The Top Easy Access Savings Discussion Area

pingster

Are there any "best buy" lists that also show if accounts can be managed by mobile app? My Lloyds savings account was never great but was easy to move temporary peaks in money from current to savings and back. The rate is about to drop to 0.1% so am motivated to use another savings account but the best ones require web logins... would be very useful to find a provider that has mobile application support, even if the rate isn't a table-topper.

colsten

pingster wrote: »

Are there any "best buy" lists that also show if accounts can be managed by mobile app? My Lloyds savings account was never great but was easy to move temporary peaks in money from current to savings and back. The rate is about to drop to 0.1% so am motivated to use another savings account but the best ones require web logins... would be very useful to find a provider that has mobile application support, even if the rate isn't a table-topper.

All banks, and many Building Societies, have apps, and all offer Faster Payments so money transfer shouldn't be a huge issue. With very few exceptions, the rates in their instant access accounts are terrible. Exceptions are perhaps Nationwide FlexDirect and TSB Plus but they are time-limited / likely to be withdrawn soon. Other options are the Santander 123, Starling and Virgin Money. None of the best buys have apps but the difference is probably pennies. You could have a look at Skipton, they have recently launched an app, or at Al Rayan. I know Al Rayan don't process Faster Payments at weekends, though. Not sure about Skipton.

Depending on the amount of money you want to put in/take out, your other option might be Regular Savers which allow withdrawals without penalties. For instance, the Lloyds Monthly Saver and the Club Lloyds Monthly Saver could be of interest.

Nick_C

pingster wrote: »

Are there any "best buy" lists that also show if accounts can be managed by mobile app? My Lloyds savings account was never great but was easy to move temporary peaks in money from current to savings and back. The rate is about to drop to 0.1% so am motivated to use another savings account but the best ones require web logins... would be very useful to find a provider that has mobile application support, even if the rate isn't a table-topper.

Cambridge BS has an app and currently pays 1.1%

MikeDT

Hi
We are looking for some advice regarding where to invest money "short term" after the sale of our house goes through. We are able to sell none then spend time looking for a suitable property as cash buyers. We will get around £800,000 for a property we are selling and will be looking to spend up to that amount in the months ahead. As it seems to take around 3 months or more the sell or buy a property we are looking for advice on where it would be good to invest this money

Many thanks

eskbanker

MikeDT wrote: »

We are looking for some advice regarding where to invest money "short term" after the sale of our house goes through. We are able to sell none then spend time looking for a suitable property as cash buyers. We will get around £800,000 for a property we are selling and will be looking to spend up to that amount in the months ahead. As it seems to take around 3 months or more the sell or buy a property we are looking for advice on where it would be good to invest this money

What did you think of the accounts listed in the article that this thread is all about?

Edit: here's the link, in the opening post:

Former_MSE_Dan wrote: »

This thread is specifically to discuss the

Easy Access Savings article

RedSkywalker

I signed up for a HiSave account 2 weeks ago and got emails confirming the account and told it will take about 12 days to be up and running. After that time I had received no word from them so I tried switching £5 from my main account into the new ICICI one and that went okay from the Santander end BUT then I tried logging in to my new account - went through the security with all the correct answers but 3 times I got kicked out at the end, so then I phone their customer services and go through the whole security thing again with a person who I could hardly understand due to their accent. Eventually was told their security was having problems and to try again tomorrow. So I wait a day and then try again a total of three times over a twelve hour period eventually getting a message that I had tried too many times and now I had to contact customer services. Back in accent land I eventually was told exactly what the message had already told me "that I had tried too many times" but they also said that I now had to wait a clear working day (ie I tried logging in on Tuesday so now I had to wait till Thursday before trying again!) If you decide to use them good luck but I have given them up because if it's this hard putting money in goodness only knows how hard it is to get some out, lol.

colsten

It's a few years since I had a HiSave account with ICICI. I can't now remember the exact details of my problems with them but I wouldn't go back there again, because of their awful systems and CS. I did get all my money back from them alright, so there is nothing to worry about in that regard.

Ghostcrawler

It's been few months now I also had the account with them. They take nearly 2 weeks just to set up the account and it's really cumbersome to login to the account. I opened this account for Direct Debit but soon after opening the account learnt that they just set up the DD and link your bank account but they don't take the deposit through DD facility, I still had to do bank transfer which did not help. When I opened the account they had this mentioned on their website that they take funds through DD but actually they don't. I called up to confirm this but had to speak to 3-4 different agents as they couldn't understand my purpose of opening the account. Due to this I closed my account and took a week for them to transfer my initial deposit of £1. They didn't fit my purpose.

murphydavid

I had an account with ICICI some years ago. I see they have not improved over the years. I can't remember my full details but it involved my trying to invest a small amount to try them out. It ended with them telling me there was £10 in my account which I did not put in (an unexpected gift you might say). I checked to see if I could make a withdraw and at some point got locked out of my on line account. After a few failed attempts to get reinstated by following verbal instructions on the phone and emails etc I realized I would not be using them. For a while after they sent me emails but as I could not log in I never did get to see any of that £10. I sometimes see they have an attractive interest rate but could not face their incompetence again. I suppose they must have some satisfied UK investors but after yours and my experience I can't see how.  

I-LOV-MONEY

I, too, had an account with ICICI and I think I left a few quid in it (probably under a fiver!).   They have never contacted me.  I just tried to log in, but I have forgotten my details.    To retrieve them, I have to firstly provide them with an account number - which I don't have!   I suppose I need to give them a ring tomorrow.