Santander Direct Cash ISA is complete Joke

tarski

Hello,

Santander seems to be offering one of the best Direct ISAs at the moment, offering 3.3% interest, however I would like to warn people not to sign up to a Santander ISA based on my experience of their shocking service:

1. I signed up for the ISA online on 30th April. After completing the form the website presented me with an error message which made me think that the registration failed, however I then received an email and letters informing me it had been successful.

2. Two weeks later I have not received the credentials that allow me to log into the website to manage my account.

3. The ISA Transfer form has a glaring error in it making it impossible to complete correctly

"b) Have you paid money into your Cash ISA in the current tax year?
(A tax year is from 6 April to 5 April in the following year.)
If you answered Yes to question (a), please ignore questions (c) and (d).
If you answered Yes to question (b), please complete questions (c) and"

Seriously...

4. By this stage I had lost all faith and phoned up to cancel my account, something which their Terms and Conditions allow

However after phoning up the chap I spoke to informed me I could only close the account in a branch.

I wish I hadn't wasted my time with these clowns, I will now have to go through the hassle of going to the branch to close the account and sign up for a different ISA provider

Gromitt

tarski wrote: »

However after phoning up the chap I spoke to informed me I could only close the account in a branch.

Thats what they always say. Basically they want to try an offer you a different savings product instead.

Ring them on 0845 600 0181 and tell them you wish to close your account and your not interested in any other savings products. If they still refuse, send a letter:

Santander ISAs
PO BOX 1112
Bradford BD1 9NR

Chrisesa

tarski wrote: »

1. I signed up for the ISA online on 30th April. After completing the form the website presented me with an error message which made me think that the registration failed, however I then received an email and letters informing me it had been successful.

3. The ISA Transfer form has a glaring error in it making it impossible to complete correctly

"b) Have you paid money into your Cash ISA in the current tax year?
(A tax year is from 6 April to 5 April in the following year.)
If you answered Yes to question (a), please ignore questions (c) and (d).
If you answered Yes to question (b), please complete questions (c) and"

Seriously...

Sorry to ask an obvious question but did you complete the form then print it and post it to Santander? You can't submit their transfer form online, most of the info you enter does not remain on the form even if you save a copy to your computer.

I can't see the glaring error you mention, can you clarify what you mean? Looks ok to me and I've not seen other posters on here comment on the transfer form - though I may have missed it.

Have to say too that there's a HUGE amount of input on the site about how dreadful Santander are, which is a worry as its the account I'm aiming for when my current ISA matures later this month...

societys_child

I signed up for the Direct ISA online. Completed the transfer form and sent it to Bradford.
The cash disappeared for my original ISA account and shortly after appeared in the new Santander Direct. No problems at all.
The "error" on the form has been mentioned a number of times on this forum but like many others, I didn't have a problem understanding the form, I just read it carefully.

Chrisesa

Glad then that I can't see the problem with the form, I must be understanding it too ;-)

I've only ever opened 1 ISA in branch, was with the Halifax, all the others were opened online with not a hitch, from Alliance & Leicester to Nationewide to Principality and even Icesave (that was a different sort of hitch lol). So I'll probably screw my courage to the sticking place and go ahead with Santander - unless they pull it before I'm ready!

sariebeth

I just transferred my ISA from Halifax to Santander. No problems filling in the form, and although it took 32 days to transfer they have paid the interest from the 15 day point.

So I'm a happy Santander customer

trisrob

The way i see it - your getting a slightly better rate for a poorer service - I think it justifies itself but I agree, the forms and process are poor.

It's taken from the 27th of March until 16th May to setup an ISA with them. It doesn't help they take 7-10 working days to do each part. I thought my ISA was being setup but 3 weeks later I called up and they had not had my passport etc despite me taking it into a Santander branch. Wonder where that went then...

I have one question though for any users. With NS&I - they had a remaining value I could add into my ISA for the current year. Do Santander have that? What happens if I go over the threshold?

geraint83

Hi,

I've opened a Direct Cash ISA with Santander and got the account details through very quickly by e-mail. I've also since received the login credentials and have set up my online banking.

However, I sent my ISA Transfer In form to them on 24 April so that the funds could be transferred from my NatWest ISA and I haven't heard anything since. Is this normal? Shouldn't I have received some kind of confirmation that everything would be processed?

The NatWest ISA is still open and the funds haven't been transferred. Should I contact Santander to make sure they received the form, or just wait some more?

bjorn_toby_wilde

In Santander's defence I had no problem with my account. Very simple to open and the transfer went smoothly. It took a little longer than I expected but I received a letter this week to tell me that the interest had been backdated to the transfer point.

Their online banking looks impressively secure as well.

Since this is the best rate available I suspect they've had a real rush on the product so perhaps a little more patience is required?

Mechanical

geraint83 wrote: »

Hi,

I've opened a Direct Cash ISA with Santander and got the account details through very quickly by e-mail. I've also since received the login credentials and have set up my online banking.

However, I sent my ISA Transfer In form to them on 24 April so that the funds could be transferred from my NatWest ISA and I haven't heard anything since. Is this normal? Shouldn't I have received some kind of confirmation that everything would be processed?

The NatWest ISA is still open and the funds haven't been transferred. Should I contact Santander to make sure they received the form, or just wait some more?

To put your mind at ease, phone Santander.
Here is the number I was given this week for any queries regarding ISAs, 0845 6000 181 and they were very helpful when I spoke to them. Alternatively, the freephone version of this number is 0800 3899 875 (from saynoto0870.com).