National Counties BS 6.26%

wooders

This doesn't get much of a mention on this site...
any reason, seems to be one of the highest paying isa's at the mo and I'm thinking of opening one here.

Any thoughts / better ideas

thankyou

BruceyBonus

I'm not sure why it doesn't get much of a mention? It is comparable to the Barclays ISA, plus National Counties offer a rate guarantee.

I've opened one of these for this tax year. Very good service at all stages.

Applied for application form Tuesday (by email), received Wednesday. Sent with opening cheque that evening. Friday morning received letter saying I wasn't on CRA files (as expected) and I had to send ID. Sent ID that day and received certificate of investment on Tuesday.

At all stages they provided prepaid 1st class envelopes and they have a freepost address too. I've phoned them once and they answered within 20 seconds - direct to a real person.

Very happy compared to my experience with Barclays last tax year!

Old_Slaphead

It gets reasonable coverage.

3 negatives however....variable rate (which wasn't reduced at last BR reduction...so may well fall sometime soon) no transfers in (well not at the headline rate anyway) and rates fall sharply after 12 month 'guarantee'.

BruceyBonus

Old_Slaphead wrote: »

3 negatives however....variable rate (which wasn't reduced at last BR reduction...so may well fall sometime soon) no transfers in (well not at the headline rate anyway) and rates fall sharply after 12 month 'guarantee'.

Which is exactly what Barclays offer (except with an AER of 6.25% instead of 6.26% in the first year, plus poor service).

I've heard a rumour that National Counties will be reducing the rate to 6.01% AER on the 1st July 2008 (probably because they didn't reduce the rate last time).

wooders

Noticed too that they charge 10 days interest for transfering out.
What would that be on £3600???

BruceyBonus

wooders wrote: »

Noticed too that they charge 10 days interest for transfering out.
What would that be on £3600???

There is no loss of interest after the 5th April 2009.

Old_Slaphead

BruceyBonus wrote: »

Which is exactly what Barclays offer (except with an AER of 6.25% instead of 6.26% in the first year, plus poor service).

I've heard a rumour that National Counties will be reducing the rate to 6.01% AER on the 1st July 2008 (probably because they didn't reduce the rate last time).

Barclays guarantee +1%bonus on ????% rate for 12 months - NCBS guarantee of at least BR + 0.4% only till 5/4/09. Which one will be better - who knows?? - suspect there won't be that much in it.

NCBS are fairly efficient at processing applications & funds can be added to online - Barclays, in my experience, are very inefficient.

On balance, of the 2, I'd probably go for NCBS - but in actuality I'll probably do an online transfer to the Covs 6% fixed.