Possible mistake with Halifax ISA online transfer

moneymass

Hi everyone, need a bit of advice.

Yesterday I had one cash ISA, in which I had paid the year allowance last year.

Time to transfer the account to their 3% (+ 0.2%), and used a helpful link when I was already logged in to my online banking.

Halfway through setting up the account it became obvious that the link was for HBOS online customers wanting to open a new ISA, oops.

I didn't finish the application, or so I thought, and I didn't fund it at all (it actually said I could do this later).

I then found the halifax.co.uk/isaupgrade link (or equivalent) and entered my current ISA details (the one with funds in) and it worked ok, saying that it should update in 10 working days.

Logged back in to my online banking later and lo and behold, a new ISA account with zero funds had appeared below my current ISA.

I have no desire to use this account but I'm worried I may have fallen foul of some ISA rule or something.

To surmise,

April 5th AM - One cash ISA with a balance and no useable allowance left.
April 5th PM - Two cash ISAs (with halifax) Old funded ISA + new empty ISA (I havn't put anything into it). Funded ISA transfer request completed online, which will give me two ISAs of the same type but only the funded one wanted.
I havn't put any money into either of the two ISAs this tax year.

Do I need to phone Halfiax and get them to remove the account (I can't really stay on the phone all day today )

or can I put £1 in it from my current account, forget about it and just add my allowance (minus 1£) to my main desired ISA. (I don't think I can do this as I'm sure you can only fund one cash ISA per year?)

thanks guys

blueberrypie

You can only fund one cash ISA per year with new money.

Your new empty account doesn't matter at all. As long as you don't put anything into it, it makes absolutely no difference to anything.

moneymass

blueberrypie wrote: »

Your new empty account doesn't matter at all. As long as you don't put anything into it, it makes absolutely no difference to anything.

I guess it was the minimum opening balance that threw me; although upon reading, it's not that you need £1 in it, you need £1 in it within 28 days to get the 3%.

thank you !