Barclays Tax Haven ISA delays: May08, The official facts!

nathanhill69

Bradford & Bingley ISA opening....

1. Opened/applied for account online Tuesday night
2. Posted my cheque on Wednesday
3. B&B receive cheque Thursday
4. Funds taken/Cheque cashed Tuesday.

Very impressed by the speed of processing my ISA application with Bradford & Bingley, especially as there was a bank holiday involved.

BruceyBonus

nathanhill69 wrote: »

Bradford & Bingley ISA opening....

1. Opened/applied for account online Tuesday night
2. Posted my cheque on Wednesday
3. B&B receive cheque Thursday
4. Funds taken/Cheque cashed Tuesday.

Very impressed by the speed of processing my ISA application with Bradford & Bingley, especially as there was a bank holiday involved.

Similar service with National Counties ISA:

1. Emailed for info pack/form on Tuesday
2. Arrived Wednesday morning. Posted with my cheque Wednesday evening in provided freepost envelope.
3. Friday morning letter saying more ID needed (as I'm not on any CRA files). ID sent.
4. Tuesday received ID back with certificate of opening.
5. Later that week cheque was cashed.

BankofDad_2

Further to my previous posts regarding ditching the Barclays ISA, I have a similar happy experience with opening my 08/09 Alliance & Leicester ISA:

1. Went online on Thursday evening (1st) and applied for a Direct ISA issue 4
2. Got confirmation that I had been accepted for ISA yesterday
3. Transferred funds into ISA this morning

So, that's just over 2 working days for setting up an ISA with A & L. Admittedly I already have an A & L current a/c and an ISA from last year, and the rate may not be too brilliant after the rate drop, but at least it's sorted now.

One of the factors that banks like Barclays don't take into consideration is the sheer wasted time and stress produced by the endless chasing up of applications and trying to negotiate with unhelpful staff, not to mention all that time posting messages on forums... ;-)

Chucksmum

Why didn't I know all this before I applied? I applied to open an ISA on 7th April, received letter today saying account opened 6th May, do I have to fight for the lost interest?

Lokolo

Chucksmum wrote: »

Why didn't I know all this before I applied? I applied to open an ISA on 7th April, received letter today saying account opened 6th May, do I have to fight for the lost interest?

Because you didn't look it up on here?

And yes.

fizzypop

Chucksmum wrote: »

Why didn't I know all this before I applied? I applied to open an ISA on 7th April, received letter today saying account opened 6th May, do I have to fight for the lost interest?

Oh yes, same opening date and chq cleared as you. Emailed Barc last night saying recd branch promise that date of application was 7 april and interest from that date and I got receipt. Told Barc that I will have their promise honoured and will pursue them for claim of 2 weeks interest if they try to wriggle out. Barc have already set a precedent for paying this 2 weeks interest as stated above but get your claim in.

bristolleedsfan

Chucksmum wrote: »

Why didn't I know all this before I applied? I applied to open an ISA on 7th April, received letter today saying account opened 6th May, do I have to fight for the lost interest?

Date of opening is irrelevant, last year interest was automatically backdated to date of application irrespective of date of opening.

Sillychuckie

Barclays are the absolute pits.

My mother applied in March for the 07/08 ISA AND at the same time, the 08/09 ISA. This was all done in branch.

They returned the 08/09 cheque a few weeks later saying:
"You can not apply for an ISA for the year 08/09 since you already have an ISA for this tax year".
a) The 08/09 tax year hadn't actually started yet. It was still March.
b) She had no such thing.

Last week, they also returned her cheque for the 07/08 application (meaning she last lost out on the allowance), because:
"You can not apply for an ISA for the year 08/09 because you already have an ISA for this tax year". (which she doesn't, and the cheque was meant for 07/08 anyway).

Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, I have been trying to transfer my 07/08 ISA (tax haven, since opened at start of 07 year) OUT to A&L Issue 4.
Barc closed the account and almost 1 month on, A&L still haven't had the cheque from them. The money is still floating around somewhere, and barclays are 'dealing with my complaint'.

By days of using Barclays again for anything are numbered. Sod them.
SC.