Regular investment question

StinkyMonkey

Hello,

I need some help with regular investments though Halifax Share Dealing and TD Waterhouse (I also assume that what applies to Halifax also applies to iii).

I am interested in investing in some stocks from FTSE350 and ETFs and I would like to have a complete picture of what is offered by these stockbrokers before I open an account, i.e. I want to make sure that the ETFs/stocks I will pick are available through their regular investment products. The general information available (here http://www.halifax.co.uk/sharedealing/products/halifax_sharebuilder.asp and here http://www.tdwaterhouse.co.uk/typesofaccount/regular-investing.cfm) does not provide a detailed list of available individual investments. Should I assume that all FTSE350 stocks and all ETFs are available? I am asking this since for Selftrade's regular investment product, only a small number of investment chocies is available (here http://www.selftrade.co.uk/services/other/investment-list.php) and was wondering whether this approach generally applies to regular investment products offered by all/most online stockbrokers.

If anybody has information on this, any help (and any other comment on how these brokers compare) will be much appreciated.

Thanks.

hotkee

I dont know about the various investments on offer but do know that TD Waterhouse charge a minimum fee if you do not deal often - I got caught out as I opened an account a year ago didnt do any trade and then got landed with a fee.

I had chosen TD waterhouse as I had done lots of share dealing through them between 1995 and 2001 but back then they didnt have this fee. I had since given up on dealing till I reopened a new account to find I was lumbered with the fee for not trading. Closed it straight away.

Now the Halifax one is a bit more reasonable - having been a customer of Halifax since 1995, I recently opened a sharedealing account so their commission fees are straightforward. No fees for not trading. Bad thought probably doesnt apply to your type of investment - but in my case I have invested small amount of money (less than £500) in two companies through the Halifax - the certificates are tied to their account - i.e. if I want a paper certificate I have to pay. Again thats for single share holdings - might be different for sharebuilding accounts.

So in summary beware the fees they charge.

StinkyMonkey

TDW indeed charges an inactivity fee (Account Management Fee £10 + VAT per quarter will be charged on all inactive accounts) which Halifax does not but with a regular dealing account this should not be a problem, I guess.