Bank of Ireland’s silly new charge
So, I had to ring Bank of Ireland today because my newly issued laser card was acting most peculiar and wasn’t being read by some atm machines. I explained the problem to the lady on the other end of the phone and she said a new card would be reissued and would be with my branch in three working days. Grand so, I said and was about to hang up when she said something along the lines of:
“Now, unfortunately Mr Pope, there will be charge of €5.90 attached to re-issuing the card and it will be taken directly out of your account but I am sure if you explain the situation to your branch they will credit the money back to your account.”
“Sorry, what? A Bank of Ireland card is faulty. And I have to pay the Bank of Ireland to re-issue it?”
Long pause. She then suggested she could fax the branch explaining the situation and asking them to waive the charge “considering the circumstances” but could offer nothing by way of guarantee that the charge would, in fact be waived.
I asked when the charge had been introduced as I’ve had to have the bank re-issue my cards on more than one occasion because I am very fond of losing my wallet and had never been hit with such a charge before.
Today.
How pleased am I to be amongst the first people hit with this ridiculous, spurious and – in this case, at least – completely unfair charge.
I know times are hard guys and your share price has completely tanked and the wolves are at the door but you’re not going to make things better by introducing charges like this.
