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KBC exiting Ireland

17810121326

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,232 ✭✭✭Yggr of Asgard


    just got a feedback from my payroll admin, he said that it wouldn't be a problem send my salary to N26 but it might be a problem with Irish revenue because a German bank can be suspicious for money laundry, therefore it might be an issue...
    honestly I don't see where the issue is since in my N26 account there is my PPSN...

    And N26 also having reported the fact that you opened the account to Revenue (there is no more hidden account).

    So, if Revenu thinks there is something going on, they can simply ask you to do a tax return.


  • Registered Users Posts: 89 ✭✭Mastroianni


    any news so far guys?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,232 ✭✭✭Yggr of Asgard


    any news so far guys?

    What is the daily reminder every time you log into the App or the online interface not enough?


  • Registered Users Posts: 89 ✭✭Mastroianni


    they just don't remind at all.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,085 ✭✭✭Smee_Again


    any news so far guys?

    What news are you looking for? Do you think KBC or BOI are going to be releasing statements on how negotiations are going?

    When it's all done and sorted KBC will let you know what your options are, until them just relax.

    Think of it like a service provider, if Sky decided to pull out of Ireland you'd just move to a different TV/ISP at the end of your contract, this is no different.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭patscott27


    I was just wondering about the 0.2 per cent discount for keeping my current account on my fixed mortgage with Kbc. When it is moved to BOI will they honour the discount?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,905 ✭✭✭✭Bob24


    patscott27 wrote: »
    I was just wondering about the 0.2 per cent discount for keeping my current account on my fixed mortgage with Kbc. When it is moved to BOI will they honour the discount?

    I thought about this as well.

    I haven't looked at the exact contractual details, but I would not be too hopeful:
    1) KBC themselves have always marketed it as an "optional 0.20% discount" so I am not sure they are contractually obliged to keep applying this discount anyway (even without BOI entering the picture).
    2) Even assuming they do have a contractual obligation, one term of the offer is that you must get your salary mandated to a KBC current account and pay the mortgage from that account at all time to keep qualifying for the discount. Once KBC has left the Irish market, technically no-one will meet this condition (the wording doesn't say that you need a current account with your current mortgage provider, it does say a "KBC Current Account"; it is not clear whether legally this should be reinterpreted as a BOI current account once the transaction is complete, and even if this was the case BOI could decide play dirty and find a way to make their current accounts even more expensive and unattractive for former KBC customers).

    All this is a bit unclear, but I think if BOI has any opportunity to legally avoid honouring the discount, it is what they will chose to do (I don't think they would to it as a gesture of good will).

    So basically it will come down to the interpretation of their contractual obligations.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,542 ✭✭✭JTMan


    After the tracker mortgage scandal, the last thing BoI will want is another scandal/media hysteria linked to removing discounts for former KBC customers.

    Even if the contractual obligations give BOI wiggle room, they may decide that it is best not to remove the discounts from a reputation perspective.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    The only thing is that with the KBC current account extra you had no fees if you passed 2k through it. BOI might extend the offer if you move your current account to them but you’ll be on the hook for €6pm current account fees.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,085 ✭✭✭Smee_Again


    One would assume the discounts are just factored into the price BOI pay for the mortgage book. No doubt BOI would up the rate if they could, but there's no reason why they can't honour it either.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,905 ✭✭✭✭Bob24


    Smee_Again wrote: »
    One would assume the discounts are just factored into the price BOI pay for the mortgage book. No doubt BOI would up the rate if they could, but there's no reason why they can't honour it either.

    First KBC and BOI will need to agree on what contractual obligations BOI will have with regards to the discount after the transfer of those mortgages. If the agreement is that they have an obligation to keep applying the discount, yes for sure BOI will rightly argue that it should be reflected in the financial agreement between the 2 banks. But if the agreement is that they won't have any obligation, for sure KBC will also rightly argue that BOI needs to acquire those mortgages based on their non-discounted rate (meaning BOI needs to pay a higher amount to KBC because the loans can deliver a higher yield for BOI).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,085 ✭✭✭Smee_Again


    Bob24 wrote: »
    First KBC and BOI will need to agree and what contractual obligations BOI will have with regards to the discount after the transfer of those mortgages. If the agreement is that they have an obligation to keep applying the discount, yes for sure BOI will rightly argue that it should be reflected in the financial agreement between the 2 banks. But if the agreement is that they won't have any obligation, for sure KBC will also rightly argue that BOI needs to acquire those mortgages based on their non-discounted rate (meaning BOI needs to pay a higher amount to KBC because the loans can deliver a higher yield for BOI).

    Yeah, all fair points.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,807 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    cisk wrote: »
    The only thing is that with the KBC current account extra you had no fees if you passed 2k through it. BOI might extend the offer if you move your current account to them but you’ll be on the hook for €6pm current account fees.

    Still cheaper than a 0.2% mortgage rate increase.


  • Registered Users Posts: 362 ✭✭Rock Steady Edy


    Can you imagine the uproar from KBC customers if through no fault of their own they were being levied with bank charges on their current accounts and an extra 0.2% on their mortgages at the same time? BoI would want to ensure a seamless transition and infuriating customers at the start would not be a good way of helping the business to stay long term.

    KBC customers are probably in the main customers who have deliberately avoided the main 2 banks.

    I imagine customers with both a current account and a mortgage which has always attracted a 0.2% discount who transfer to BoI (should the transaction even get that far) would have a period of time when the same T&Cs applied.

    That's what happened when Rabodirect transferred their Investment Arm to Cantor and Tesco Bank transferred their business to Avantcard - I was a customer of both. In the end, I sold my holding with Cantor just before the fees changed and have switched credit cards but stayed with Avantcard. The switching phase allows the company a period of time to prove itself that it's worthy of your business. If you still don't like it, you can still switch before the end of the grace period.

    It would be a good hypothetical question to ask KBC for anyone in the process of fixing with them now.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 877 ✭✭✭65535


    Got an official letter this morning stating what we already know


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,806 ✭✭✭PommieBast


    Just got an email from BoI stating that they are changing their T&Cs so that they can apply negative interest rates to bank accounts.. :mad:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,085 ✭✭✭Smee_Again


    PommieBast wrote: »
    Just got an email from BoI stating that they are changing their T&Cs so that they can apply negative interest rates to bank accounts.. :mad:

    On cash balances over €1m though, right?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,806 ✭✭✭PommieBast


    Smee_Again wrote: »
    On cash balances over €1m though, right?
    I suspect it will quickly get applied to lower balances..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,542 ✭✭✭JTMan


    PommieBast wrote: »
    Just got an email from BoI stating that they are changing their T&Cs so that they can apply negative interest rates to bank accounts.. :mad:

    The BoI T&C's, on most accounts, have allowed negative rates for some time.
    On cash balances over €1m though, right?

    Yeah, media reports have said that both AIB and BoI are applying negative rates to personal balances over 1 million.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,905 ✭✭✭✭Bob24


    Yes I think most if not all Irish banks have updated their T&Cs in the past year or 2 in order to allow for negative rates on any account (as said above it doesn’t mean they are actually applying negative rates to everyone yet, but the fact that they are allowing themselves to do it in the T&Cs gives an idea of what is coming).

    I believe N26 are also charging negative rates for new customers with a balance over 50000 euros (they haven’t enforced it for “old” customers though, presumable because they don’t want to push new T&Cs on them at this stage).

    We can all thank the ECB for this …


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 798 ✭✭✭Yyhhuuu


    I have two savings accounts with BOI where 3rd parties pay in to. I have 2 separate accounts for accounting purposes as 2 separate payors Had accounts for years. I closed BOI current account for KBC.

    Now BOI updated their T&C to say at future date you can only have savings/ deposit a/c if you have a current a/c. Just can't believe this.

    When this happens which banks should I open the savings accounts. I need 2 to 3 deposit accounts as 2 to 3 separate payors each paying once a month. For accounting purposes much easier for me to have separate accounts.

    I was thinking of moving to N26 for current account.

    The move by BOI is worrying. Do AIB have similar terms and conditions that you must have a current account to open a savings account?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,806 ✭✭✭PommieBast


    I have four Irish bank accounts (AIB,BoI,PTSB,Ulster) with maxed out deposit limit guarantees in three of them as the result of an aborted property purchase, so somewhere along the line i will get classed as a heavy saver and hence screwed. I need an exit strategy :(


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,905 ✭✭✭✭Bob24


    PommieBast wrote: »
    I have four Irish bank accounts (AIB,BoI,PTSB,Ulster) with maxed out deposit limit guarantees in three of them as the result of an aborted property purchase, so somewhere along the line i will get classed as a heavy saver and hence screwed. I need an exit strategy :(

    Unless you are planning to used that cash for a property (or whatever else) in the near future, you definitely need to consider your options. You are effectively already been taxed on those deposits as the interest rate your are receiving is lower than inflation so the purchasing power of your savings is slowly shrinking. Plus yesterday the US posted inflation figures higher than anyone had anticipated. If this spreads to Europe (which IMO is likely) it will get even more urgent not to hold too much cash.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,905 ✭✭✭✭Bob24


    Yyhhuuu wrote: »
    I have two savings accounts with BOI where 3rd parties pay in to. I have 2 separate accounts for accounting purposes as 2 separate payors Had accounts for years. I closed BOI current account for KBC.

    Now BOI updated their T&C to say at future date you can only have savings/ deposit a/c if you have a current a/c. Just can't believe this.

    When this happens which banks should I open the savings accounts. I need 2 to 3 deposit accounts as 2 to 3 separate payors each paying once a month. For accounting purposes much easier for me to have separate accounts.

    I was thinking of moving to N26 for current account.

    The move by BOI is worrying. Do AIB have similar terms and conditions that you must have a current account to open a savings account?

    Banks can fund themselves almost for free from the ECB, and they are getting charged a negative rate to deposit cash with the ECB: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/key_ecb_interest_rates/html/index.en.html

    So once they have their required liquidity ratio, to them small depositors are an operational and financial burden more than anything else (the main point in taking them as customers is to sell them other services on which the bank is making money). So unfortunately I think the experience you are having is likely to spread to most banks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,489 ✭✭✭PCeeeee



    KBC customers are probably in the main customers who have deliberately avoided the main 2 banks.

    Or who have switched away. I wonder would BOI recognise they are getting customers that will switch?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,905 ✭✭✭✭Bob24


    PCeeeee wrote: »
    Or who have switched away. I wonder would BOI recognise they are getting customers that will switch?

    For current accounts and savings accounts, I'd say yes they know that and they don't care.

    But what they are after is mortgages, and once KBC customers have moved to BOI and UB customers have moved to AIB, competition for low rates will be greatly reduced and BOI realistically should retain a decent chunk of those mortgages.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,489 ✭✭✭PCeeeee


    Bob24 wrote: »
    For current accounts and savings accounts, I'd say yes they know that and they don't care.

    But what they are after is mortgages, and once KBC customers have moved to BOI and UB customers have moved to AIB, competition for low rates will be greatly reduced and BOI realistically should retain a decent chunk of those mortgages.

    Sadly Bob that sounds entirely plausible. Sigh.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭silver2020


    Bob24 wrote: »
    For current accounts and savings accounts, I'd say yes they know that and they don't care.

    But what they are after is mortgages, and once KBC customers have moved to BOI and UB customers have moved to AIB, competition for low rates will be greatly reduced and BOI realistically should retain a decent chunk of those mortgages.
    PCeeeee wrote: »
    Sadly Bob that sounds entirely plausible. Sigh.

    Market is showing that this is not the case.

    Ireland is a small market, yet even with KBC & Ulster moving out, there are still 6 options open to you. (7 if you include EBS, but they are owned by AIB)

    Three of them are private equity funded where long term pensions are invested and they will want the money invested and will be happy with 1%-2% returns.

    The two announcements yesterday by Finance Ireland and Avant and a possible further announcement next week by ICS/Dillosk will show that there is plenty of competition out there and the retail banks will have to follow.

    These non-retail bank lenders have a much more streamlined operation. No branches, a lot of technology and don't have the legacy issues. They pay a small fee to brokers or a small commission or deal direct and their roll-off rates are also substantially cheaper.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,806 ✭✭✭PommieBast


    Bob24 wrote: »
    Unless you are planning to used that cash for a property (or whatever else) in the near future, you definitely need to consider your options. You are effectively already been taxed on those deposits as the interest rate your are receiving is lower than inflation so the purchasing power of your savings is slowly shrinking. Plus yesterday the US posted inflation figures higher than anyone had anticipated. If this spreads to Europe (which IMO is likely) it will get even more urgent not to hold too much cash.
    Longer-term I'll be switching it into Sterling and buying assets in the UK. However one factor is what will happen to the exchange rate once the vaccination bounce fades and Brexit's effects are no longer being masked.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,905 ✭✭✭✭Bob24


    silver2020 wrote: »
    Market is showing that this is not the case.

    Ireland is a small market, yet even with KBC & Ulster moving out, there are still 6 options open to you. (7 if you include EBS, but they are owned by AIB)

    Three of them are private equity funded where long term pensions are invested and they will want the money invested and will be happy with 1%-2% returns.

    The two announcements yesterday by Finance Ireland and Avant and a possible further announcement next week by ICS/Dillosk will show that there is plenty of competition out there and the retail banks will have to follow.

    These non-retail bank lenders have a much more streamlined operation. No branches, a lot of technology and don't have the legacy issues. They pay a small fee to brokers or a small commission or deal direct and their roll-off rates are also substantially cheaper.

    Lets see what happens once KBC and UB are actually gone (right know they are still applying competitive pressure as it still makes sense for people to apply for mortgages with them and lock rates which will be retained even of the mortgage is moved to a new lender).

    But I am not as hopeful as you are. The new lenders are small operations which are in it for profits. So they have no incentive massively reduce rates and they'll undercut retail banks just enough to acquire customers at a rate they can support. And I suspect they will never be allow to grab any significant share of the market (if it comes to a point whereby they are becoming too large, I would expect offers will be made which their owners can't refuse, as was done with UB and KBC).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭silver2020


    Bob24 wrote: »
    The new lenders are small operations which are in it for profits. So they have no incentive massively reduce rates and they'll undercut retail banks just enough to acquire customers at a rate they can support. And I suspect they will never be allow to grab any significant share of the market (if it comes to a point whereby they are becoming too large, I would expect offers will be made which their owners can't refuse, as was done with UB and KBC).

    Avant is part of BankInter of Spain with assets of €90 Billion
    Finance Ireland is funded by M&G investments - parent of Prudential Insurance and has over €400 billion under investment.
    Dillosk are also backed by two large investment houses.


    Basically Avant and Finance Ireland have more firing power than Bank of Ireland and AIB. They may be small players here, but backed by giants.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,905 ✭✭✭✭Bob24


    silver2020 wrote: »
    Basically Avant and Finance Ireland have more firing power than Bank of Ireland and AIB. They may be small players here, but backed by giants.

    Yes I am talking about their Irish operations which are currently limited and how much they could grow.

    On a side note, Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland are also both subsidiaries of very large foreign banks (NatWest Group and KBC Group). But they were not allowed to grow above a certain size (NatWest and KBC might be larger than AIB and BOI, but once Irish banks came to them with a fat cheque to kindly leave the Irish market alone, both accepted the offer).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,045 ✭✭✭silver2020


    Bob24 wrote: »
    Yes I am talking about their Irish operations which are currently limited and how much they could grow.

    On a side note, Ulster Bank and KBC Ireland are also both subsidiaries of very large foreign banks (NatWest Group and KBC Group). But they were not allowed to grow above a certain size (NatWest and KBC might be larger than AIB and BOI, but once Irish banks came to them with a fat cheque to kindly leave the Irish market alone, both accepted the offer).

    Ulster is leaving because it simply could not see a long term profitable future and the Irish business is tiny in comparison to its main business. It was a pain in their backside and needed huge IT investment and had too many legacy issues

    KBC are profitable, but again, because the parent is so big, KBC is not of strategic importance, so when an offer came along they saw it as an opportunity.

    KBC's exit is opportunistic, Ulster's was strategic.

    Bankinter is big, but not a giant, so a good Irish business (they manage credit cards and anpost loans too) would be a decent part of their overall business.

    We'll wait and see, but the guys that manage my pension think these 3 will become long term main players in the market.

    It also helps that these non-bank lenders don't have the same capital reserve requirements as the retail banks.

    Back in 2019, it was said that this is what the market needed - now it's getting it and the customer is winning
    https://www.irishtimes.com/business/non-bank-mortgages-key-to-cutting-irish-interest-rates-study-finds-1.3820799


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,510 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    Decided I might as well get it over and done with, moving from KBC this week.
    I have all but one thing switched over to new bank.

    Shame to leave KBC as I've been happy with them since about 2018 after awful issues with Ulster


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,810 ✭✭✭Mr Velo


    Cabaal wrote: »
    Decided I might as well get it over and done with, moving from KBC this week.
    I have all but one thing switched over to new bank.

    Shame to leave KBC as I've been happy with them since about 2018 after awful issues with Ulster

    What bank have you chosen to move to?


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  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,510 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    Mr Velo wrote: »
    What bank have you chosen to move to?

    N26,
    I've had an account with them since 2018 as a backup when traveling so I've now moved proper to it.

    I don't need cheque's, cash lodgements or overdrafts. N26 unlike Revolut is of course a proper bank license wise so thats why I'm with it, also the N26 app is actually decent.


  • Registered Users Posts: 241 ✭✭bonjurkes


    The problem with fintech banking is, for whatever reason, they have rights to froze your assets while they do investigation. This can be legit case, or something triggered by their internal system (their AI messing up and misflagging you). Then you will have to sit tight and wait till they come back to you. There is no one to discuss the matters with, as customer service will keep saying there is nothing they can do.

    This kind of thing never happened to me with traditional banks but there is possibility with fintech banks. Especially the part that there is no human you can actually discuss your situation what worries me the most. Just visit N26 or Revolut subs on reddit and there is plenty of people having this issue. That's why I am not willing to store all my cash in some fintech bank. I can lose my monthly salary but no way I will keep my all savings there.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,807 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    bonjurkes wrote: »
    The problem with fintech banking is, for whatever reason, they have rights to froze your assets while they do investigation. This can be legit case, or something triggered by their internal system (their AI messing up and misflagging you). Then you will have to sit tight and wait till they come back to you. There is no one to discuss the matters with, as customer service will keep saying there is nothing they can do.

    This kind of thing never happened to me with traditional banks but there is possibility with fintech banks. Especially the part that there is no human you can actually discuss your situation what worries me the most. Just visit N26 or Revolut subs on reddit and there is plenty of people having this issue. That's why I am not willing to store all my cash in some fintech bank. I can lose my monthly salary but no way I will keep my all savings there.

    The regulations say that if your account has been frozen, they can't tell you why and they can't discuss it with you. The real question is whether the fintechs are flagging accounts too easily, or if the trad banks are too lax.


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,510 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    I certainly don't plan on keeping all my savings on N26 so I'm not worried.

    I would urge caution of perhaps just how many people might be actually doing dodgy stuff via N26 accounts which is causing them to be legit flagged, of course if these same people post online they'll never want to admit what they've done is dodgy


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,905 ✭✭✭✭Bob24


    McGaggs wrote: »
    The regulations say that if your account has been frozen, they can't tell you why and they can't discuss it with you. The real question is whether the fintechs are flagging accounts too easily, or if the trad banks are too lax.

    Agree. I think it is pretty easy to answer the question though.

    Basically it is a trade-off between how the want to spend in this and the corresponding fraud detection/review capabilities. I.e. fintechs tend to had fewer staff and spend less on this, leading to more false positives and longer review times (if their capability to inquire about potential cases is lower, the safe choice is to put any account which was flagged as potentially problematic on hold until an actual person can look into it, whereas in a traditional bank the account might have been reviewed and cleared immediately).


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  • Registered Users Posts: 369 ✭✭Sam W


    bonjurkes wrote: »
    The problem with fintech banking is, for whatever reason, they have rights to froze your assets while they do investigation. This can be legit case, or something triggered by their internal system (their AI messing up and misflagging you). Then you will have to sit tight and wait till they come back to you. There is no one to discuss the matters with, as customer service will keep saying there is nothing they can do.

    This kind of thing never happened to me with traditional banks but there is possibility with fintech banks. Especially the part that there is no human you can actually discuss your situation what worries me the most. Just visit N26 or Revolut subs on reddit and there is plenty of people having this issue. That's why I am not willing to store all my cash in some fintech bank. I can lose my monthly salary but no way I will keep my all savings there.

    Absolutely spot on. N26 froze some of my assets and there was never any proper investigation for 2 months despite countless calls, emails, chats and letters.

    I would be left with no cash flow for my business for 2 months had I got no other accounts.

    The biggest problem is that such ‘digitised’ banks are unreachable at all (even though they claim they have 24/7 support) when an issue needs a bit of expertise knowledge. I would be able to just walk into an AIB branch and ask to talk to an account manager, or make a complaint on their online platform which someone will be able to discuss the case with me within a day or two. With a foreign and digital bank like N26, the only thing you could do is to wait and hope you still have cash left to feed yourself and your family whilst they play their wait game.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65,717 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    Cabaal wrote: »
    Decided I might as well get it over and done with, moving from KBC this week.
    I have all but one thing switched over to new bank.

    Shame to leave KBC as I've been happy with them since about 2018 after awful issues with Ulster
    Cabaal wrote: »
    N26,
    I've had an account with them since 2018 as a backup when traveling so I've now moved proper to it.

    I don't need cheque's, cash lodgements or overdrafts. N26 unlike Revolut is of course a proper bank license wise so thats why I'm with it, also the N26 app is actually decent.

    +1

    Getting my finger out whenever I have a bit of time in the next few days. Have exactly the same history as yourself and decided this evening that I will make N26 my main current account (and also keep using Revolut exactly like I am using it now)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65,717 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    Done now. Was not as bad as when I switched to KBC in early 2018, but Jaysus some of people have no idea that you should be able to use an IBAN that doesn't start with "IE" these days :rolleyes:


  • Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,510 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    unkel wrote: »
    Done now. Was not as bad as when I switched to KBC in early 2018, but Jaysus some of people have no idea that you should be able to use an IBAN that doesn't start with "IE" these days :rolleyes:

    The only problem I've had so far is Vodafone's website wouldn't take it,
    Its funny cause I expected my local credit union to be an issue but it was no problem at all!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65,717 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    Yeah similar here. One of the easiest sites was the Revenue Commissioners. Wasn't expecting that. Easy online job, same with the likes of GoMo and Energia. Most others required a phone call, one (Flogas) required me to fill in a direct debit paper form and return it to them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,645 ✭✭✭krissovo


    I am looking at leaving KBC and N26 looks good but I do make a few annual large transactions. With KBC if I exceeded their limits I could go to the hub show ID an then complete the transaction. I have 2 scenarios bank transfers of >€20k, in KBC I need to goto the branch and in N26 this looks unlimited. The 2nd is card transactions >€5k which is the limit for for N26, how do I get around this?


  • Registered Users Posts: 369 ✭✭Sam W


    krissovo wrote: »
    I am looking at leaving KBC and N26 looks good but I do make a few annual large transactions. With KBC if I exceeded their limits I could go to the hub show ID an then complete the transaction. I have 2 scenarios bank transfers of >€20k, in KBC I need to goto the branch and in N26 this looks unlimited. The 2nd is card transactions >€5k which is the limit for for N26, how do I get around this?

    You can’t. The limits in the app are already the highest they can grant.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,645 ✭✭✭krissovo


    Sam W wrote: »
    You can’t. The limits in the app are already the highest they can grant.

    Thanks, looks like I will have to stay and transfer over to our BOI overlords :mad:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65,717 ✭✭✭✭unkel
    Chauffe, Marcel, chauffe!


    krissovo wrote: »
    Thanks, looks like I will have to stay and transfer over to our BOI overlords :mad:

    Is there no way around it? I seem to remember that with Revolut you could pre-arrange larger transfers. I paid for my Tesla with Revolut. I presume you have Revolut too? My plan is to keep using that for its unique benefits


  • Registered Users Posts: 362 ✭✭Rock Steady Edy


    Sam W wrote: »
    Absolutely spot on. N26 froze some of my assets and there was never any proper investigation for 2 months despite countless calls, emails, chats and letters.

    I would be left with no cash flow for my business for 2 months had I got no other accounts.

    The biggest problem is that such ‘digitised’ banks are unreachable at all (even though they claim they have 24/7 support) when an issue needs a bit of expertise knowledge. I would be able to just walk into an AIB branch and ask to talk to an account manager, or make a complaint on their online platform which someone will be able to discuss the case with me within a day or two. With a foreign and digital bank like N26, the only thing you could do is to wait and hope you still have cash left to feed yourself and your family whilst they play their wait game.

    This review has completely put me off ever opening a digitised non-Irish based bank account. I would even rather pay something towards the cost of an Irish bank account than potentially have this hassle.


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