# UB, PTSB to replacing LASER with Visa Debit



## RonanC (6 May 2010)

I received a letter yesterday from PTSB in relation to my Laser Card and it said that they will soon be replacing the Laser cards with Visa Debit cards. 

I have been in touch with PTSB and was told that this is to allow account holders to make online payments and payments throughout the world. 

Now, my main issue with this is, some well known discount food stores only accept cash or Laser and no other payments are allowed. I mentioned this to PTSB who said that there would be very little who use the same payment facility and Visa Debit is much better. 

I will be contacting the above mentioned discount stores to ask if they will consider accpeting Visa Debit also


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## tiger (6 May 2010)

Hmmm interesting.
Trying to think where else is laser only.
Any idea if there will be extra charges involved also?


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## fizzelina (6 May 2010)

Great I'm in the process of switching to PTSB from Halifax and the reason I chose PTSB is they were due to get the VISA debit although they could not give the exact date of when it comes in.


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## gipimann (6 May 2010)

One of the two discount food stores (I'm assuming you mean Aldi & Lidl!) recently started accepting VISA Debit Cards - can't remember which one, but I remember smiling to myself because they introduced it just as Halifax announced their departure!


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## Welfarite (6 May 2010)

Laser is very limited in its uses and I welcome the change. I'm sure 'discount stores' (?) will soon change their payment methods to suit as it would mena huge loss of business.


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## Willy Fogg (6 May 2010)

> Now, my main issue with this is, some well known discount food stores only accept cash or Laser and no other payments are allowed. I mentioned this to PTSB who said that there would be very little who use the same payment facility and Visa Debit is much better.



Your issue is a "Lidl" out of date 

Lidl already accept Visa Debit, and I'm sure it's been mentioned here that Aldi seem to also accept it now. They didn't have much of a choice after Ulster converted to Visa Debit, as other big banks would follow in due course.


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## RonanC (6 May 2010)

Willy Fogg said:


> Your issue is a "Lidl" out of date


Ha ha very good 



Willy Fogg said:


> Lidl already accept Visa Debit, and I'm sure it's been mentioned here that Aldi seem to also accept it now. They didn't have much of a choice after Ulster converted to Visa Debit, as other big banks would follow in due course.


 
I must check with Aldi as I was 99.9% sure it was cash or Laser only

Cheers for the info though


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## Molly (6 May 2010)

Aldi accept Visa debit cards.


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## Luckycharm (6 May 2010)

Can you get money back on Visa debit cards? Ulster bank have replaced theirs as well


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## roker (6 May 2010)

I assume they work abroad the same as the Laser Cirrus card?


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## pudds (6 May 2010)

The *only* place my visa debit card won't work is with the National Lottery...
even the ESB accepts them now.


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## pudds (6 May 2010)

Luckycharm said:


> Can you get money back on Visa debit cards?



yeah most places but not Aldi/Lidi


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## Willy Fogg (6 May 2010)

> I assume they work abroad the same as the Laser Cirrus card?



Yes - in fact, even better as you can use them to pay for stuff in stores etc. as well at ATM's.


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## bond-007 (7 May 2010)

Willy Fogg said:


> Your issue is a "Lidl" out of date
> 
> Lidl already accept Visa Debit, and I'm sure it's been mentioned here that Aldi seem to also accept it now. They didn't have much of a choice after Ulster converted to Visa Debit, as other big banks would follow in due course.


Lidl staff may try and stop you from using the card. Many of them will only allow Laser and will not allow anything else. This is down to poor training.


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## scorpio11 (10 May 2010)

i dont think all retailers offer casback, i have ulster visa debit now,had halifax previously, and when i asked in one or two places,they didnt offer any cashback on it.
when i was in asda in enniskillen, the assistant did ask, maybe more common up north.


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## Willy Fogg (10 May 2010)

Well the UK/NI have had Visa Debit for a lot longer - so yes, cash back on a Visa Debit would be nothing new to them


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## ajapale (11 May 2010)

Supervalue wont give me cash back on my new UB Visa Debit card.
Dunnes do.
Havent tried Tescos yet.


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## pudds (11 May 2010)

ajapale said:


> Supervalue wont give me cash back on my new UB Visa Debit card.
> Dunnes do.
> Havent tried Tescos yet.



Surprised at the inconsistency here with the supermarkets (apart from Aldi/Lidi) would love to know the reason why some won't.


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## bond-007 (11 May 2010)

They must think they are credit cards.


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## Mystic Oil (14 May 2010)

I usually pay cash in Lidl/Aldi because it's quicker. Last weekend I saw the woman in front of me pay with a Visa card, don't know if it was debit or credit.

Lidl and Aldi in the UK take credit cards, in Germany they don't.

I suppose it's something they fine-tune to the local markets?


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## 4th estate (14 May 2010)

Could someone tell me what exactly is the difference between laser and visa debit please? My AIB laser can be used to buy goods and services, for cashback and cash withdrawals. But maybe not everywhere in the world, is that the difference? 

I know laser works for me in EU for purchases and cash, and in the US for cash.


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## hfp (4 Jun 2010)

theres very little difference between the two, the main one being that you now get payment protection in the same way you would with a credit card.  you can use it in store, online, for cash both in ireland and abroad and you should be able to get cashback. there have been issues with aceptability in RoI especially with regards cashback, but this was mainly due to retailer systems being out of date.  most of these issues have now been ironed out, but you may still have problems with smaller retailers.  a lot of the time the issues are with staff training to recognise the difference between visa debit and visa credit


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## Joanneh (10 Jun 2010)

Can anyone advise whether the Visa Debit can be used everywhere there is a Visa sign or do they specifically have to state that they take Visa Debit? Reason I ask is I am going abroad for 6 months, was going to get a credit card, but maybe the debit card will do instead.


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## rgfuller (10 Jun 2010)

You should be able to do this as the transaction is over the standard visa network but just ends up at your current account instead of credit account. 

However - you may have difficulties booking hotels or car hire where they attempt to reserve an amount/deposit against a booking cancellation or leaving without paying or car return issues, so probably best to go with both!

Some interesting points on the wiki article too : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debit_card


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## Molly (10 Jun 2010)

I've never experienced any problems using my Visa debit card for hotel bookings or car hire.


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## ajapale (10 Jun 2010)

ajapale said:


> Supervalue wont give me cash back on my new UB Visa Debit card.


Supervalu have changed their system and now offer cash back on the Visa Debit card. Some operators have to be convinced that it is in fact a Debit card since it has the Visa logo on it.


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## Moral Ethos (11 Jun 2010)

Car hire is a big no no with these debit cards. Certainly Hertz would not accept a visa debit card in the USA.


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## ajapale (11 Jun 2010)

The last of series of the BBC's "Watch Dog (incorporating Rogue Traders)" exposed these Visa Debit Cards as being the worst possible way to exchange money for UK customers on holiday overseas (the best was a pre loaded credit card). I wonder does the same go for irish customers in Poland etc?


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## pudds (11 Jun 2010)

that is probably more to do with charges incurred than anything else.


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## ajapale (11 Jun 2010)

Yes the charges can be exhorbitant.


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## Aisling (12 Jun 2010)

Hi, 

Can anyone tell me if the same governemnt levy will apply to Visa debit cards as normal credit cards etc.  As far as I'm aware the levy on laser is €10 instead of the €40 on credit cards.

Thank you.


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## pudds (12 Jun 2010)

No the charge is only a fiver or a tenner....not sure exactly..credit cards are around €30

edit:   


ATM card: €2.50
Debit (Laser) card: €2.50
Combined ATM and debit card: €5


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## cork (24 Jun 2010)

Do NIB offer a debit card?


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## Diddles (24 Jun 2010)

Does Visa Debit operate the same as a laser ie money taken from your current account same day or will it be sent as a bill like regular visa
thanks
d


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## Moral Ethos (24 Jun 2010)

Money is taken instantly.


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## markpb (24 Jun 2010)

Diddles said:


> Does Visa Debit operate the same as a laser ie money taken from your current account same day or will it be sent as a bill like regular visa
> thanks
> d



The money comes straight out of your account.


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## Diddles (24 Jun 2010)

Thanks Moral and Mark


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## Willy Fogg (24 Jun 2010)

cork said:


> Do NIB offer a debit card?



Yes, it's a Laser/Maestro card however, not a Visa Debit card


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## Mystic Oil (28 Jun 2010)

My Laser card has just been replaced by a Visa Debit card. In the literature enclosed, one of the features attributed to the new card is a protection against a supplier going bust or an internet shopping transaction going wrong. This is an improvement on the Laser/Maestro arrangement. I have had the unfortunate experience of being left high and dry with a failed internet purchase with Maestro.


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## paulpd (29 Jun 2010)

Mystic Oil said:


> My Laser card has just been replaced by a Visa Debit card. In the literature enclosed, one of the features attributed to the new card is a protection against a supplier going bust or an internet shopping transaction going wrong. This is an improvement on the Laser/Maestro arrangement. I have had the unfortunate experience of being left high and dry with a failed internet purchase with Maestro.


 

Did this happen automatically? Or did you apply? Which bank was it? I'm with Ulster Bank and still no sign of a VISA debit - I'm still using the Laser which expires next May.


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## Willy Fogg (29 Jun 2010)

They're rolling them out gradually - so if you want one sooner, you need to contact them to get a replacement card.


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## Mystic Oil (29 Jun 2010)

paulpd said:


> Did this happen automatically? Or did you apply? Which bank was it? I'm with Ulster Bank and still no sign of a VISA debit - I'm still using the Laser which expires next May.



UB wrote to me several weeks ago to say that they would be replacing Laser/Maestro with Visa Debit. Mine turned up last week - I was wondering whether they'd forgotten about me. My Laser card had over 18 months validity left to run.


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## theresa1 (8 Jul 2010)

[broken link removed]

-More info from PTSB.


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## jonq74 (9 Jul 2010)

interesting reading that document aside from the visa debit card they also have a 100euro fee to switch from a variable mortgage rate to fixed....


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## theresa1 (29 Oct 2010)

[broken link removed]


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## ajapale (1 Nov 2010)

Mod management bump.


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