AIB is conducting a comprehensive review of customer mortgage accounts with regard to tracker rates. It is part of an industry-wide review, required by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Our review, which is still progressing, has found we fell short on our obligations to some customers, including instances where we were not sufficiently clear with them or where we failed to honour contractual commitments. This resulted in some customers being charged too high a rate of interest on their mortgage accounts. We have commenced correcting these impacted customers accounts, as set out in the Next Steps below.
“On behalf of the bank I apologise to customers for these failures, which should not have happened and which we now intend to put right. I also want to assure customers that this review is receiving priority attention in order to ensure redress and compensation are delivered as quickly as possible.”
In order to prevent further detriment for the customers identified to date, AIB in the first instance corrects interest rates on these accounts and writes to customers to outline the new interest rates and repayment amounts. This step was completed in August 2016 for customers then identified as impacted by the bank’s failures.
Next AIB adjusts impacted customer accounts and writes to customers to provide redress and compensation. Details of a set payment towards the cost of independent professional advice is also being made available to impacted customers and the bank have established an independent appeals process. An independent third party, KPMG, is reviewing key aspects of AIB’s work. These steps are in line with the principles outlined by the Central Bank. AIB has now commenced this process for its customers identified as impacted by the bank’s failures.
The overall review will take some time to complete and other customers may be identified through this ongoing process. We have put in place a customer Freephone Helpline – 1800 235 460 (Mon-Fri, 8:00am-7:00pm) to assist with any queries our customers may have.
If your account has been affected, we will write to you to confirm this.
For example, if your mortgage account falls into one of the below categories, it may have been impacted:
Customers who have remained on their correct tracker rate margin are not affected.
Earlier in 2016 we commenced writing to impacted customers and we will continue to do so during 2017 until the review is complete.
For impacted accounts which are currently on the wrong rate you will first receive a letter to inform you that the account was impacted and to correct the interest rate on your affected mortgage account. This step was completed in August 2016 for impacted customers identified to date.
As the programme continues impacted customers will have their accounts corrected and will receive a letter to provide them with redress and compensation. By redress we mean refunding customers who overpaid interest and correcting their mortgage balances and we will also pay compensation. At that point, a set payment towards the cost of independent professional advice will also be paid to customers, along with details of how to appeal through an independent appeals process. This letter will also contain a financial summary detailing how we have calculated redress and compensation. We have now commenced this step for impacted customers identified to date.
What can I do with my cheque?
Lodging your cheque covering redress, compensation and the independent professional advice payment will not affect your right to make an appeal, to make a complaint to the Financial Services Ombudsman or pursue this matter through the Courts. Also, there is no requirement for you to apply any of your redress and compensation payment amount against your mortgage.
Why did I receive a payment instruction form instead of a cheque?
This form is most frequently required when there are multiple parties to the loan living at different addresses. We need this form to instruct us as to how the cheque should be made payable.
Personal representatives of deceased borrowers
Where we are aware of the personal representative of a deceased borrower we have also sent them a redress and compensation letter along with a payment instruction form. Click here for more about the identification documents personal representatives will need to furnish to the bank before the cheque will issue to them.
I am appointing a third party advisor to assist me. Can I give you permission to deal with this advisor on my behalf?
Yes. We will need you to confirm in writing (through the approved “Third Party Advisor” form) that we can liaise with the Advisor in relation to the Tracker Mortgage Review. You can find this form here or you can contact our helpline to request the form.
Do I have the right to appeal the redress and compensation?
You have the right to appeal the actions we have taken to correct our failure.
What can I appeal?
You can appeal any aspect of redress and compensation within 12 months from the date on your letter in which the Bank made its offer of redress and compensation. Decisions made by AIB on the level of redress and compensation due to customers have been based on the information available to us in our review of impacted accounts. As part of the appeals process you can include any additional material financial information which you would like to have considered.
Who will hear my appeal?
All appeals will be heard by a fully independent appeals panel in accordance with the Terms of Reference and Procedural Rules of the appeals panel.
For more details on the panel membership click here.
How do I begin an appeal?
Customers who have received a redress and compensation letter can request an appeals application pack. To request an appeals application pack, please contact the helpline number provided in your letter. This pack will give you more details about the overall appeals process. Customers who decide to appeal will need to complete the appeal application pack and return it (together with any supporting documents relevant to their appeal) to the address set out in the form.
We have a team who are available to help you. Please talk to our helpline using the contact details contained if your letter.
We wrote to customers identified as ‘impacted’ by the review in November, advising that the bank will commence refunding customers who overpaid interest during the coming months and will also pay compensation (this redress process commences in December 2016). As the review is still ongoing, there may be other accounts identified as ‘impacted’ as part of the review and these customers will be written to in due course.
If you do not receive a letter from us and have reason to believe your account may be affected, or if you have a question, please call our Freephone Helpline 1800 235 460 Monday-Friday 8am-7pm, or talk to us in your local branch
Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. is an authorised agent and servicer of AIB Mortgage Bank in relation to origination and servicing of mortgage loans and mortgages. AIB Mortgage Bank and Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
