Top Cash ISAs Discussion Area

stathernking

Here's my problem. I have just opened a cash ISA for the new tax year (2011/12). I have my current account with Santander so was able to qualify for their Loyalty Flexible ISA paying 3.5% - nice! However, I want to transfer my previous years' ISA's and this account does not accept transfers. So I have looked for the best rate on an account that will accept transfers in, which is the Halifax Direct ISA which pays a pretty good 3%. So I went on line to open an account. It will, indeed, accept transfers in but first you must open the account with a minimum deposit of £1. Technically, putting £1 into this account will mean that I have made a deposit into 2 different ISAs in the same tax year, which breaches the ISA rules. How can I get the Halifax account open and transfer in my old ISAs without having to deposit £1? Please don't tell me I have to go through the aggravation of going into a branch!

purplestar133

stathernking wrote: »

Here's my problem. I have just opened a cash ISA for the new tax year (2011/12). I have my current account with Santander so was able to qualify for their Loyalty Flexible ISA paying 3.5% - nice! However, I want to transfer my previous years' ISA's and this account does not accept transfers. So I have looked for the best rate on an account that will accept transfers in, which is the Halifax Direct ISA which pays a pretty good 3%. So I went on line to open an account. It will, indeed, accept transfers in but first you must open the account with a minimum deposit of £1. Technically, putting £1 into this account will mean that I have made a deposit into 2 different ISAs in the same tax year, which breaches the ISA rules. How can I get the Halifax account open and transfer in my old ISAs without having to deposit £1? Please don't tell me I have to go through the aggravation of going into a branch!

Just fill in a transfer form along with your application. The transferred amount covers the opening deposit.

gunmaker

stathernking wrote: »

Here's my problem. I have just opened a cash ISA for the new tax year (2011/12). I have my current account with Santander so was able to qualify for their Loyalty Flexible ISA paying 3.5% - nice! However, I want to transfer my previous years' ISA's and this account does not accept transfers. So I have looked for the best rate on an account that will accept transfers in, which is the Halifax Direct ISA which pays a pretty good 3%. So I went on line to open an account. It will, indeed, accept transfers in but first you must open the account with a minimum deposit of £1. Technically, putting £1 into this account will mean that I have made a deposit into 2 different ISAs in the same tax year, which breaches the ISA rules. How can I get the Halifax account open and transfer in my old ISAs without having to deposit £1? Please don't tell me I have to go through the aggravation of going into a branch!

Or you can open the Halifax ISA online and choose to fund it later. You then fund it by transferring the ISA you want to transfer. That's what I did.

purplestar133

Santander are driving me mad already! I applied online for the Flexible ISA a few weeks ago but heard nothing and didn't want to miss the deadline so rang up (whilst at work) and opened another one over the phone. Didn't want to cause any further delay so went straight in to a branch the only ID I had on me - driving licence and mobile phone bill. I know mobile phone bills aren't usually accepted so made sure to ask if they would accept it - they said they would. Lo and behold, nearly two weeks later I've got a letter saying they won't accept it and I need to send more ID.

So that's my story, but my question is, will I still get the 3.3% that was offered when I originally applied?

gunmaker

purplestar133 wrote: »

Santander are driving me mad already! I applied online for the Flexible ISA a few weeks ago but heard nothing and didn't want to miss the deadline so rang up (whilst at work) and opened another one over the phone. Didn't want to cause any further delay so went straight in to a branch the only ID I had on me - driving licence and mobile phone bill. I know mobile phone bills aren't usually accepted so made sure to ask if they would accept it - they said they would. Lo and behold, nearly two weeks later I've got a letter saying they won't accept it and I need to send more ID.

So that's my story, but my question is, will I still get the 3.3% that was offered when I originally applied?

They are still advertising 3.3% today so presumably you will.

henben

The Top Cash ISAs article states that the Santander Loyalty Flexible ISA is available online. This appears to be incorrect - for new ISA customers anyway - as they tell you on the relevant webpage that you have to apply in a branch. So I made the 35 minute drive to our nearest branch only to be told that there was no adviser available. I told them I didn't need any advice, I just wanted to open an ISA. No go - you have to make an appointment to open an ISA.

I'm thinking of taking the slightly lower rate from the AA instead - slightly less interest but quite a lot less wasted petrol and (hopefully) an awful lot less frustration than dealing with Ye Olde Santander Banke.

Inforapennyinforapound

henben wrote: »

The Top Cash ISAs article states that the Santander Loyalty Flexible ISA is available online. This appears to be incorrect - for new ISA customers anyway - as they tell you on the relevant webpage that you have to apply in a branch. So I made the 35 minute drive to our nearest branch only to be told that there was no adviser available. I told them I didn't need any advice, I just wanted to open an ISA. No go - you have to make an appointment to open an ISA.

I'm thinking of taking the slightly lower rate from the AA instead - slightly less interest but quite a lot less wasted petrol and (hopefully) an awful lot less frustration than dealing with Ye Olde Santander Banke.

I too saw that the Loyalty isa advertised on the web page stated that you had to go to a branch.However i spoke to their Isa dept and managed to open it on the phone.
The lady told me that the web page was incorrect and that she would inform a supervisor of the error.

My Loyalty Isa is up and running without a branch visit.

Go for it.Good luck.

jicms

Santander really are on top form with their customer service today. I applied for my new ISA online a week or so ago. A reference popped up on the screen on completion of the application. No word since, not an email, letter, nothing. I've just spent half an hour on the phone to them, after ploughing through the options (which were incorrect), being cut off, phoning back and starting the security process all over again. Why do companies always want your phone numbers when they never phone you! The outcome was that they eventually found my existing ISA account details but no record of my new application and didn't recognise the confirmation reference I was given!! "Phone the ISA department in the morning." I just wish there was an alternative with the same interest rate!!!

henben

Inforapennyinforapound wrote: »

I too saw that the Loyalty isa advertised on the web page stated that you had to go to a branch.However i spoke to their Isa dept and managed to open it on the phone.
The lady told me that the web page was incorrect and that she would inform a supervisor of the error.

My Loyalty Isa is up and running without a branch visit.

Go for it.Good luck.

Thanks for the encouragement - I did look into it further. Having now read the small print more carefully, I have to admit that I can see that none of my existing Santander accounts actually qualify me to be "loyal". So I have gone for the ordinary (disloyal?) Flexible ISA which you can apply for online.

(I see tho' that there is still no change to the misleading webpage message about going to a branch to open the loyalty one. Crazy or what - a complete stranger can open on-line, but an existing customer qualifying for the extra 0.2% is told they can't do it on-line.)

suesie999

jicms wrote: »

Santander really are on top form with their customer service today. I applied for my new ISA online a week or so ago. A reference popped up on the screen on completion of the application. No word since, not an email, letter, nothing. I've just spent half an hour on the phone to them, after ploughing through the options (which were incorrect), being cut off, phoning back and starting the security process all over again. Why do companies always want your phone numbers when they never phone you! The outcome was that they eventually found my existing ISA account details but no record of my new application and didn't recognise the confirmation reference I was given!! "Phone the ISA department in the morning." I just wish there was an alternative with the same interest rate!!!

Me too, not heard a bean and got money out ready to deposit, was going to phone today but not sure its worth it!! :mad: :rotfl: