Consumer Council Continues To Question Ulster Bank
Thursday 16 August 2012
The Consumer Council has formally submitted a further list questions to the Ulster Bank following the continuing delay in announcing and implementing a redress procedure for customers according to Consumer Council CEO, Antoinette McKeown who spoke after a meeting with the bank today.
“Two weeks ago we met Ulster Bank and expressed disappointment and frustration of customers regarding the bank’s failure to announce and implement a redress procedure.”
“At that meeting Ulster Bank assured us that plans for the customer redress procedure were in an advanced stage allowing customers to get their accounts back to normal and ensure that no Ulster Bank customer or customer from any other bank would be left out of pocket any longer as a result of Ulster Bank’s technical failure in June.”
“The Consumer Council reviewed that draft redress procedure on the 1 August and provided Ulster Bank with consumer focused feedback within 24 hours.”
“However, two weeks later Ulster Bank is still not in a position to give the Consumer Council or their customers any indication of when a redress procedure will be announced despite the progress that has been made. Considering that there are Ulster Bank customers who have yet to see their accounts fully reconciled and returned to normal, this delay in arranging redress is incomprehensible and unacceptable.”
“Over the past month the Consumer Council has continued to work with the bank and been in contact with them on a near daily basis in the best interests of consumers. This is something that we will continue to do. It is the Consumer Council view that this redress procedure should have been issued weeks ago.”
“While we appreciate that customers need to have a comprehensive, consistent, easily understandable and well communicated redress procedure we cannot see any justification for the prolonged delays. As this Ulster Bank issue drags on inadequate public communication from the Bank is compounding customer anxiety and distress.”
“We have submitted a further list of 20 questions to the bank covering issues around when accounts will be fully resolved; when the redress procedure will be announced; how it will be communicated to customers; how customers who have left the bank in the interim will be addressed; what measures will be taken for vulnerable customers; what level of customer training will be provided for frontline staff among other issues.”
“Throughout this whole time the frontline staff in Ulster Bank have provided an incredible service and must be commended for their commitment while working long hours in stressful conditions. However, the Consumer Council’s original concerns regarding the lack of direction, communications and clarity from Ulster Bank still remain.”
“The Consumer Council has also contacted the Financial Services Authority to express our concern regarding the delays to redress and have requested that they recognise the impact on Northern Ireland customers and use whatever means at their disposal to also urge Ulster Bank to expedite the redress procedure.”
“Any customer who is still experiencing anomalies with their accounts should go to their branch so that staff can work through their account with them.”
“The time for discussion is over. We are now into the third month of this crisis. Ulster Bank must act now and publish and implement their redress procedure as once again it appears that Northern Ireland customers are left at the back of the queue.”
ENDS
- Consumer Council media contact: Suzanne Collins, telephone, 028 9067 4807 or 07799032203 or e-mail, scollins@consumercouncil.org.uk
- 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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