Giraffe has been in operation in mainland UK for the past 12 months and has consistently featured in Best Rate tables since launch.

We aim to be head and shoulders above our competitors by concentrating on:

• great products
• excellent communication; and
• the effective use of technology.

Giraffe offers a wide range of mortgages for first time buyers, purchasers and remortgagers. We also offer a comprehensive range of Buy to Let and Self Certification rates.

Giraffe customers are financially sophisticated and able to make informed decisions about the products they buy without taking advice. They lead time constrained, busy lives and are confident in searching for, and selecting online financial products.

The main ways of accessing Giraffe are via the Web site or by calling the team.

The Giraffe website offers customers a number of benefits, including up to date property prices and customer case studies. Over the next six months we will be developing the site further to include a facility to allow customers to trade online.

Added value benefits for Giraffe customers also include customer updates via SMS texting, to ensure clear lines of communication from start to completion.

Details of our headline product for launch are:

5.25% which is a 5 year fixed rate until 31/03/2012, reverting to 7.34% which is our Standard Variable Rate for the rest of the mortgage period.

The overall cost for comparison is: 6.9% APR

• 95% Maximum loan to value
• Early Repayment Charges: 5% of the sum repaid until 31/03/2012
• Part repayment administration fee: £50
• Full discharge administration fee: £195
  £999 arrangement fee
• Higher Lending Charge paid by Giraffe
• Minimum loan size £15,001 for purchases, £25,001 for remortgages
• Maximum loan size £1,000,000.

Alison Pallett, Head of Consumer Lending, Bank of Ireland Personal Lending UK, said: "We are very excited about launching Giraffe in Northern Ireland today. Giraffe is a all about meeting certain customer's needs and making their mortgage selection as simple as possible. There are a growing number of people who are capable of making their own choice, without the need for advice. Giraffe has been designed to meet the needs of these people".

The Giraffe launch will be supported by online and national press advertising promoting the theme: If you see a Giraffe grab it. We are also sponsoring the Giraffe enclosure at Belfast zoo.