The Top Easy Access Savings Discussion Area

1echidna

missyminkins wrote: »

The Direct Debit is OK, It is so you can request money from your account to pay into the ICICI account.

I wondered if anyone else has problems using the website though? I try to open different areas and constantly get an error - not available page message and have to keep reloading / refreshing the page to get anywhere. It is taking me ages to complete transactions such as requesting money to be paid in from my current account.

There doesn't seem to be anything blocking this site and it is the only site I have problems like this with. HELP!!

I too have had some problems with the ICICI website which is somewhat complex and not very intuitive IMO.

1echidna

murphydavid wrote: »

[FONT=&quot]It’s the people who switch that help keep the rates high. If a bank / B.S. can keep its invested capital high while having a low interest rate they won’t put it up. Which means some banks must have a very good reputation or very lazy / loyal customer base to retain any money at all. I advocate switching because the more who do it the more pressure is applied to keep the rates high for everyone.[/FONT]

My rule of thumb for switching accounts is when I can get more than 0.5% better elsewhere. It minimises the amount of time doing it, the bother of new passwords etc, and the cost of say six to eight days lost interest whilst the money is being transferred back and forth via my current account. On the 1st April I am going to ditch an Alliance & Leicester DirectSaver (5.75%AER) and an HSBC Online Saver Offer (5.75%AER) in favour of Kaupthing Edge (6.5%AER) and Alliance & Leicester eSaver (6.5%AER). Admittedly I have also Northern Rock, ICICI and Icesave accounts because I don't want to fall foul of the 35,000 limit on FSA guarantee although I suppose that I need not worry as far as this limit is concerned with Northern Rock given the govt guarantee.

Vectra

Quote: I am going to ditch an Alliance & Leicester DirectSaver (5.75%AER)

me too into their esaver acct .This is proving difficult
to open as on the phone they say one thing but still
send for details by post for the usual rigmarole of proof
identity using the pathetic excuse of money laundering
although I have some money in d/saver and payment
of interest into my linked current acc with another bank
monthly.Can anyone tell me if when esaver acct is open
will a simple transfer be able or will I be classed as a
withdrawal and penalised losing a month interest or shall
we wait while July.

Crabman

Hi Vectra - to transfer you'll need to withdraw from the directsaver into your current account, then from your current account into the esaver.

Provided you withdraw the entire balance from your directsaver on the 1st of the month you will not be penalised as the interest from March will have been credited by then.

Vectra

Thanks Crabman but will they not knock off a months interest on the total payable under their ruling,I must admit I was looking for a simple transfer as against a withdrawal .I don't seem to get a straight answer anywhere from Alliance Leicester and going into a branch to talk online banking is a definite no no

Crabman

Vectra wrote: »

Thanks Crabman but will they not knock off a months interest on the total payable under their ruling,I must admit I was looking for a simple transfer as against a withdrawal .I don't seem to get a straight answer anywhere from Alliance Leicester and going into a branch to talk online banking is a definite no no

On my directsaver (just checked) interest is paid into the account on the 1st of the month.

If you're concerned, you could log in to internet banking on 1st of the month and make sure there is an entry for 1st of month showing interest paid.

Then, once interest payments are up to date (i.e. you've been credited with the last month's interest) you know you'd lose nothing by withdrawing the entire balance and depositing it into the esaver.

murphydavid

Crabman wrote: »

On my directsaver (just checked) interest is paid into the account on the 1st of the month.

If you're concerned, you could log in to internet banking on 1st of the month and make sure there is an entry for 1st of month showing interest paid.

Then, once interest payments are up to date (i.e. you've been credited with the last month's interest) you know you'd lose nothing by withdrawing the entire balance and depositing it into the esaver.

Yes thats the way it worked for me on the 3rd of march. The 1st and 2nd were the week end and it took about 4 week days to move it so I lost about 6 days interest except I have a current account that pays some interest on it. Oh yes and if you have more than 25000 they won't let more than 25000 be requested in one day so thats an extra day.

missyminkins

1echidna wrote: »

I too have had some problems with the ICICI website which is somewhat complex and not very intuitive IMO.

I have today found that a request for money to be moved from my current account to my icici account on the 8th March has not yet happened. I tried to get some reason for this from the help phone line number, but all he kept telling me to do was log into my account and look at the information I had already checked, which was why I was phoning them to query it. I think the guy was in a help room in India and struggled to actually understand fully what I was asking. Totally frustrated by struggling to access the account on their website, I have decided to close this account and open another.

Any suggestions for where to put it at present? I see that Bradford and Bingley are offering 6.15% which is only a tad less than icici.

Crabman

missyminkins wrote: »

I have today found that a request for money to be moved from my current account to my icici account on the 8th March has not yet happened. I tried to get some reason for this from the help phone line number, but all he kept telling me to do was log into my account and look at the information I had already checked, which was why I was phoning them to query it. I think the guy was in a help room in India and struggled to actually understand fully what I was asking. Totally frustrated by struggling to access the account on their website, I have decided to close this account and open another.

Any suggestions for where to put it at present? I see that Bradford and Bingley are offering 6.15% which is only a tad less than icici.

How about Kaupthing Edge? They're currently offering 6.5% with a rate guarantee, provided you have £1000+ to deposit, details here

Vectra

On icelandic banks,in the mail on Sunday financial sect
Simon Watkins page 75 states quote:"These banks are now seen as the most unsafe in the developed world"
"You have been warned"
So I don't know how true this is but it is enough to make me wary