UlsterBank eSavings Account

[ButtermilkJa]

I applied online as well but got an application form through the post which I had to sign. I also had to provide a copy of my passport and two proof of address documents, despite already being an Ulster Bank customer. It hasn't been the quickest of processes i must admit, but I also opened an onine savings a/c with First Active recently and that was pretty slow too.

I have applied for this account, and from my experience, below is a summary of the proceedures, as I have understood them...

1) If you apply as an existing UB Anytime customer, and do not want to set-up a standing order, simply fill out the online application form and the new account will appear in your online accounts list after 24/48 hours. You should then be able to transfer funds in and out of it online.

2) If you are an existing UB Anytime customer and do want to set-up a standing order, then you must state this option at the start of the application and you will be posted out an agreement form which you must sign and freepost return to set-up the standing order. The new account should still appear after 24/48 hours as usual, but the SO will not start until they receive the signed form.

3) If you are an existing UB customer, but are not signed up to Anytime Banking, you may receive an application form by post in order to sign up for Anytime Banking and the new eSavings account. You may be asked to prove identity, as per Marg's experience above.

4) If you are not a UB customer, you will be asked to apply by post and to prove identity, as with all new customers in any bank.

Hope this clears things up. My experience has been very good setting up this account. I applied for option 2 above.

 

[Liar's Poker]

I applied on line to set up an account and lo and behold i got an partially completed application form in the post. I am an existing Ulster Bank Customer and use Anytime Banking. I telephoned them as to why i had to sign a form when "Sunny" & "generalzod" had their account appear instantaneously. I was told that everybody had to complete the application form. Not happy with this i rang Anytime Banking who couldn’t help me and put me on to Internet Banking helpdesk; who, surpise surprise gave me the answer "it sometimes happens like that". It doesn't insprire confidence. Anyway i sent the form back today and I reckon it will take at least 7 working days before the account will appear.

 

[dangerhere]

Signed up on Friday via internet. No sign of a/c on internet or anything in the post.

 

[Celt07]

Are there any fees charges on this account?

 

[Sunny]

Are there any fees charges on this account?

No. Its just an online savings account

 

[NavanMan1]

Just a final update on my saga regarding what I thought was the simple process of opening up an eSavings account.

On Monday morning Nov12th, received in the post an application pack for the second online application I made on Nov02nd. Completed and posted back that morning.

At work, logged on to Anytime Banking and to my surprise I see in addition to my current & Visa accounts, two new eSavings accounts.

The first from my original online application of Oct17th, where I posted back the form on Oct22nd and second for the third online application I made on Nov09th.

What this shows is that Ulster Bank do not have a consistent policy regarding online applications as the first account I now have needed me to return a signed form while the third online application created an up & running account within one working day.

It also show that the eSavings Customer Service (1890 252229) don’t have a clue what’s going on. I made numerous calls to them regarding my original application. On Friday Nov09th, they told me they had no record of receiving back the signed form from my original application and suggested it may have got lost in their internal mail from Dublin to Belfast. They were able to tell me that they could see on their records that they had posted out on Nov03rd the application pack for the second online application I made.

My advise for people having difficulties setting up an eSavings account online is to check their online Anytime Banking account. If no sign of it there, then make an other online application, and repeat in one week intervals until eventually it appears. Also don’t waste your time phoning customer service as they don’t appear to have ant visibility into the application process and are not proactive in trying to sort out your problems.

 

[paddywhacker]

Just a quick question re this account, got my documentation to set it up etc but there is something about in the declaration about my applying for a cashcard for this account? Don't want a card and the associated duties, thought this was a straightforward online account? Do the rest of you have a cashcard for the esavings account?
Thanks

 

[GeneralZod]

You do not get an ATM card with the eSavings account.

The on-line form to apply for the account is part of a general form to apply for other products. It doesn't make it clear but it doesn't apply in the case of an eSavings account.

 

[paddywhacker]

Cheers, thanks a mill GeneralZod!

 

[MelF]

I'm not an existing UB customer and posted my application form and ID docs for this account late December but haven't heard back from UB. Should it be taking this long to open an account?

 

[Gautama]

I'm not an existing UB customer and posted my application form and ID docs for this account late December but haven't heard back from UB. Should it be taking this long to open an account?

Definitely not. I opened my account in November. From posting the application to getting my account details was about a week.

 

[paddywhacker]

Just on this account again. It's all set up and I can login online etc but I want to set up a payee account (my existing current account) so I can transfer money from UB when I need it. But it seems I can only transfer to gas bills, ESB etc or else into another UB account. Can you set it up so you can pay into non-UB accounts?
My main current account is with BOI and I want to be able to access the money from UB relatively quickly. Phoned helpdesk but was held on the line for donkey's years....

 

[Sunny]

Just on this account again. It's all set up and I can login online etc but I want to set up a payee account (my existing current account) so I can transfer money from UB when I need it. But it seems I can only transfer to gas bills, ESB etc or else into another UB account. Can you set it up so you can pay into non-UB accounts?
My main current account is with BOI and I want to be able to access the money from UB relatively quickly. Phoned helpdesk but was held on the line for donkey's years....

Noticed the same thing yesterday. Was going to ring them today so if I hear anything I will let you know

 

[ClubMan]

With FA the option to setup up external accounts is disabled on the online system and you have to call them to get this done. Maybe UB is the same?

 

[Sunny]

With FA the option to setup up external accounts is disabled on the online system and you have to call them to get this done. Maybe UB is the same?

Makes sense that it would be the same. Cheers

 

[paddywhacker]

With FA the option to setup up external accounts is disabled on the online system and you have to call them to get this done. Maybe UB is the same?

Bit of a pain when it takes so long to get someone on the line to do it.....

 

[MysticX]

Bit of a pain when it takes so long to get someone on the line to do it.....

Mmm with FA anyway it was relatively painless to get it done. I reckon it took <= 5 minutes from calling to getting it setup. It's nice as well that it immediately becomes available in your online profile.

 

[ClubMan]

Bit of a pain when it takes so long to get someone on the line to do it.....

I'd prefer to be able to do it online (as Halifax allow for example) but I did it the other day on the phone and it also took me about 5 minutes. No big deal.

 

[Gautama]

You do not get an ATM card with the eSavings account.

True, but I got a "Card-Reader" yesterday, which provides extra security, apparently. It's similar to the Rabo gadget, but a card is needed to use the card reader. Maybe UB are mistaken and think I've got some other account as well, which carries an ATM card.
Or maybe it's that without an ATM card, I won't be able to use Card-Reader, and hence can't access my account any more?

I'm not an existing UB customer and posted my application form and ID docs for this account late December but haven't heard back from UB. Should it be taking this long to open an account?

Me too, took about two weeks.

 

[ClubMan]

The card that you use with the card reader is not an ATM or debit card. It's specifically for use with the reader for generating response codes that are required for certain operations.