Halifax Online Banking with Regular Saver?

lipidicman

I have the Halifax regular saver and I went for the Instant Saver rather than the websaver as I plan to move the money straight to an isa when it gets transferred across and i wasnt on the web then.

The thing is the halifax direct ISA looks good (not postal, not Abbey and no penalties like the A&L one) and the manager told me I could move money from the Instant saver to the ISA via online banking. Does anyone use the Halifax online banking service? Will I be able to check the balance of all my accounts, including the regular saver. I also have a monthly saver which I pay a cheque (in addition to a SO) into, could I do this too?

I have tried using the demo - but first it wont work in firefox, then it gets upset about the Java virtual machine I am using.......I hope the real service is better than the demo

Paul_Varjak

I have the following accounts with Halifax:

1. Current account
2. Joint current account
3. WebSaver account
4. Joint WebSaver Account
5. Regular Saver account
6. ISA Direct
7. Credt Card

I can view all the above accounts and move money between them. One thing you cannot do is open a Regular Saver online - you have to go to your branch.

I used to have a branch-based ISA but I just took my book in (when I got online) and they immediately changed it to an ISA Direct. Prioer to that I could view the branch-based ISA online as well!

Overall, I think the interest rates are quite good - certainly best for those banks in easy reach of my home. And by having all instant access accounts with one provider I can move my money instantly from one account to another - a big bonus I think!

Incidentally, I use Firefox (with Windows XP) to access the Halifax site without problems. Firefox does cause problems on some other sites though.

Bun

Hello!

This is my first post so bear with me, but I have been using this service for the last year and have found it very good, and definitely better than the Nationwide who I am also with. The demos don't work a lot of the time though for some reason. You can add most accounts to your portfolio - I have five websavers, a current account, credit card (only just put on so don't know how that will be yet) and a regular saver. The only one I have had problems with is the monthly saver my Mr Bun and I have as trustees for mini-bun, which I think is to do with the joint names thing. Their email team are very good at getting back to you quickly too.

Walletwatch

I bank with six banks, and use all of them online extensively. I must say the Halifax is the best one in terms of the range of activities you can perform, and also, more importantly, look and feel of the site.

lipidicman

OK thanks for all the great info.....cant stop.....I'm off to sign up!

edit
Right, I'm back. A bit bummed that I have to wait up to seven days for the posting of a code - oh well, security is good!

I want to open an online saver and a direct ISA when I get in

I already have an ISA paid in in full, do you recommend I transfer now and pay in £3000 after april the 5th, or wait until April the 5th, pay in and transfer then?

Also if I put money in the websaver can I do a transfer as my second payment into the monthly (NOT regular) saver (to be clear, the 5.34%-with-bonus one) I usually do 1 SO, 1 cheque.

Walletwatch

I would say better to transfer before April 5th and then put the next year's amount after transferring. This is for no other reason but the fact that if you lose interest for, say ten days during the transfer, you minimise it by reducing the principal amount on which you lose the interest.

Not sure if someone else has other views to the contrary. I must warn you however, that I have never transferred ISAs to or from the Halifax, and don't know how well their transfer mechanism works.

lipidicman

Thanks WW

Your reply makes sense, but my question didnt (quite).

My second option meant 'subscribe to the new ISA, then transfer a previous year in' rather than 'pay into my old one then move the whole lot'

So should I
transfer now, then continue to pay in after April the fifth
or
wait until april 6th, subscribe to the new ISA, then transfer previous years in?