Barclay's Tax Saver ISA - Another fiasco

square-eyes

I received my letter informing me that I could open a new Tax Saver ISA from 6th April.
I have just walked 2 miles down to the bank to open a new ISA clutching all my identification details. The bank had a notice saying new ISAs could only be opened with an appointment. The earliest was for Wednesday. I was told that as I had an existing ISA I could do it by phone. I walked back home and phoned. It then was revealed that you can only open a new ISA if you have a Barclay's current account to transfer the funds from, ( I don't) so I have to go back to the bank and apply anew.
Sorry Barclay's, I don't think I will bother.

Heinz

I can beat that.

Just went to my local branch (4 miles by car) clutching cheque book, passport, driving licence and council tax bill.

4 counters, 2 cashiers, a queue of 12.

No 'Enquiries' or 'Reception' desk so I interrupted one of the 'advisors' in the cubicles immediately beside the queue and to whom we were all listening anyway (because the 'walls' were made of glass and were only 4' high) and asked where I could get an application form for a Tax Haven ISA.

"You have to have an appointment with an advisor."

"How do I make an appointment?"

"Talk to one of the advisors over there" (points to cashiers).

"They're cashiers. Are you saying I have to queue to talk to a cashier so that they can refer me to the queue to talk to you?"

"That's correct."

"Why can't you just give me the forms."

"You have to have an appointment."

"Why? Last year, I applied online for another ISA."

"We need to explain things to you."

"I know how to work a computer, you don't need to explain it to me."

"You might be able to apply online."

"What do you mean, 'might'?"

"If you have an existing Barclays current account."

"I don't. Can't you just give me the forms to save time?"

"We have to explain things to you."

"I know how to fill in forms."

"You need an appointment."

"How do I get an appointment?"

"Speak to one of the advisors over there" (again points to cashiers).

I walk out.

chambta

When are these things supposed to be opened?

It's over a week since I got a branch print out confirming that is was going to be done. Why not get them done in the branch?

Sharpe

I opened my account a week before the new tax year and £1200 was supposed to be transferred on the 6th from my current account. This does not seem to have happened. Are other people having problems? Should I phone them or just wait for them to sort it out? Am I loosing interest?

Lokolo

They will take around 2 weeks to open. Be patient. Its one of the highest rates out there so there is a lot of demand.

They can't open the ISAs in branch because another department (ISA department) deals with them.

You will get a letter saying rar rar rar we are continuing applications and you will recieve a welcome back soon.

Just be patient :-)

BruceyBonus

chambta wrote: »

When are these things supposed to be opened?

It's over a week since I got a branch print out confirming that is was going to be done. Why not get them done in the branch?

They send the form and cheque to Glasgow to be entered into the ISA computer system.

TomsMom

Sharpe wrote: »

I opened my account a week before the new tax year and £1200 was supposed to be transferred on the 6th from my current account. This does not seem to have happened. Are other people having problems? Should I phone them or just wait for them to sort it out? Am I loosing interest?

You shouldn't be. I was told when I opened mine last week that interest would be paid from the day the cheque was handed over.

square-eyes

TomsMom wrote: »

You shouldn't be. I was told when I opened mine last week that interest would be paid from the day the cheque was handed over.

I took them weeks and weeks to open my Tax saver cash ISA last year but I had to complain twice to get the lost interest credited whilst the cheque languished in limbo. I've just opened an Abbey ISA on-line. It may be 0.25% worse but it will have paid for itself on saving in petrol driving to the bank for a frustrating hard sell visit. They only want to lure you into the branch to see if they can sell you something else.

janeybear

I persisted last april and eventually managed to open a Tax Beater....only later to be told that I could not pay cash into a CASH isa, nor could I pay in money from a business account....I shan`t be renewing with Barclays whatever the rate.

Lokolo

Why? It does say in the T&Cs how you can pay in. Maybe you should have read that before?

janeybear

In the T+Cs for 2007.. "2.2.The minimum deposit is£1 by transfer from another account,standing order,cheque,or by paying a cash amount into any Barclays branch.
I wrote a number of letters but got nowhere.Maybe if I`d been with this forum earlier and had the great help and support there is out there I would have persisted..as it was I just lost the will..:D