Don't you hate when you did everything you were supposed to, but someone else screws it up and there's nothing you can do about it?! Trying to get banking sorted out between America and Ireland is like being assigned a group project in school where you don't get to pick your partners. (Megan Burdelsky, if you're reading this none of it is directed at you - you are one of the better parts of PNC.) First off, you have to have physical address in Ireland to open a bank account, but to get an apartment you have to make a deposit and pay rent. I made a deposit and arranged with my new landlord to pay my rent once I had an Irish bank account and the wire transfer processed. But oh, wait, PNC won't do a wire transfer from my personal checking account, I have to be a small business or physically walk into the PNC branch and sign the papers. Neither of these are options for me. Lucky for me I have my father listed on my account just in case there's something I have to be physically present for while I'm abroad, right? I don't know what anyone else does in that situation, and PNC customer service and their wire transfer department were particularly unhelpful in helping me to find a solution. Just wait - it gets better. So my father goes in and arranges the transfer, which will take 3-5 business days. The money is in my pending transactions, leaves my account, and 4 days later is returned because more information is required. What information, you might ask? I provided them with the information the Bank of Ireland had printed out on a sheet for me to make this transfer easy. PNC filled out the form wrong. My rent is due on Friday. I have 3-5 business days to wait again, and it's Wednesday. Fortunately, although my new landlord is not the most understanding person and put up a little resistance, he was able to be persuaded to wait until next week, and I still have my apartment. When I pointed out he wouldn't be able to get me out and a new renter (and their rent) any faster than the processing of the transfer, he agreed with my logic.
What a disaster. I hate banks.
What a disaster. I hate banks.
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