Abbey Easy ISA to Direct ISA

magoo27

Hi,

Abbey are offering 6.5% for the first year if you open a direct ISA, I also know you can transfer from an Easy Isa (which I currently have) which pays 5.5%.

Would there be any reasons why you wouldnt just change your Easy ISA into a Direct ISA to get that extra 1%?

avantra

1. 6.25% not 6.5%
2. yes, ask them to move the old eISA to a Direct ISA issue 2 (in the branch) cost u nothing and you get more ££.

TomsMom

avantra wrote: »

2. yes, ask them to move the old eISA to a Direct ISA issue 2 (in the branch) cost u nothing and you get more ££.

Exactly what we went to do today.

Phoned last week to enquire about transfering Issue 1 to Issue 2. Chappy said "Download a transfer form from website and post it in". Couldn't find one specifically for transferring Abbey to Abbey, only from other provider. Another phone call. Chappy said "Fill that one in with details of your Issue 1 ISA".

Did all that, posted it, hubby got an e-mail yesterday saying "Your Direct ISA is now open and ready to use. Transfer across your existing Cash ISA by completing the attached ISA transfer form and return to us". No form attached to the e-mail and we've already sent a transfer form in

Today we went back to the branch where we opened it (trouble free) last year. Explained to lady at counter. She said "We don't deal with ISAs in the branch, I know nothing about them".

Well, I must have had my grumpy head on today 'cos I replied "Well, we opened it in the branch so can you get us someone who does know about ISAs please".

She toddles off and finds a lady who does know about ISAs who half listens, misses the bit about the transfer form has already been sent, but does eventually give us another form then says "I can't understand why they're saying you've got to move from Issue 1 to Issue 2". I replied saying "They're not making us move, it's our choice because you've dropped the rate on Issue 1 and the rate on Issue 2 is quite a bit better". Her reply ... "Oh" :rolleyes: She said "Post the form to that address". Hubby says "Can't you deal with it here?" She says "All we do is post it to that address anyway, nothing else".

The new form is for transferring an Abbey ISA to another Abbey ISA. Exactly what we wanted in the first place but was told by some pr*t on the phone to use the other one so he obviously didn't know much about it. Branch staff say they know nothing about it as it's not dealt with at branch then finds someone who does. Nearest Abbey branch is 50 miles away too! Plus we posted the original forms the same day in the same envelope, hubby's has been dealt with but I've heard nothing about mine yet.

So I guess they can deal with ISAs in the branch if they want to and you catch the right person on a good day. Hope OP has better luck with trying to deal with ISA transfer in branch than we did!

Jeez, what a day.

And tomorrow we've got an appointment at Barclays for their Tax Haven ISA, hope that goes better than today.

Wow, glad to get that off my chest :rotfl:

penrhyn

I'm looking to do this myself, so I thought I'd see what experience other MSE'rs had had.
I've found and downloaded the transfer form, now do I post it or pop into the branch.
I wonder how long the transfer takes and when you start benefiting from the increased rate.

Form here:
https://www.abbey.com/csgs/StaticBS?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1205441950967&cachecontrol=immediate&ssbinary=true&maxage=3600