennyless for the entirety of my trip, on the far side of the planet.
98% of the time, your right, you don’t need that branch network. But that 2% of the time when you need it. I’d rather have paid the fees to have it.
I’d love nothing more to move the lot to revolut and pay for the better service, but I’m not 100% how their banking license etc fares to an Irish bank with government guarantees etc.
 
Has anyone a recommendation for the best bank with branches to move an ulster bank current account to?
AIB / BOI / KBC / PTSB ? Do any of them do free current account banking anymore?
 
Current account best buys:

Best Buy - Personal Current accounts

Information last changed: 25 July 2021. 8 Ways to Get Free Day-to-Day Euro Banking 1. Free banking* if you meet age conditions: Aged 12-17 - PTSB, AIB, BoI - No Fees* Student - BoI, AIB, EBS and PTSB - No Fees* Graduate - AIB, BoI and EBS - No Fees* Aged 60+ - EBS - No Fees* Aged 66+ -...
www.askaboutmoney.com
 
confusedtech said:
There’s certainly been a couple of cases where having the branch network has been a life saver, for example when UB messed up their payment system - I was abroad at the time and we’re it not for the fact I had a name of a branch manager I would have been left pennyless for the entirety of my trip, on the far side of the planet.
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When going abroad I would always ensure I had 2 cards from different institutions. Probably something to do with working in IT and trying to avoid single points of failure... and also, coincidentally, from running out of money on the other side of the planet in my younger days. :)
 
PGF2016 said:
When going abroad I would always ensure I had 2 cards from different institutions. Probably something to do with working in IT and trying to avoid single points of failure... and also, coincidentally, from running out of money on the other side of the planet in my younger days. :)
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Ha, yes. Strange, how we learn these things the hard way
 
Another long term UB customer here.i have visited every Friday for the last 15-20 years easily.
I'm thinking of switching over too a post office account as there is no fees attached.
I will wait until UB inform me what's happening
 
PGF2016 said:
How often do you go to a bank branch? For me it's once a year at most. The cost of the service being provided (current account or mortgage) is by far the most important factor. Having had accounts with many banks over the years (AIB, BOI, KBC, EBS, Nationwide, PTSB, Halifax) the service is hit and miss with all and is more dependent on the person you interact with as opposed to the institution. If you can get a better deal elsewhere then you should switch banks in my opinion.
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I go in the branch regularly with questions, eg when I got a message that I thought was a scam, or I cannot find my way around something in the online banking etc
If I ring them up I get put into one of those automatic queues
 
I am a long term customer with Ulster Bank. Thankfully I only have a current account with them. Also my credit card account. However my private pension, my wife's private pension and our state pensions are lodged to this account. I also have my utility bills paid by DD from this account. I do not use their online banking service. I assume that the Ulster Bank will arrange for these inward and outward payments to be transferred to my new bank or do I have to do this?

Before Covid I would call in to them once a month. I would usually lodge a Sterling cheque, pay my Ulster Bank credit card bill. Ask a question.

I am of the age where I get free banking. Plus I keep a good credit balance in my account to qualify for free banking.

I will probably move to my local AIB. Mainly because of ease of and free parking, although there is a nearby Bank of Ireland that offers the same. I will need a branch that can deal with foreign exchange for lodging cheques and purchasing foreign currency, where I can do a money transfer if I am renting a property abroad, has an ATM machine outside, plus post box. A local telephone number would be an advantage, plus someone to talk to in the branch.

If was no longer possible to ring my local Ulster Bank branch. They now have a centralised telephone number where it takes an age to get through to an actual person to talk to.

However it is a toss of a coin as to which bank I will move to, but costs and resemblance to a branch of old will dictate my choice, based on recommendations.
 
I'm with PTSB and have been for donkey's. I have to say, I find them very good. I find the internet banking very easy to manage, the security good for online banking with two step authentication and I pay no fees - tho how long that will continue is a question for sure. They also have a branch in my village (in Dublin). Service there can be a bit slow and I RARELY call into the bank, but even if I need to lodge something, they have bank machines that take lodgments in branch.
 
SlurrySlump said:
However it is a toss of a coin as to which bank I will move to, but costs and resemblance to a branch of old will dictate my choice, based on recommendations
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Based on all your criteria, a Credit Union might be most suitable option.
 
I have had my current account with Ulster Bank for nearly 30 years. I noticed that my last bank statement which is sent monthly arrived 10 days later than usual. This month......no statement at all.

Has anyone else noticed a problem with their post? I spoke to someone in Ulster Bank who said that Brexit was causing them problems as they send their post from Northern Ireland.

Why would Brexit cause a problem to letter post?
 
It is due to Brexit and the post is not coming from Ni its coming from England.
they are having issues with their post that usually is sent over by truck, it is now being flown in.
 
SlurrySlump said:
I have had my current account with Ulster Bank for nearly 30 years. I noticed that my last bank statement which is sent monthly arrived 10 days later than usual. This month......no statement at all.

Has anyone else noticed a problem with their post? I spoke to someone in Ulster Bank who said that Brexit was causing them problems as they send their post from Northern Ireland.

Why would Brexit cause a problem to letter post?
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Yes there is a problem with the post. I received Christmas cards from Ireland very late, and ditto mine going to Ireland. And I'm not talking a week late but two to three weeks or so, I think it's also to do with Covid. Does Irish post go to the continent via the UK. No idea.
 
RedOnion said:
Current account best buys:

Best Buy - Personal Current accounts

Information last changed: 25 July 2021. 8 Ways to Get Free Day-to-Day Euro Banking 1. Free banking* if you meet age conditions: Aged 12-17 - PTSB, AIB, BoI - No Fees* Student - BoI, AIB, EBS and PTSB - No Fees* Graduate - AIB, BoI and EBS - No Fees* Aged 60+ - EBS - No Fees* Aged 66+ -...
www.askaboutmoney.com
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Ciaran is great keeping that up to date. I thought as a non resident I would have a problem but I telephoned two banks who said they didn’t think it would be any problem. As I won’t go in the door of AIB or BofI so I’ve now two choices, PTSB or KBC. I’m discounting EBS as our first mortgage with them and I thought they were horrible to deal with.

Who thinks KBC is better than PTSB?
 
Bronte said:
Ciaran is great keeping that up to date. I thought as a non resident I would have a problem but I telephoned two banks who said they didn’t think it would be any problem. As I won’t go in the door of AIB or BofI so I’ve now two choices, PTSB or KBC. I’m discounting EBS as our first mortgage with them and I thought they were horrible to deal with.

Who thinks KBC is better than PTSB?
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In my experience KBC is miles ahead of PTSB in terms of technology, efficiency and customer service. Their CA is free if you deposit at least 2000 (or 2500?) a month and the credit card gives 1% cashback on online and supermarket purchases. Just don't use it for anything involving foreign currency as fees are very high.
 
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