low cost share execution service suggestion please

theGrinch

Hi have been buying shares in clumps with H-L, which while not the cheapest has been ok.

In 2011, I went to drip £150-200 a month into individual stocks and as such H-L become quite expensive.

I am looking for a service I can decide when to buy or sell rather than a portfolio builder.

Any suggestions please?

chris_m

http://www.x-o.co.uk/ works for me, £5.95 per trade, buy/sell online. You have to have the money in your account before you can buy, I use debit card transfers.

neilsedaka

I also use and recommend http://www.x-o.co.uk

theGrinch

thanks for the quick replies. yes I was thinking of them but its good to get two recommendations.

how do you find their platform and support?

neilsedaka

The platform works fine, and the phone is answered immediately in my experience by a knowledgeable helpful person. The only downsides that I have found are that it takes about half an hour to set up an account, and that it takes about 20 minutes for debit card funds to be available for use, both during trading hours only.

chris_m

Platform is fine, albeit can be a bit slow first thing in the morning. The only support I've required was a couple of questions which I emailed and received detailed replies back within an hour or two, certainly fast enough for what I wanted.

The only thing that has (so far) caught me out was when a dividend payment I wasn't expecting was made to my account but there was no notification - I spent some time checking all the trade figures in my spreadsheet trying to find what I'd typed wrongly to cause the balance discrepancy ;-)

DavidHayton

theGrinch wrote: »

In 2011, I went to drip £150-200 a month into individual stocks and as such H-L become quite expensive.
I am looking for a service I can decide when to buy or sell rather than a portfolio builder.
Any suggestions please?

I use HL for funds but my experience is like yours: HL are expensive for stocks. I use TD Waterhouse for stocks. They are not the cheapest either but their customer services have never failed me and they allow me to trade on loads of overseas markets and hold cash in multiple currencies. David

theGrinch

DavidHayton wrote: »

I use HL for funds but my experience is like yours: HL are expensive for stocks. I use TD Waterhouse for stocks. They are not the cheapest either but their customer services have never failed me and they allow me to trade on loads of overseas markets and hold cash in multiple currencies. David

yes it does add up.

I'm at a point where I would even consider transferring over some of my investments as I'm more focused on individual stocks these days.

waveneygnome

I've just started to use SVS securities. I think the fees are £5.75. Similar to x-o in that you have to fund the account before trading (using debit card).

I'm not very computer literate, but managed to use their online chat/help during set up, which was very quick.

I have had to call them a few times as I was trading an AIM stock that had limited brokers dealing with them. I was really impressed with the people I spoke to. They always called me back.

I've only been with them for the past 2 months, made 7 trades, transfered money into and out of the trading account, but so far am really impressed.

neilsedaka

Briefly looking at SVS Securities I don't see any mention of being able to trade and hold shares within an ISA which is a major drawback.

CosmoKramer

Apologies in advance if this question is stupid but are the fees quoted for XO and SVS per transaction? ie £5.95 per sale and £5.95 per purchase?