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Help Point

We're committed to making amends

Following our technical incident, we are determined to make amends to every customer that has been affected. We have put in place a comprehensive package of measures which includes the following:

This will happen automatically and the majority of these adjustments will be completed by the end of October 2012.

Find out how we're refunding fees, charges and interest

For SME customers, we will pay an additional 20% on top of these expenses, up to a maximum additional payment of €120. It will help if you can back up your claim with any paperwork you may have; for example, phone bills, travel receipts, bills or invoices.

Find out how to make a claim

  • Waiving Current Account transaction fees for a three month period, beginning 19 May and ending 17 August 2012.*
  • Waiving Bankline subscription and transaction fees for the months of June, July and August 2012.*
  • Waiving unarranged borrowing interest and charges for a three month period beginning the 21 May 2012 and ending 19 August 2012.*
  • On December 12th, an automatic one-off payment, which equates to an additional rate for 3 months of 0.06% Gross, 0.25% AER** (fixed) on the average daily balance between 1 September and 30 November 2012 was credited to savings accounts + held by Personal and SME customers.

    Only accounts open on the 19 June 2012 which were still open on the 30 November 2012 will have received the payment. This excludes tracker bonds and structured deposit products. This automatic payment is visible on statements as a standard interest payment made on the 12th December 2012.

*Dates differ slightly due to charging cycles

**Annual Equivalent Rate (AER) illustrates what the interest rate would be if paid and compounded each year. Gross is the interest rate paid before the deduction of tax. Interest earned is subject to Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT), where applicable. Under current legislation, the effective DIRT rate is 33%.

+Where applicable payment was automatically credited to a feeder account, this may be a current account held with Ulster Bank.


Download a pdf of this information

To claim your out of pocket expenses:

If you are an Ulster Bank customer seeking reimbursement for reasonable out of pocket expenses as a result of our technical incident, you can make a claim by following these steps. Customers of other banks should contact their bank in the first instance.

1: Complete Form

Complete and print the Online Technical Incident Customer Form or download and print a pdf version.

2: Sign Form

Once complete, sign the printed form.

3: Include any
supporting paperwork you may have

It will help if you can back up your claim with any original paperwork you may have; for example, receipts, invoices or any other information.

If you do not have any paperwork, please speak to your Relationship Manager or your usual point of contact.

Keep a copy of your form and paperwork.

4: Return by Freepost or to your branch/Relationship Manager

Return the signed form and your original paperwork in an envelope to:

1906 Central Claims Unit,
Ulster Bank,
FREEPOST PO Box 145
Dublin 2.

Or drop them in to your local Ulster Bank branch.


What happens once my claim has been submitted?

We will investigate your claim, including the paperwork you have provided. Upon completion of our investigation, we will write to you to inform you of the outcome. We hope that in the majority of cases we will be able to do this within 5 working days. However, where additional information is required or where the complaint is escalated to our central Complaint Handling Team, this may take longer. If you are an SME customer and you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you may be entitled to raise your concern with the Financial Services Ombudsman's Bureau.


To claim your out of pocket expenses:

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I think I may have had transaction fees or unarranged borrowing interest charged in error. I am also owed credit interest. Will this be corrected?

We are proactively refunding transaction fees and unarranged borrowing interest and charges that may have been charged in error and correcting any credit interest owed as a result of this incident. This will happen automatically and the majority of these adjustments will be completed by the end of October 2012.

Find out how we're refunding fees, charges and interest.

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How will I be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses?

We will reimburse reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred as a result of the technical incident. For SME customers, we will pay an additional 20% on top of these expenses up to a maximum of €120. It will help if you can back up your claim with any original paperwork you may have; for example, original phone bills, bus tickets, travel receipts, bills or invoices.

Find out more about how to make a claim

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What paperwork do I need to provide when making a claim for out of pocket expenses?

It will help if you can back up your claim with any original paperwork you may have; for example, original phone bills, travel receipts, bills or invoices. Please provide original paperwork and keep a copy for your records. Original documents can be returned to you on request or you can bring them to your local branch or business centre where they can be copied and returned to you immediately.

Find out more about how to make a claim

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What if I don't have any original paperwork?

If you don't have any original paperwork, please speak to your Relationship Manager or your usual point of contact.

Find out more about how to make a claim

Expand

What happens once my claim has been submitted?

We will investigate your claim, including the paperwork you have provided. Upon completion of our investigation, we will write to you to inform you of the outcome. We hope that in the majority of cases we will be able to do this within 5 working days. However, where additional information is required or where the complaint is escalated to our central Complaint Handling Team, this may take longer. If you are an SME customer and you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you may be entitled to raise your concern with the Financial Services Ombudsman's Bureau.

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What are you doing to recognise the inconvenience caused to customers?

We are recognising the inconvenience caused with a range of measures:

  • Waiving Current Account transaction fees for a three month period, beginning 19 May and ending 17 August 2012*.
  • Waiving Bankline subscription and transaction fees for the months of June, July and August 2012*.
  • Waiving unarranged borrowing interest and charges for a three month period beginning the 21 May 2012 and ending 19 August 2012*.
  • An automatic one-off payment, which equates to an additional rate for 3 months of 0.06% Gross, 0.25% AER** (fixed) on the average daily balance between 1 September and 30 November 2012, for those SME customers with a savings account. Only accounts open on the 19 June 2012 which are still open on the 30 November 2012 will receive the payment. This excludes tracker bonds and structured deposit products.

*Dates differ slightly due to charging cycles

**Annual Equivalent Rate (AER) illustrates what the interest rate would be if paid and compounded each year. Gross is the interest rate paid before the deduction of tax. Interest earned is subject to Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT), where applicable. Under current legislation, the effective DIRT rate is 33%.

Find out more about what we're doing to make amends.

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What fees are excluded from the 3 month Fee Waiver?

SME Customers - Arranged Overdraft Interest and Charges for additional services are not included in the fee waiver. Please refer to section 7 in our brochure "A Guide to Business Current Account Fees" for a full breakdown of these charges.

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I am a customer of another bank; what should I do?

For non Ulster Bank customers, fees, charges or interest that were incurred as a result of the incident will either not be applied or will be refunded directly by your own bank.

If you are seeking reimbursement for reasonable out of pocket expenses you should contact your bank directly. Banks will use their usual complaint handling policies and procedures to investigate and respond to any claims arising from this incident.

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Are there any tax implications?

All credit interest payments and adjustments arising from this package of measures will be subject to normal DIRT deductions where applicable. The current rate of DIRT is 33%.


Reimbursement of out of pocket expenses:
If these expenses do not relate to business expenditure, you should not have any additional tax or accounting considerations.

If these do relate to expenses of your business, you should discuss accounting for these with your accountant. Furthermore, if you have already claimed relief/deduction in your tax return for these business expenses, you should obtain appropriate professional advice in relation to the tax treatment of the reimbursement.


Additional payment of 20% on top of out of pocket expenses
This payment is treated by the Revenue Commissioners as a capital receipt and may, depending on your personal circumstances, be taxable.


Payment of additional credit interest:
All credit interest payments and adjustments arising from this package of measures will be subject to normal DIRT deductions where applicable. The current rate of DIRT is 33%.