Business Account holders - check everything! (Ulster Bank)

Member Name: TraceyMal

Product:	Ulster Bank
Date:	29/05/09 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Quick cashiers

Disadvantages: Too many mistakes on accounts, no communication

As a small business, a good relationship and good communication with my bank is something that is an absolute must. We chose to open the business account with the Ulster Bank as both myself and my husband are Ulster Bank current account holders and they did offer us a good package for the first year to help get the business up and running. We have a small overdraft facility and a business credit card with a small limit that gets paid in full once a month.
Perhaps it is just lack of communication with the branch that we hold the account with but sometimes I feel like I am talking a foreign language when I call. No one is in any hurry to sort out problems - they recently took a renewal fee for the overdraft out of the account twice - I am still waiting for that to be sorted, they set up a standing order to come out every three weeks rather than every three months, which I ended up having to get solicitors involved with. I waited 4 weeks for a cheque book to arrive yet a lodgement book got to me within 48 hours! Then the final straw was a cheque clearing from my account for over £1000 that belonged to someone else! Again, that took a long time to be credited back to me. When I complain, I get no where and I leave message after message and no one returns my calls.
I recently looked into changing banks and realised just what else is out there - I have to pay for internet banking with the Ulster bank, I pay a fee for every transaction I make be it cash lodgements, writing a cheque etc. Other banks are offering much better - I am waiting to see what the Ulster can offer, although I am not holding out much hope!
As a personal customer, I have never had a problem with them yet for the Business account, it has been the opposite, yet that is the account with a much bigger turnover!
Businesses, talk to some of the other banks and go where you are getting the best for your business rather than staying loyal to somewhere you've always been!

Summary: For business accounts, check what else is on offer