Two fingers from First Active.

I

IsleOfMan

Guest
I got a letter in the post from my First Active branch in Stillorgan stating that improvements were to be made to their customer service. They were turning the branch in to a mortgage branch and from April only provide a cashless service for customers "in branch". I am not sure how this is an improvement to their customer service.? When they closed their branch in Blackrock they told me to go to their branch in Booterstown or Stillorgan. Then they closed their branch in Booterstown. Now they will not handle cash in Stillorgan. They hold two family SSIA accounts that have to be funded.....how do I lodge cash?
 
Just out of curiousity, why would you want to lodge cash? Would it not be a lot easier to fund your SSIA's by standing order transfers from another bank account?
 
first active

I work 9 -6 but not in my hometown, where my First Active account is. In the past year I have received the bonus paid last year and lately the buy out money. I am aware these payments are lying in an account paying diddly squat interest but as First Active now dont open on Saturday mornings or Thursday evenings I will be unable to do anything about it until I take a days leave.
I am not complaining, free money is always welcome but compared to the other building socities they keep bank hours,which do not suit everyone. When I had my mortgage with them in the 80's they opened on Saturday which made transactions easier.
Rainyday: why shouldn't you pay your ssia as it suits you.
my ssia is with an Post and you pay whatever you want by swipe card as often as you want each month (as long as you dont exceed €254 per month.) and as with all such customers I pay in cash.
 
Re: first active

Rainyday: why shouldn't you pay your ssia as it suits you.
Click to expand...

Indeed. My wife pays her An Post SSIA by cash over the counter each month - sometimes multiple lodgements each month within the usual contribution limits which is very handy. She has never had a bank account in her life and has no need for one. Many people don't have bank accounts and have no need or intention of opening one.

cuchullain - perhaps if you wrote to FA and told them that you wanted to make a withdrawal then they could arrange it without you having to take time off? If they say that you need to see them in person try getting THEM to call out to you and see what they say. I'm not joking...
 
Re: first active

Note that I'm not saying that you shouldn't be able to pay your SSIA in cash at the counter. It just seems a very cumbersome way of going about things to me.

I'd be interested in hearing the original posters view as to why cash in person is preferable.
 
Re: first active

It wasn't so cumbersome for my wife until they closed down the local PO. On the other hand it's still not much hassle.
 
re first active

They seem to be turning all their offices into mortage and investment stores

eg, my account is in stillorgan , but I used to lodge into merrion row , this changed so I then went to Grafton St ( guess what ?)

last week I received a letter from a country branch where I have my rental property , and guess what !!

in the space of 18 months 4 changes

I have decided to move my account to Ulster bank as I do like to take money out of this account
 
Re: re first active

Same thing happening to Clonmel Branch

Are any branches remaining as the were ie accepting /dispensing cash?
 
Re: re first active

Yep - walked into theie Midleton branch last year to make a lodgement & of course they had changed that into a Mortgage centre as well......

Pain in the This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language.....

ninsaga
 
Re: re first active

stating that improvements were to be made to their customer service.
Click to expand...

Don't you just love when they say one thing and do another?
I don't know about you but it fools me every time.

Like when AIB wrote to me telling me that they were giving much greater value for money now because they were starting to pay interest on current accounts (capped at €5), oh and by the way they were also going to start charging me fees of about €80.

There was I thinking I was getting less value for money, but what do I know? Thank goodness they wrote to me a cleared up my confusion.

Apparently in the Dictionary of Banking 'improve' means to make worse. I think it's the same dictionary that governments use.

-Rd
 
Re: re first active

Remember BOI's "100Y2K" campaign? More of the same... :rolleyes
 
Aaaahhh. The counter biros are still empty.

I only maintain a First Active demand account as well as the SSIA's. I usually maintain a generous balance in my demand account and am aware that I am being paid practically nil in interest. However as I can use this account for cash transactions without fees I am happy with that. I don't hold a bank account although my wife does. Being an ex banker (BOI) who enjoyed free banking I could never understand why people were happy tp pay bank charges. The number of people who write cheques for below €10 is amazing, considering the medallion stamp duty and bank charge and account maintenance charge. Now that First Active will not allow me deal in "cash" anymore I will be moving my generous balance to Anglo Irish or Stillorgan Credit Union, who incidentally paid 3% last year and keep the bare minimum in my First Active demand account.
As Rainyday suggests I will most likely set up a standing order from my wife's account to my SSIA account. However I would have preferred to leave her out of the equation altogether and as O suggests I should be allowed transact in cash if I choose.
And while I am at it. Isn't it about time that they refilled the counter biros with ink in the First Active Stillorgan that have been empty for the past six months AND had their windows cleaned.
Yeah! I feel good after that!
 
Re: Aaaahhh. The counter biros are still empty.

Anyone know who said the following:

"The bigger the lie, the more people will believe it".

Clue, he had a mustache and spoke German. He is evidently the inspiration behind most if not all Advertising and Political Spinning.

-Rd
 
Re: Aaaahhh. The counter biros are still empty.

The keyboard player from Sparks?
 
first active

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I thought about giving them a ring but decided that maybe its ok where it is for the moment. Hopefully I will have a student in College in Sept/Oct, and maybe I will use the freebie for that. I invested €15000 in Irish Life about 3 years ago hoping to make this incrase in order that it would last a little longer once college kicked in but they performed a Houdini act on it, and made it disappear, well almost, but they did lose 40% and recovered breadcrumbs in the past 12 months. So maybe by making it nearly inaccessable First Active have now done me 3 good turns.
 
Why do kami-kaze pilots wear helmets?

Bit like the EBS getting their customers to invest in Japanese tracker funds. The word was sent out from "on high" that these were the funds to be in. And guess what. The guys that set them up are long gone from the organisation leaving the poor managers and staff who were pressed in to selling these products with red faces and the customers somewhat upset.
 
Re: Why do kami-kaze pilots wear helmets?

When did this happen? I never heard anything about it. One should never expect to receive independent, objective savings/investment advice from the tied agents to any financial institution - even if they are a mutual.
 
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