ISA transfer experiences

RunsFromRobots

I'm not sure this is the right thread to ask, but I've initiated a transfer from Vanquis to Marsden, but for some reason today I cannot login to my Vanquis account to check.

Would it be normal for them to close the account before the funds are released? The Marsden account is empty.

eschaton

Opened a fixed ISA with Aldermore last month. Account open to allow payment in next day and transfer in from Marcus the next day. 

In contrast; I also opened a variable one with Tesco. 5 days to receive paperwork and 10 days after returning before they finally done the transfer from Santander. 

I even had to add the account to the app manually as it hadn’t appeared. 

ivormonee

Tembo to Charter

Initiated on 29 August 2025 but nothing has happened in the intervening six weeks. I have contacted both providers. Charter told me that they have written to Tembo twice, Tembo told me today they have not received any communications from Charter. The saga drags on ...

Russ66

Nationwide to Chip.

Transfer requested 14/10/25 @ 4.48pm
Transfer completed 15/10/25 @ 9.33am

Less than 17hrs despite quoting 15 days on application.

ivormonee

Russ66 said:

Nationwide to Chip.

Transfer requested 14/10/25 @ 4.48pm
Transfer completed 15/10/25 @ 9.33am

Less than 17hrs despite quoting 15 days on application.

That's essentially less than a day! Impressive! Mine is 47 days ... and counting! You couldn't even make it up!

friolento

Chip to Paragon completed within 2 days.

dales1

Beware Halifax !!

 - beyond useless, and also complacent.

Today my £40k transfer out was refused for "insufficient funds" although I have a £110k balance !

The CSO said I must reissue a manual transfer (which takes ages longer). 

It seems that is their easiest way out of their own internal problem.

It is too easy for them to offer to pay redress for lost interest, rather than to fix their own system problem. 

Their CSO is just buying me off.

Meantime I worry if I will get this manual transfer completed in time for my new ISA's fix deadline.

refluxer

dales1 said:

Beware Halifax !!

 - beyond useless, and also complacent.

Today my £40k transfer out was refused for "insufficient funds" although I have a £110k balance !

The CSO said I must reissue a manual transfer (which takes ages longer). 

It seems that is their easiest way out of their own internal problem.

It is too easy for them to offer to pay redress for lost interest, rather than to fix their own system problem. 

Their CSO is just buying me off.

Meantime I worry if I will get this manual transfer completed in time for my new ISA's fix deadline.

While ISA providers have strict funding windows for paying new subscriptions into their fixed rate cash ISAs, they usually have different timescales when you're transferring-in. The important thing is that you get the transfer request submitted within the time allowed for this and once that's been accepted, the new provider should allow enough time for a (worst-case scenario) paper-based transfer to occur.

If your first transfer request has failed and you now have to submit a paper transfer form, just try and get that in the post ASAP, presuming that the new provider accepts paper-based transfers (not all do). They often have the required PDFs on their site so printing out your own (if you can) will obviously be quicker than requesting one through the post. 

In my experience, Halifax are one of the banks who still sometimes use traditional practices such as required 'wet signatures' on paper forms or branch visits for closing certain types of accounts, so this type of thing is certainly annoying but isn't too surprising, unfortunately.

Stompa

Zopa to Chip 25hrs 13mins.

winkowinko

Vida to Chip less than 48 hours
Chip to Vida (earlier this year), also less than 48 hours.