Help to Buy ISA - Halifax not accepting transfers?

Tim11111000111

I currently have a H2B ISA with Nationwide. Following their interest rate cut, I was hoping to transfer it somewhere else. I chose Halifax as the rate was only marginally worse than HSBC and I expected Halifax to have better customer service and be slightly easier to setup/manage as I already have an account with them.
However, when I enquired (via the in-app messaging function) I was told that it is not possible to transfer a H2B ISA from another provider to Halifax. Is this true? It would seem to contradict the advice given on the MSE guide for H2B ISAs. Has anyone successfully transferred in to Halifax since the H2B scheme closed to new applicants?

sharpinf

I have (still in progress but assured it is happening) managed to do the exact same (Nationwide to Halifax), you do need to call them and I had originally to convince the operator that it was possible to do this for H2B ISAs for Halifax before they would transfer me to the "ISA Transfer team" who seemed to know exactly what to do.

It is not fast, applied on 2 May and been told last week it'll be a couple of weeks before Halifax even send a transfer request to Nationwide though promised it'll be backdated. 

Tim11111000111

sharpinf said:

I have (still in progress but assured it is happening) managed to do the exact same (Nationwide to Halifax), you do need to call them and I had originally to convince the operator that it was possible to do this for H2B ISAs for Halifax before they would transfer me to the "ISA Transfer team" who seemed to know exactly what to do.

It is not fast, applied on 2 May and been told last week it'll be a couple of weeks before Halifax even send a transfer request to Nationwide though promised it'll be backdated. 

Good to know, thanks. I tried calling them a couple of times (before switching to the in-app messaging) and failed to get through/given up on waiting. I guess I'll try again!

older_wiser

Tim11111000111 said:

sharpinf said:

I have (still in progress but assured it is happening) managed to do the exact same (Nationwide to Halifax), you do need to call them and I had originally to convince the operator that it was possible to do this for H2B ISAs for Halifax before they would transfer me to the "ISA Transfer team" who seemed to know exactly what to do.

It is not fast, applied on 2 May and been told last week it'll be a couple of weeks before Halifax even send a transfer request to Nationwide though promised it'll be backdated. 

Good to know, thanks. I tried calling them a couple of times (before switching to the in-app messaging) and failed to get through/given up on waiting. I guess I'll try again!

i'm in the same position unable to contact halifax on the phone i've been trying on and off for the past 20+ days i was told in another post to phone later in the evening to have more chance of not being cut off. Good luck and would you let me know how you get on. thanks 

sharpinf

older_wiser said:

Tim11111000111 said:

sharpinf said:

I have (still in progress but assured it is happening) managed to do the exact same (Nationwide to Halifax), you do need to call them and I had originally to convince the operator that it was possible to do this for H2B ISAs for Halifax before they would transfer me to the "ISA Transfer team" who seemed to know exactly what to do.

It is not fast, applied on 2 May and been told last week it'll be a couple of weeks before Halifax even send a transfer request to Nationwide though promised it'll be backdated. 

Good to know, thanks. I tried calling them a couple of times (before switching to the in-app messaging) and failed to get through/given up on waiting. I guess I'll try again!

i'm in the same position unable to contact halifax on the phone i've been trying on and off for the past 20+ days i was told in another post to phone later in the evening to have more chance of not being cut off. Good luck and would you let me know how you get on. thanks 

It is a lucky dip getting through saying to the automated answer you were after a "withdrawl" may help chances slightly or might have just been my luck, also was told the ISA transfer group only work Mon-Fri 9-5 so might be worth aiming more for those times to avoid wasting your time

Aidanmc

If you have less than 12k in a H2B ISA, it may be worth considering transferring to a HSBC H2B ISA. Its a postal application, but quite quick process. Completed in 7-10 days.