Need a new Bank anything other than AIB

LadyDee

Hi,

I am thinking of moving bank, am sick of AIB.. what would be a good bank to move to?

BuffyBot

It depends - what are you looking for in a bank?

Ease of access? Good internet banking? Good interest rates? etc

Give people some idea of what you need, and they can make recommendations

LadyDee

BuffyBot wrote: »

It depends - what are you looking for in a bank?

Ease of access? Good internet banking? Good interest rates? etc

Give people some idea of what you need, and they can make recommendations

Im looking for good interest rates, and good customer service, any suggestions?

stepbar

Must be something serious when you are considering moving? AIB is a good bank as it is. Never have had any problems with them. Why move? Unless you want to head to Halifax and I wouldn't recommend that at all.

daithijjj

stepbar wrote: »

Must be something serious when you are considering moving? AIB is a good bank as it is. Never have had any problems with them. Why move? Unless you want to head to Halifax and I wouldn't recommend that at all.

Just out of interest, why would moving to halifax be a bad thing? Im just curious because im banking with them. They gave me a visa/debit card upon opening the account (other banks consider this a huge privilege, why, i have no idea). Never waited more than 2 mins in a queue, very easy to deal with imo. I have previously used boi and ulster.

Switching current accounts can get you up to 150 euro aswell, dont know the details though.

Barname

try allied irish bank

JJ

Barname wrote: »

try allied irish bank

Have you been spending too much time at the bar?

I switched from BOI to PTSB a few years ago and I've been happy with the switch. I used to get charged 17 cents I think it was for each transaction with BOI, my PTSB account is virtually free. I was also able to get a nice low interest CC with PTSB

stepbar

daithijjj wrote: »

Just out of interest, why would moving to halifax be a bad thing? Im just curious because im banking with them. They gave me a visa/debit card upon opening the account (other banks consider this a huge privilege, why, i have no idea). Never waited more than 2 mins in a queue, very easy to deal with imo. I have previously used boi and ulster.

Switching current accounts can get you up to 150 euro aswell, dont know the details though.

Tell me this.... how much documentation did you have to give to them to get this current a/c / debit card?

I was with them for a credit card. Never did I see such a useless crowd of bastards in my life. Couldn't view transactions online. Needed a current a/c to view the balance (fair enough) but needed a ton of documentation to open one. Na fcuk that, they don't need the half of it. I can go to any other bank with a passport and proof of address and open an a/c no problem. Ended up getting rid of the credit card and getting an AIB click one. Very handy and has a nice interest rate. If I have a purchase over 500eur I use my BOI credit card for an even lower rate over 12 months.

I'd recommend ulster bank, I've been with them ages and they're very helpful and friendly etc
the interest on the savings acs are great too

Random

I've always found AIB to be helpful and what not. On the other hand I've found Ulster Bank to be rather backward, uncompromising and generally unfriendly.

Ask my Mam though and she'll tell you the local UB staff are god's gift to the planet...

stepbar

Random wrote: »

I've always found AIB to be helpful and what not. On the other hand I've found Ulster Bank to be rather backward, uncompromising and generally unfriendly.

Ask my Mam though and she'll tell you the local UB staff are god's gift to the planet...

I admit I don't find my local branch to be very helpful but AIB in general are better than the rest of the banks. I can get over that as I don't reside in the area by a/c is held.

daithijjj

stepbar wrote: »

Tell me this.... how much documentation did you have to give to them to get this current a/c / debit card?

I was with them for a credit card. Never did I see such a useless crowd of bastards in my life. Couldn't view transactions online. Needed a current a/c to view the balance (fair enough) but needed a ton of documentation to open one. Na fcuk that, they don't need the half of it. I can go to any other bank with a passport and proof of address and open an a/c no problem. Ended up getting rid of the credit card and getting an AIB click one. Very handy and has a nice interest rate. If I have a purchase over 500eur I use my BOI credit card for an even lower rate over 12 months.

I produced a passport and a copy of my isp bill with my address, filled in a few forms while they photocopied the 2 documents, in and out in 15 mins, debit card came in the post 7 days later.

A credit card application is a whole new deal though, its effectively a loan and they will/should magnify your ability to repay it through more stringent procedures.

Boi and Ptsb offered me a current account but said there was no way i would get a debit card for at least 6/12 months....feck that......atm card only so i just said goodbye. I put up on the table in front of both boi and PTSB cashiers, copies of my previous bank accounts from other intitutions dating back 2 years, including my credit card which has a 4k limit and is paid off in full, still no joy with them. Was like pulling teeth.

Never set foot in a halifax branch in my life and was in and out in no time with a new account, visa/debit card, online banking etc..............dealing with boi and ptsb was a joke in comparison.

JJ

That's strange. I switched from NIB to BOI and a few years later switched to PTSB and both times I got a Laser card straight away. NIB was my first Irish bank and I had to fight to get a Laser card. This was after having a current account in the US with a Visa debit card that I could use almost anywhere on the net. When I first got my Laser card, you couldn't use it anywhere online.

If I was switching now, I'd be tempted to go to Halifax since they offer a Visa debit card but I couldn't be bothered at the mo as I'm happy enough with PTSB.

daheff

any experience i've had with banks they've generally been unhelpful due to lack of product knowledge (general incompetence!). Front line staff at the banks dont get paid big salaries and get commission from sales. I had one staff member tell me that i wouldnt qualify for a normal Credit card...but that I would for a Gold card! Which makes no sense....only that they obviously get more commissions from gold cards (and that I qualified for one!). Another person (in the same organisation) told me that if i earned another couple of grand a year i could get a platinum card...i told them no good to me..i dont earn enough...was told "ah but if you did..then you could get a platinum card"...realised then that they were asking me to lie on the application form so that they could give me a platinum card and earn even more commission!! :eek:

dont expect any better service at BOI or UB or anywhere else...if you do get better its an anomaly!