Key Post Which is the best current account for a personal customer?


I'm with BoI

1) I find the online banking good and easy to use. When I moved to BoI (from Danske), the online options were my biggest factor and I preferred the BoI option. I still prefer it (my wife is with AIB). I prefer the validation and authentication with BoI

2) As above. I find the app easy to use - though someone else did say they didn't find it simple but I do

3) I have access to a named individual by email of phone but this isn't standard. I last used phone banking a number of years ago and it was fine. I would also say that they solved a real problem I had wrt car insurance (not their making - it was another provider). So I've moved all my car insurance to them

4) Security has been very good. They have a very good algorithm on unusual transactions - they contacted me when my card was skimmed before I had even noticed (within minutes of a couple of rogue transactions), went through the transactions and reversed them there and then. I travel a lot and they check within seconds if I use a card from an unusual place (without locking the card - if I respond promptly).

5) no problems to date

6) I have a branch 5 mins away but I don't think I've been there for years. A couple of times I have arranged a face to face meeting with my contact but in that case I can nominate any branch to meet in - so it's usually been in town close to where I work

7) As mentioned they have gone to fixed charges (I think €6 per month)

8) Haven't done this for about 10 years - but it was fine at that time

9) Easy at the time - but I don't know what the requirements are now

10) It would be fine - but it would be a pretty straightforward application if I did - I wouldn't expect any issues
 
I live in Blackrock, Dublin. There is an AIB in Stillorgan. Two other branches of AIB are closing and moving their business to Stillorgan. Blackrock and Sandyford. Even though I seldom visit a branch, I think this branch could become very busy.
There are three local branches of BOI close to me. Blackrock, Stillorgan and Montrose.

All of the above have excellent free parking close by except the BOI Blackrock.

Based on the above I am leaning toward BOI more for convenience than anything else.
 
Bank of Ireland
1 excellent
2) Excellent
3) Excellent, always easy and very very professional
4) Security - excellent
5) Stability - i.e. lack of outages . Never a problem.
6) Good, although rarely use.
7) Charges - not great , expensive.
8) Ease of actually opening an account . Can’t comment, I am very old!
9) Availability of an overdraft. Never tried.
10) Availability of a mortgage - good customer experience but very expensive.
 
What about the "best of breed" approach? A free EBS account for the rare time you need to go into a branch, complemented with N26/Credit Card/Revolut account(s) for the functionality/features/cashback.
 
With PTSB for all of my adult/working life bar an initial period with National Irish Back back in the day and have had no reason to change.

Some specific points
  1. The constant two factor authentication that others have mentioned when using online banking is a bit irritating - but I can put up with the inconvenience if it means more security.
  2. €5k per day limit on transfers to external accounts is a bit low but again I presume it's for customer protection. (Maybe €10k per day is possible by doing €5k online and €5k by phone banking?).
  3. I still don't pay any transaction charges but I suspect that I'm in a small minority at this stage and will have to eventually.
  4. Still no support for Google Pay but they support Apple Pay. Annoying but not a huge deal for me personally.
  5. I rarely visit a branch. Only on the rare occasions that I need to lodge cheques, get a draft etc.
  6. I rarely use the phone banking or have to contact customer support.
  7. I sometimes get a call immediately after non routine transactions which reassures me that their fraud department are on the ball.
  8. I find their general website (not the online banking service) poor and I often struggle to find info even when I know that it exists.
  9. There are some quirks with their online banking app/website (e.g. the annoying/confusing way that summary payee details are displayed) but again an annoyance rather than a major limitation for me.
 
Paul O Mahoney said:
Here's a question, what banks still provide the facility of buying a bank draft, I have posed this question to PTSB and the answer was you can pay online.(My branch has ceased counter transactions)
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PTSB do:

Transacting on your account | permanent tsb

There are a number of ways that you can transact from your permanent tsb account, from your credit card, online banking, and many more.
www.permanenttsb.ie

Transacting on your account​

Find out the different ways you can transact on your account:

Branches​

...
  • Purchase of a bank draft at the branch counter by completing the relevant form
Click to expand...
 
I had to ring BoI on behalf of an account holder just now.

Three sets of options took 1 minute and 30 seconds to get through to the "press 6 to talk to operator" for the third time.

And after being on hold for 12 minutes, we gave up. There was no indication where we were in the queue or when it might be answered.

Brendan
 
I presume you/they needed to talk to a real person but, for better or worse, these days companies often try to push customers to use other communication channels such as web chat, WhatsApp, social media etc.

Ways to Contact Us - Contact Information for Bank of Ireland

Looking for ways to Contact us? We have a number of different channels that can help you with your query, Twitter or Facebook messenger.
www.bankofireland.com
 
I can't update my previous PTSB post but I am now of the opinion that I would wholeheartedly tell you to avoid like the plague.

My saga continues.

My letter requesting an appointment and also asking them to list what documentation is needed elicits no reply.

I find two missed calls on my phone, ring back for another 24 minutes on hold (made and ate lunch while waiting).

Appointnent made (finally).

Great. Now can you find out what documents I need to bring so I don't have to return to the branch a second time.

To be fair to the CS rep, this is a
specific piece of business & I don't expect them to have a script; but they should be able to find a person who does know.

Have been told branch will call me back; not holding my breath.
 
On the other hand, once set up with any bank most people are unlikely to have to deal with staff at all for the most part. I'm with PTSB for decades now and I think the only reason I'd have to deal with in branch staff these days would be to purchase a draft which, is a very rare occurrence. A few years back, when they terminated their free safe keeping service, I did have to go in to collect my house deeds and the guy I dealt with was a bit of a jobsworth who insisted that I had to make an appointment and that he couldn't go down to the safe keeping area there and then. I just insisted, he did, and I left happily with the deeds under my arm.
 
ClubMan said:
On the other hand, once set up with any bank most people are unlikely to have to deal with staff at all for the most part.
Click to expand...
The frustration however when you do need to deal with other business is huge.

I won't bore everyone with the details, lest this turn in to another 'Eir Customer Service' thread; but I can see myself making a formal complaint.
 
Thirsty said:
The frustration however when you do need to deal with other business is huge.
Click to expand...
This really is the point. They are all about the same when they are working. But when you have to solve a problem and can't, it's very frustrating. It's the same with Revolut. Brilliant product but if you have a problem, it's not possible to talk to anyone and the online resolution service is terrible.

Brendan
 
I have being with PTSB for my current account for 15 years+ with no fees with their legacy Switch product.

10 thoughts on PTSB ...

(1) I have found their customer service excellent the small number of times I needed to contact.
(2) Their online banking is basic to say the least. No push notifications, no transfers to mobile numbers etc
(3) Great that they have still honoured a 'free fees for life' offer from 15 years ago
(4) No SEPA Instant support
(5) No Google Pay support
(6) No 2FA when logging in but there now is 2FA support for some online transactions.
(7) High FX fees - I use Revolut.
(8) Setting up non Irish Euro payees is easy unlike with some other banks
(9) App just fees very basic compared to Revolut and others
(10) All that said, I have had little to no issues with PTSB over the years.
 
Tintagel said:
Both staff were helpful but we thought that the AIB were more knowledgeable and helpful than BOI.
Click to expand...
Update. We opted to open our account in the AIB. The person we dealt with seemed efficient, we were told that certain things would happen.

They didn't.

No text to say that our documentation had passed inspection as promised within two days, so we didn't know if account had been opened.

The only way we knew our account had been opened was when letters addressed to us containing debit cards and pin numbers arrived. However there was a strange configuration of our names, our names being repeated differently on each letter. Each letter had a different configuration. Four letters in total. Tried to find out why? Person said they would check in to it and get back to us last week. No response yet.

Statement ordered to see configuration of names. Nothing yet.

Cheque book arrived with names misspelt.

I hope that all these matters can be sorted because we are not impressed at the moment.

I would not leave opening your new account until the last minute.
 
Ciaran, how did you get free fees for life??
 
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