Cash ISAs: The Best Currently Available List

Consumerist

Spiggle wrote: »

The longest I want to fix my £5340 for is 2 years (and I have seen the Satander but would rather not go there) . . .

I wouldn't want to be a Santander current-account customer but, in my recent experience, when it comes to ISAs they are as good as or better than anyone else.

Antispam

I had no problem with satander in 2010/2011 when I then switched to Halifax, they paid interest and switch was painless. I am undecided whether to stick with Halifax or go for Satander easy access its a little bit more. I like idea of there fixed but not the cant pay anything in after April

boobbby

Nikko5 wrote: »

I'll give it a go... But I only applied to open the issue 2 during this financial year in the first place. So thought I couldn't open an issue 3 as well?? (Hence wanting to convert one to the other instead!)

I do have a flex account, card etc.

I upgraded to issue 2 and one week later they bring out issue 3 so I again I immediately filled in the application form and few days later I had transfered to issue 3 which could be viewed on the Internet after only about 4 days

Spiggle

Just bumping up to top of page as people are looking for this thread as a sticky.

All the best,
Spigs

Nikko5

badger09 wrote: »

Shouldn't be a problem then. Nationwide promises not to offer 'New Customers Only' savings products :beer:so as long as your existing ISA isn't a fixed term product you can 'upgrade' or transfer it online immediately.

Unusually, Nationwide also let you split your ISA allowance, so for instance you could pay £3000 into a fixed term and £2640 into an instant access ISA with them (assuming you hadn't already paid anything into an ISA this year)

Not sure how they get round the 'only 1 ISA in any year' rule - presumably its all held in 1 ISA account but split between different terms and interest rates - but that's just me speculating - I have no insider knowledge

Let us know how you get on.

Didn't go well unfortunately, applied online for issue 3 - was called the following day to be told as my issue 2 had a zero balance they couldn't transfer it to an issue 3.

I've now applied to do the transfer from Halifax into my issue 2 and will THEN reapply for the issue 3 (which hopefully won't be withdrawn in the meantime, they couldn't promise either way on the phone!)

neilem

Thinking about starting my first ISA, and would want to get in before the tax year, so I can max out in two quick lumps (£5k each).

Problem is I'm not sure which account to go with?

Notice the top rates are:
NatWest e-ISA - 3.25% (when at £10k+)
Santander Direct ISA - 3.30%

Just heard Santander were a bit of a nightmare. People on here having trouble switching, and having to go through the interest returned with a fine tooth comb.

What do you all reckon?

Nessie23

neilem wrote: »

Thinking about starting my first ISA, and would want to get in before the tax year, so I can max out in two quick lumps (£5k each).

Problem is I'm not sure which account to go with?

Notice the top rates are:
NatWest e-ISA - 3.25% (when at £10k+)
Santander Direct ISA - 3.30%

Just heard Santander were a bit of a nightmare. People on here having trouble switching, and having to go through the interest returned with a fine tooth comb.

What do you all reckon?

Hi Just remember you can only contribute £5340 to a cash ISA before the end of this tax year. However you will have a new allowance of £5640 for the new tax year (starting in about 3 weeks). Check with your provider whether you can top up the ISA in the new tax year.

You asked about Santander - well I've had an ISA with Santander previously and about a year ago it took me one week to get the ISA transferred to another provider. In my case the overall experience was comparable to other providers I suppose.

Good luck

Nessie

meanscot

I have a 2 year fixed cash ISA with Bank of Scotland whichmatures on 13th April 2012.

I am interested in transferring this to the Santander 2 yearISA - 4.00% with minimum deposit: £1+ and fixed until 01/05/2014.

The problem is I have to transfer by 14th April to theSantander ISA. Is it possible to fill in the transfer form, get it to Santanderand they can get the money sent on the 13th April and so I qualify for this ISA ?

Meanscot

Consumerist

From the <Santander website> :-

For accounts opened in the 2011/2012 tax year additional deposits are allowed between 06 April 2012 and 14 April 2012 – which means you can also make the most of your 2012/2013 cash ISA allowance.

If I understand you correctly, you intend to fund your 2011/12 ISA with just £1? It seems hardly worth the effort.

The wording above suggests that only cash from the 2012/13 allowance will be accepted up to 14 April.

Vortigern

meanscot wrote: »

I have a 2 year fixed cash ISA with Bank of Scotland which matures on 13th April 2012.

I am interested in transferring this to the Santander 2 yearISA - 4.00% with minimum deposit: £1+ and fixed until 01/05/2014.

The problem is I have to transfer by 14th April to the Santander ISA. Is it possible to fill in the transfer form, get it to Santander and they can get the money sent on the 13th April and so I qualify for this ISA ?

The window from 6th April to 14th April is for depositing next years allowance. An ISA transfer does not use your allowance. You have 14 days from opening the Major ISA in which to initiate your transfer. The transfer form has a tick box to say you wish to serve the full notice* period before the transfer is processed. So you could open the ISA now (with or without a cash deposit) and submit the transfer form.

*I don't know whether "notice" means just notice accounts, or whether it covers fixed-term accounts, so I would ask Santander to confirm that the BoS ISA will not be transferred before its maturity date.