EBS Bank a/c

mburke

Looking at changing Bank accounts and from what I can judge the EBS Money Manager Account and Debit Card the fees are zero. Don't know much about EBS but zero fees seems like the way to go. Has anyone used EBS and are they ok to deal with?

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058263827/ebs-bank-a-c

I moved to them in January and can confirm fees are zero for current account and debit card.

I find them good to deal with. Never a long wait if you need to use phone banking.

I did hear a few people saying they stopped taking on current accounts but not 100% on that.

StonedRaider

With EBS a few years now. Zero issues, zero fees.If you're the impatient type, you might find a few things frustrating at times.

jeoun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058263827/ebs-bank-a-c

Been with them a few months now and going well so far. I do miss my Ulster Bank app which was so easy to sign in to with Touch ID. A bit more of an effort to sign in to the EBS online banking. They do not have a specific app to view your account on so you have to sign in using a web browser (works on phone or computer). However, you need an app to authorise the login. Occasionally the app can be a bit glitchy but to me it's not a big issue.

The whole process of opening the account was pretty straightforward and as the previous poster said, they do answer their phones pretty quickly.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119632000#Comment_119632000

Yeah same. Got myself a Revolut card. So just throw money onto it from EBS account every month and use the Revolut app. Its really good.

jeoun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119632023#Comment_119632023

I have the Revolut app and also find it really good. I do the same as you - throw in some money from EBS and away I go! So convenient when abroad as well.

bren2001

Do you have to go into the branch to open an account or can it be done online?

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119632874#Comment_119632874

I contacted them on facebook. Sent them all my documents required to open the account. Once they were happy with the documents I did have to go to the branch to sign for the account and lodge a token amount. Then they gave me my IBAN with cards and online banking details to follow in the post. Took maybe 10 minutes.

Quackster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119631145#Comment_119631145

They're currently conducting a review of operations and there is a level of expectation that they will decide to focus on being a specialist mortgage player and phase out current & savings accounts and investments.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119633263#Comment_119633263

Yeah read that alright. I'll take the free banking as long as its going 😆

TheDriver

Doesn't AIB own them? Makes sense they'll ditch current account banking

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119633456#Comment_119633456

Yeah the sort codes are AIB. I moved just before news of the review of operations. Maybe if people havent switched yet they should look into other options. Credit Union seems to be popular in the KBC and UB switch threads.

camz09

what does this mean? is it too late to switch to them now?!

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119633640#Comment_119633640

Only 1 way to find out. Message them on facebook and see what they say.

Personally even though they are reviewing their current account operations I would still switch to them and get the free banking as long as its on offer 😆. The switch went easy for me. Just a few direct debits and incoming payments to update. I left my old UB account open until I saw all the payments move over then close my UB account in the UB app.

Muahahaha

I opened an account with them but have yet to fully transition away from Ulster Bank yet. Im a bit nervous of the online banking for EBS, have only fired it up once but it was very clunky and tricky to navigate, its an ancient system theyre running compared to the fintech apps. With payments to/from Revlout is it seamless enough with EBS or do they have you jumping through all sorts of hoops? I'll probably put it with it but it sounds like they might be the next to leave the market for savings accounts so then there is no free option once that happens. My local CU doesnt offer an ATM card so thats not an option, I think An Post are next cheapest at a 5er a month.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119635164#Comment_119635164

You add the money from EBS debit card in the Revolut app, you then open the EBS Card app and approve the payment with your phone security. Then you go back to Revolut and the money is there.

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119635229#Comment_119635229

ok seems straight forward enough, I'll get used to it for the sake of free banking (while it lasts)

Red Silurian

When I went looking a few weeks back as I was a KBC customer I definitely considered EBS. If you're not very tech savvy then on paper they're great, think there is (used to be?) a limit of 5 free ATM withdrawls a month but cashback in shops in free and unlimited

Roberto_gas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119636815#Comment_119636815

are there any charges involved with the account ?

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119637031#Comment_119637031

Not if you keep within the above limits

mp3ireland2

No app and not the easiest online as you can't put any details on transfers between accounts. Use it more for savings, wages paid into revolut and transfer a chunk into EBS for mortgage and savings. Opened it 10 years ago for no fees

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119639790#Comment_119639790

To me this is a bit strange. If you had your wages going into EBS and there's an issue at least you could get someone on the phone quickly or visit a branch. Or are you planning to go Revolut only and close out the EBS account at some stage?

mp3ireland2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119640768#Comment_119640768

No I'll keep EBS we have a joint account the mortgage is paid from and our own accounts for savings. EBS transfers can be slow, I'm self employed and have a business Revolut account so my wages and expenses transfer instantly. I've found Revolut customer service very quick over chat whenever I needed them. EBS are grand but they are very old fashioned with applications and forms, changing to a green Mortgage was slow and not well explained, probably not an issue for a current account!

michael jay

i was in today in D7 and they said they still do the account, takes 2 visits to set up they said

sugarman20

The 5k daily limit is a pain in the hoop but apart from that I find it good.

Muahahaha

Will give yis a good one, last month I had a notification that my Evernote account got hacked, someone in Germany got in to it. There was some EBS login stuff in there (not all though) but as a precaution I rang them to put a stop on my card. It was the weekend so the only working phone number was for reporting cards lost or stolen, I think it wasnt actually EBS but some Mastercard agent.

Anyway I asked for a block, she said no probs and I clarified that I could unblock it Monday morning. Come Monday rang EBS proper and it turned out my card was invalidated instead of temporarily blocked and Id have to get a new one. Was a bit annoyed and said it to them, she asked me did I want to complain about it officially (which was strange hearing a bank offering for you to complain). Said go on I will just so it doesnt happen again to me or others. 10 days later got an EBS letter saying they were looking into it and then just yesterday got another letter apologising AND saying that they are logding 75 euro to my account by way of apology. After years of dealing with the gruffness of AIB and BOI I nearly fell off my seat reading it.

Roberto_gas

Opened a joint account last week…seamless exp.. online login details will take some time..IBAN given straight away

NellyMcD

As others have said, logging in to check your accounts is clunky via the web, no app, but apart from that I have found EBS good and charge free.

mp3ireland2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119653454#Comment_119653454

Oh yeah forgot about that, was an awful when we were getting our house deposit together! We had to transfer 5K a day into our revolut and then transfer to our laywer when all sorted. They were telling us to get a bank draft...that would have meant getting out of work, getting to bank, paying for that and posting. Was a big revoult transfer :-D

mp3ireland2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119738561#Comment_119738561

yeah you can't put any details on a transfer, any transfers in don't take the details from revolut so that's very annoying! For that reason I use revolut for day to day stuff and just put money in EBS to keep it out of reach....it's good for that :-D

size5

Have been with EBS for anout 3 months after switching from UB: Some pointers:

(1) Its completely free

(2) Haven't full embraced technology: There is no specific app & that is painful;

(3) Apple pay does not accept EBS cards not sure about google phones

(4) Monies lodged into your account, you may not recognise the payment; Seriously instead of the name of Payee I sometimes either get a code OR the comment the payee put painful for year end accounts;