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Lessons To Be Learned From Northern Ireland Super-complaint

Thursday 24 July 2008

The Consumer Council says that the special measures being imposed by the Competition Commission on Northern Ireland banks should be applied to all banks in the UK. The comments come following the launch of a report on the UK personal current accounts market by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) which says that the market is not working well for consumers.

Alison Laird at the Consumer Council said, “The OFT report lifts the lid on the poor deal consumers across the UK are getting from their banks.  The market in Northern Ireland has already been investigated following a super-complaint launched by the Consumer Council and Which? in 2004.  After a two year investigation the Competition Commission found the banks here wanting and has required them to make changes.   We believe that a good starting place for the OFT would be to make all banks across the UK to implement similar changes. 

 “From the beginning of this month eleven of the biggest banks and building societies have to cut out the jargon and communicate clearly with their customers in Northern Ireland.  By April 2009 they must give customers 14 days notice before applying charges to their account and to make switching between banks easier and risk-free, they must set up an interest-free overdraft “buffer”.  These measures mean that customers here will have the information they need to get a better deal from their bank.  We believe that all bank customers should have the right to this information whether they live in Cookstown or Carlisle. 

“Banks can learn a lot from the Competition Commission Inquiry into the Northern Ireland market and the solutions that are being put in place here.  The Consumer Council will continue to work hard for consumers and looks forward to engaging fully with the OFT on this issue.”

  1. Consumer Council media contact: Paula Gunn, telephone, 028 9067 4807 or e-mail, pgunn@consumercouncil.org.uk.  
  2. The Consumer Council is an independent consumer organisation, working to bring about change to benefit Northern Ireland’s consumers. The Council campaigns for high standards of service and protection and a fair deal for all. It also carries out research, gives advice and publishes reports and other publications. It deals with individual complaints about buses, trains, planes, ferries, natural gas, electricity, coal and water.
  3. For more information, visit our website at www.consumercouncil.org.uk

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