To think a major bank should know where Belfast is? And NOT convert a cheque from Northern Ireland to EURO before paying the equivalent in POUNDS into my account?

[QuintessentialShadows]

They cant correct the mistake as they need confirmation that Belfast is in Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland is part of the UK.


I dont know HOW MANY ways I can say that I am utterly speechless.

[Rachmumoftwo]

How stupid are they exactly? Is it a British bank? Even if it isn't that is no excuse. I would write them a letter telling them about the internet, a useful tool for finding information, or send them a bloody atlas! Eejits!!!!

[thumbwitch]

isn't the postcode good enough for them then? it is standard UK format for Belfast. I mean, apart from the fact that they are just completely bloody stupid and a map/internet/anything else would tell them where it is!

[QuintessentialShadows]

The cheque originates with Ulster bank, the belfast office. No mention of Euro ANYWHERE on the cheque....

[TwoWashTutter]

are you sure you have understood the problem correctly? or should i say, that they have explained it correctly?

perhaps the problem is that it is a cheque writen in £ drawn on a ? account? or vice versa?



i am aware banks can be fuckwits but i cannot ima=gine a uk bank having this problem. really.

[3littlefrogs]

But all their admin is probably outsourced to somewhere in Asia. That is probably why whoever was dealing with it didn't know where Belfast was. It is ridiculous.

[thumbwitch]

FFS, Ulster is the "other name" for NI, isn't it? How bloody dim is this bank of yours?

Is there some kind of bank watchdog you can report them to for being unfit to operate as a bank because they're too fecking STUPID?

[mayorquimby]

yes we've got our counties back.

only joking that is shocking for any bank operating over here.

[mayorquimby]

"FFS, Ulster is the "other name" for NI, isn't it?"

no it's not.
3 of the 9 counties of ulster are part of the republic. so while ulster contains northern ireland it is not owned by the british.only a portion of it.

[QuintessentialShadows]

No. the cheque is printed with pounds both in letters and numbers.
ffs

[Miggsie]

ooh really!
These people deal with money, not geography!
I bet they could not manage to recruit anyone with GCSE in Geography anyway!

You are right, it's appalling!

[thumbwitch]

ah, thanks mayorquimby - I stand corrected in my ignorance - perhaps this is where the confusino arose then.

[nervousal]

of course YANBU - twits.

On a similar note - I'm fed up trying to spend Ulster bank notes/bank if Ireland bank notes here (scotland). To avoid the whole "I need to check if we take these.." shinanigans I always get them changed into "proper" money now.

[CuckooClockWiseGuy]

Ulster is province. Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connaught. Only some of Ulster is the UK, and some is Ireland.

I can not believe that somebody doesn't know where Belfast is. That can't have been a UK person. It MUST have been a South AFrican or an Australian or a Polish person iyswim. And I couldn't pin point Canberra on a map you know.

[thumbwitch]

but i bet yo know it's in Australia, right?

[Gateau]

Agreee agree agree OP. It's the equivalent amount of feckwittedness that people have when they won't accept Northern Ireland tender. Utterly galling.
Why are some people in Great Britain so ignorant about where N. Ireland is? It's appalling to be an adult and not know such basic geography.

[mayorquimby]

"ah, thanks mayorquimby - I stand corrected in my ignorance "

i wouldn't be too worried, i'd imagine half the people over here are the same (unless you live over here aswell, in which case a hex on you).it's become something of a commonly misused synonym at this stage.
but for the bank of ulster to not know where belfast is is beyond shocking.

[CuckooClockWiseGuy]

That's true! that much I'm sure of!

[ThePettyandIllinformedGoat]

redirect them to ian paisley he should put them right.

[QuintessentialShadows]

I am sorry but she sounded perfectly british, and it was not a foreign call centre, it was the international department in the Uk I spoke with....

I would have heard if it was an australian or sa or nz accent. I think

[thumbwitch]

ha, loads of places won't acccept Scottish notes in England either, it's not restricted to NI notes.

[thumbwitch]

mayorquimby, I don't think the OP's bank is the Bank of Ulster, I think that was just the bank the cheque came from - I could be wrong - but I would like to know which bank is the culprit here!

[CuckooClockWiseGuy]

I remember those notes, SPecial northern Irish money that IS sterling, and you would be assured that it was accepted in the rest of the UK, but then the shop keeper would call over the manager and they'd hold money up to the light and scratch chin and then reluctantly take your legitimate currency but make you feel like a bit of a chancer!!

[QuintessentialShadows]

The cheque came from Ulster bank.
My bank is a local and global bank which I will refrain from naming due to libel.

[thumbwitch]

i have actually had a refusal on Scottish notes in England before - and worse, I have seen a sign in a shop stating that they WON'T take Scottish notes! which is ridiculous of course as they are legal tender here just as much as English notes and ni notes!