Halifax ISA Saver Direct & Online Banking

student100

Hi

I opened a Halifax ISA Saver Direct account on Saturday (over the phone as the Online Banking (OLB) said I couldn't apply online). The guy said that after 24 hours I would be able to add the account to my portfolio online and transfer money in.

As it happened, until Monday I couldn't actually add the account to my OLB portfolio. Now it's there it just lists the account and says "Awaiting Details" under the amount. I can't click the roll number and the ISA doesn't appear in the list of accounts I can transfer into when I try to make a transfer from either of my other accounts (Current Account & Web saver).

I called Halifax yesterday to ask them why this was, in the end I didn't really get an answer (the lady got me to set up security details for telephone banking and made a transfer over the phone, then muttered something about I may need to send back a form before I can use the account online).

Has anyone opened one of these ISAs before who can shed any light on this? Is it normal & do you know how long it will take before I can transfer into the account online?

Cheers

lswwong

Yes I have had exactly the same problem. In the end, it was resolved by going into a branch of the Halifax personally with some forms of ID: I took passport & 2 utility bills. I was asked to sign an application form and it was sorted out there and then. I am now able to operate the Cash ISA account online.

student100

How annoying. The guy said quite clearly when I opened the account that I wouldn't need any ID etc. as I already have several Halifax accounts (Student Current Account, Web saver and Regular Saver).

Did they send you a form to fill in & take to the branch or did you go in anyway to get it sorted out?

grumbler

I had the same problem with other Halifax account. 'Awaiting Detailes' meant that time that something wrong was with proofs of ID and address that they coppied before.

There is no form to fill in. Just go to a branch with usual proofs of ID and address.

lswwong

Well, I just went into a branch of the Halifax with a screen print-out of my accounts (already have other accounts with the Halifax) and forms of ID and told them that I needed something sorting out.

As to filling in the so-called application form, who knows. I was supplied with one when I visited the branch. I just did whatever they said was necessary to get my online account "live". It would not surprise me if whoever it was who dealt with me had a different idea of the procedure but hey ho, it got done!

student100

I have just phoned them up again, apparently they are sending a form with the terms and conditions and a declaration that I must sign and return before I can use the account online. Apparently it takes about 5 working days for them to send the form...

Sounds like the guy I spoke to on Saturday forgot to tell me that part!

Anyway, thanks for your help grumbler and lswwong.

jem16

It took my son almost 4 weeks to get proper access to his ISA despite being told exactly the same as the OP.

He phoned up after 3 weeks to find out what the problem was as he had already returned the signed declaration form and they changed it from "Awaiting Details" to being able to access it online. However he still couldn't transfer it money from his web saver to the ISA as it wouldn't let him. A few days later it returned to "Awaiting Details". Another phone call asking for the money to be transferred and after 4 weeks it's finally sorted!

Meanwhile my other son and I are waiting for them to transfer our ISAs from If.com(part of the Halifax group). It's now been 4.5 weeks and I'm getting fed up with it!

Very poor

Milarky

I agree that the account application/opening process is a bit 'bitty' - but not much IME. I phoned the 0845 number on 28th Jan (sat) and everything has just tied up this morning, 17th Feb - exactly 3 weeks.

I had 3 accounts with Nationwide and one with Beverley B/Soc to move. The only 'slip' Halifax made was not to include a transfer request form in the 'welcome' letter initially. A quick trip to local Halifax agency with two forms of ID (a Halifax RS statement and NW bank statement) and this was rectified with one internal phone call and the form duly arrived in the post the following morning. I put on a/c numbers (etc) and posted it back. About a week ago the account balance appeared online for the first time - with the 'awaiting details' underneath so that the link was 'dead' then. But this morning the link was 'live' [Egg Money Manager told me about this BTW because it appeared as a 'new' account to it] and clicking on it showed that the 'credits' were each made one day after the other providers had closed their accounts - thus confirming that Halifax will pay interest with no lost days as previously advised.

So I'd give this qualified thumbs up as a painless experience. As to access to the money, surely ISA savings are the last account one would wish to draw on. The NW accounts, for instance, were 60 days notice for second/subsequent withdrawals and the Beverley was 30 days notice. Thus I actually enjoyed more prompt access as a result of the slight delay in transferring than I would have expected on the accounts already held.

Jo_anne_2

My OH opened one of these ISAs weeks ago and has still not got any info on operating the account (e.g. how to access the account online, how to pay money in or withdraw). He got a certificate with the account number on but that is it. When I phoned the Halifax to enquire the woman said to pay money in you send them a cheque in an envelope but there is no deposit form to be sent in with it. They haven't even supplied any envelopes. This sounds all very iffy to me. How is this account supposed to operate and should he have had a welcome pack or something?

grumbler

If it is his first account with Halifax and he is not registered for online banking, he can register online: , or go to a branch. Then he can add this account to the 'portfolio' and see it's sort code and account number. These details can be used to make payments into the account from any other bank/BS.

Man-Alive

I experienced similiar problems with delays, but all sorted now. The on-line capacity was up & running about three working days after I sent back the required signed declaration. As I was a previous Halifax customer I did not need to provide any ID to a branch.