LloydsTSB Fixed rate Isa 6.5%

Afternoon all,

first post here, but been a keen reader for the past couple of months.

I just thought I'd share my experience of transfer to add a bit of positive feedback to this thread.

Background: I do not have a Lloyds TSB account and will only reach the £9,000 limit on 1st day of the next financial year (6th April 2008).

I went this morning to my local branch which opens at 9.00. They opened at 9.02, got served at 9.05 and was out by 9.15 (and that includes them having to deal with a printer problem). No hard sell - in fact no selling at all - and the lady at the branch was very nice. The only info she wanted was, proof of address, NI and job info (company and position - not salary). Had some ID with me but she said she didn't need any as their systems already knew about me (electoral roll I presume).

Discussed with her a bit and she also told me that the interests would run from today, and even if the money could take up to 30 days to arrive, I should top up the account to reach £9,000 on the 6th to get the 6.5%.

She didn't ask how much I earned, talked about home insurance or try to flog me scottish widows 'deal' to get the 8% interest.

I was a bit apprehensive after reading some of the horror stories on the forum, but I am in fact very pleased with the whole experience and hope that the rest of the transfer will be as smooth.

I 'phoned last week to transfer to this new ISA (as well as putting in some on April 6th). The lady I spoke to was very helpful and friendly and said that the transfer part would be completed within 30 days, so I hope she was correct. I have checked on line and my new ISA account is ready and waiting. I assume that I can transfer £3600 on April 6th and hope that the rest (from the Halifax) will follow in due course.

update on my frisa application/transfer

I got my first and only letter from lloyds last week, stating the amount of money transferred in from abbey (around a month after I started the whole process off in a Lloyds branch).

I rang to enquire if should have received a welcome pack. First call to 0845 3000 000 they said they could not deal with ISAs, and I would have to contact the ISA department on 0845 3000 007. I rang that but the number seems invalid.

Called the main switchboard again to be told again that they can't deal with ISA queries (it seemed to make a difference that I didn't hold a current account with them). She said I would have to contact my branch. There was a pause for a moment or two, and then I prompted her that I didn't know how to ring my branch, so she put me through.

In both calls to the main switchboard, they have been able to see my ISA details on their screen but cannot tell me anything about the account.

Eventually got put on to my branch, and they said they didn't do welcome packs anymore, as you can just operate the account using the s/c and account number in the branch. Are they meant to provide paying-in books for this?

I asked if internet access was possible, and she didn't know. I'm still waiting for her to get back to me on this. She asked me what I would be doing with the account on the internet! Er, like, check my balance to see if payments go in etc?

The other thing was the letter confirming they had received my transfer in just said "into your Cash ISA". There was no mention of the FRISA but they have assured me over the phone it is ok.....

The reason I ask this is that under ISA rules, ISA's to which you have subscribd in the current tax year must be transferred in full. When the year is up at Lloyds and we will be getting out of there frantically, I and quite a few others I'd imagine will want to do partial transfers out so that we can split the money between providers to stay under FSA protection limits amongst other reasons.

My question is, if we add to the ISA in the next tax year 08/09, will that stop us from doing partial transfers out until the tax year 09/10 starts? Also can we pay into the Lloyds ISA electronically using a bank transfer from our current accounts. I can't find any mention of this in the T's and C's. Does anyone know?

Comfortably_Numb wrote: »

You can access, and use the account online.

There is no welcome pack, just the letter. If you want to pay in or withdraw in the branch, you use the paying in and withdrawal slips.

How do I use the account on-line?

If I click on the website to register for online access, it says I need to have a current account or credit card.