Regular Savings Accounts: The Best Currently Available List!

Bridlington1

jameseonline said:

Bridlington1 said:

jameseonline said:

Bridlington1 said:

YBS First Home Saver to be launched at 5%
£500/mth max
1 Withdrawal/yr (excluding closure)
Account lasts 2 years
Can skip months if you wish
Account can be opened with £1

Do you have to buy a home with it?, mind you it's only 5%

I haven't many further details about it yet (it's only just appeared on moneyfacts), but the account allows penalty free withdrawals so I very much doubt you need to buy a property with it, I've also yet to see a first home regular saver that requires you to use the funds towards a home, though having said that it may or may not be restricted to those who are yet to buy their first home yet though (we'll find out in the morning).

At £1 to open and no further funding requirements I think it's worth opening speculatively, particularly given the account lasts two years.

Better Home Regular Savers:

Principality @ 5.25%
https://www.principality.co.uk/savings-accounts/everyday-savings-accounts/First-Home-Steps-Online

Leeds @ 5.15%
https://www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk/savings/regular-saver/home-deposit-saver/

Coventry @ 5.05%
https://coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk/member/product/savings/regular_saver/first-home-saver-2.html

I know, I have the first two and am ineligible for the third because I have the NLA Coventry FHS Issue 1 at 5.6%. For me the fact that it is a FHS is largely irrelevant though, I will treat it just like any other regular saver.

My point is though that the account could become competitive in the future, at 5% it's not far below the top easy access accounts and lasts 2 years, a lot could happen with savings rates in this time (just look at how much savings interest rates have changed in the last 2 years). The account can be opened with £1, allows withdrawals if necessary and has a fairly large max monthly deposit limit, personally I think it worth opening with £1 just in case.

surreysaver

kaMelo said:

Whilst it's nice to see them upping their rates, as others have said, holding an Ecology BS savings account was never about the rates they offered, it was only ever about being able to fund them via direct debit as this is what enabled qualification for current account rewards or switch offers. Just keep funding and withdraw down to their minimum balance after six months or so then rinse and repeat. 
I'll keep my accounts open for as long as they keep the DD funding option.

Its better now they've reduced the direct debit down from £25 to £10

flaneurs_lobster

Bridlington1 said:

jameseonline said:

Bridlington1 said:

YBS First Home Saver to be launched at 5%
£500/mth max
1 Withdrawal/yr (excluding closure)
Account lasts 2 years
Can skip months if you wish
Account can be opened with £1

Do you have to buy a home with it?, mind you it's only 5%

I haven't many further details about it yet (it's only just appeared on moneyfacts), but the account allows penalty free withdrawals so I very much doubt you need to buy a property with it, I've also yet to see a first home regular saver that requires you to use the funds towards a home, though having said that it may or may not be restricted to those who are yet to buy their first home yet though (we'll find out in the morning).

At £1 to open and no further funding requirements I think it's worth opening speculatively, particularly given the account lasts two years.

Now live on their site https://www.ybs.co.uk/savings/product?id=YB901839W

• You can only hold a First Home eSaver account if you are saving towards owning your first home. We reserve the right to transfer the account to the Internet Saver Plus Issue 14 if this is not the case.

Bridlington1

flaneurs_lobster said:

Bridlington1 said:

jameseonline said:

Bridlington1 said:

YBS First Home Saver to be launched at 5%
£500/mth max
1 Withdrawal/yr (excluding closure)
Account lasts 2 years
Can skip months if you wish
Account can be opened with £1

Do you have to buy a home with it?, mind you it's only 5%

I haven't many further details about it yet (it's only just appeared on moneyfacts), but the account allows penalty free withdrawals so I very much doubt you need to buy a property with it, I've also yet to see a first home regular saver that requires you to use the funds towards a home, though having said that it may or may not be restricted to those who are yet to buy their first home yet though (we'll find out in the morning).

At £1 to open and no further funding requirements I think it's worth opening speculatively, particularly given the account lasts two years.

Now live on their site https://www.ybs.co.uk/savings/product?id=YB901839W

• You can only hold a First Home eSaver account if you are saving towards owning your first home. We reserve the right to transfer the account to the Internet Saver Plus Issue 14 if this is not the case.

It looks like I've timed it very well then, I'm currently in the process of buying my first home. Another month or two and I'd have been ineligible if all goes according to plan.

flaneurs_lobster

Bridlington1 said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Bridlington1 said:

jameseonline said:

Bridlington1 said:

YBS First Home Saver to be launched at 5%
£500/mth max
1 Withdrawal/yr (excluding closure)
Account lasts 2 years
Can skip months if you wish
Account can be opened with £1

Do you have to buy a home with it?, mind you it's only 5%

I haven't many further details about it yet (it's only just appeared on moneyfacts), but the account allows penalty free withdrawals so I very much doubt you need to buy a property with it, I've also yet to see a first home regular saver that requires you to use the funds towards a home, though having said that it may or may not be restricted to those who are yet to buy their first home yet though (we'll find out in the morning).

At £1 to open and no further funding requirements I think it's worth opening speculatively, particularly given the account lasts two years.

Now live on their site https://www.ybs.co.uk/savings/product?id=YB901839W

• You can only hold a First Home eSaver account if you are saving towards owning your first home. We reserve the right to transfer the account to the Internet Saver Plus Issue 14 if this is not the case.

It looks like I've timed it very well then, I'm currently in the process of buying my first home. Another month or two and I'd have been ineligible if all goes according to plan.

You will, of course, have to close the account down the moment your purchase completes to not fall foul of the terms.

Good luck with the home buying.

Bridlington1

flaneurs_lobster said:

Bridlington1 said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Bridlington1 said:

jameseonline said:

Bridlington1 said:

YBS First Home Saver to be launched at 5%
£500/mth max
1 Withdrawal/yr (excluding closure)
Account lasts 2 years
Can skip months if you wish
Account can be opened with £1

Do you have to buy a home with it?, mind you it's only 5%

I haven't many further details about it yet (it's only just appeared on moneyfacts), but the account allows penalty free withdrawals so I very much doubt you need to buy a property with it, I've also yet to see a first home regular saver that requires you to use the funds towards a home, though having said that it may or may not be restricted to those who are yet to buy their first home yet though (we'll find out in the morning).

At £1 to open and no further funding requirements I think it's worth opening speculatively, particularly given the account lasts two years.

Now live on their site https://www.ybs.co.uk/savings/product?id=YB901839W

• You can only hold a First Home eSaver account if you are saving towards owning your first home. We reserve the right to transfer the account to the Internet Saver Plus Issue 14 if this is not the case.

It looks like I've timed it very well then, I'm currently in the process of buying my first home. Another month or two and I'd have been ineligible if all goes according to plan.

You will, of course, have to close the account down the moment your purchase completes to not fall foul of the terms.

Good point, I somehow must have misread your quote when I posted it. Oh well, I may as well open it with £1 anyway, it'll generate 2p if I make my opening deposit from Co-op by debit card and I may as well act as a guinea pig on this occasion regarding how long it takes YBS to transfer the account into an Internet Saver Plus Issue 14.

flaneurs_lobster said:

Bridlington1 said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Bridlington1 said:

jameseonline said:

Bridlington1 said:

YBS First Home Saver to be launched at 5%
£500/mth max
1 Withdrawal/yr (excluding closure)
Account lasts 2 years
Can skip months if you wish
Account can be opened with £1

Do you have to buy a home with it?, mind you it's only 5%

I haven't many further details about it yet (it's only just appeared on moneyfacts), but the account allows penalty free withdrawals so I very much doubt you need to buy a property with it, I've also yet to see a first home regular saver that requires you to use the funds towards a home, though having said that it may or may not be restricted to those who are yet to buy their first home yet though (we'll find out in the morning).

At £1 to open and no further funding requirements I think it's worth opening speculatively, particularly given the account lasts two years.

Now live on their site https://www.ybs.co.uk/savings/product?id=YB901839W

• You can only hold a First Home eSaver account if you are saving towards owning your first home. We reserve the right to transfer the account to the Internet Saver Plus Issue 14 if this is not the case.

It looks like I've timed it very well then, I'm currently in the process of buying my first home. Another month or two and I'd have been ineligible if all goes according to plan.

Good luck with the home buying.

Many thanks.

masonic

I'm coming round to the idea of speculatively opening accounts. I'm now considering the Leeds Home Deposit Saver, but understand it is mainly branch/post with "some operations" possible by phone or online. Could someone with the account confirm whether it is possible to set up withdrawals online?

Bridlington1

masonic said:

I'm coming round to the idea of speculatively opening accounts. I'm now considering the Leeds Home Deposit Saver, but understand it is mainly branch/post with "some operations" possible by phone or online. Could someone with the account confirm whether it is possible to set up withdrawals online?

When I did some experimentation with an Access Saver last year, which is also branch/post, I was unable to make withdrawals directly to an external account online but could make transfers to another Leeds BS account online. Closure (by cheque) can also be done online.

You can make withdrawals to an external account/close the account over the phone though.

masonic

Bridlington1 said:

masonic said:

I'm coming round to the idea of speculatively opening accounts. I'm now considering the Leeds Home Deposit Saver, but understand it is mainly branch/post with "some operations" possible by phone or online. Could someone with the account confirm whether it is possible to set up withdrawals online?

When I did some experimentation with an Access Saver last year, which is also branch/post, I was unable to make withdrawals directly to an external account online but could make transfers to another Leeds BS account online. Closure (by cheque) can also be done online.
You can make withdrawals to an external account/close the account over the phone though.

Thanks, that's good to know. Having the telephone servicing is helpful. With the rising cost of postage, I do wonder how long postal accounts will remain viable.

PloughmansLunch

masonic said:

I'm coming round to the idea of speculatively opening accounts. I'm now considering the Leeds Home Deposit Saver, but understand it is mainly branch/post with "some operations" possible by phone or online. Could someone with the account confirm whether it is possible to set up withdrawals online?

I closed my Leeds HDS online a month or two ago as part of a cull of my lower paying RS accounts. To avoid a cheque in the post you also need an existing Leeds easy access account of any flavour. You can close the HDS and/or internal transfer online very quickly which then enables you to make multiple withdrawals from the EA account whenever needed. If you wish to keep the HDS open bear in mind you can only make 1 withdrawal p.a. from your savings.