Hi

I've read some post already and there appears to be many good points and bad points to various lenders and the service they offer basically i have £3600 that i want to invest in an Isa but balancing between the best rate and the best customer service is not as easy as i first though.....can anyone offer any advice on which lenders are offering the best rates whilst appearing to offer good service ( do not want to have to sit down in the branch for ages) ?

Thanks in advance

I suggest using an internet one - ICESAVE is who I have chosen, and they have a good rate - they are very quick and efficient and have answered phone queries quickly too - and there's no sitting in anyone's office.

I fully agree with Lilian. Application online to ICESAVE is quick and easy to do, just filling in a form and I.D. info. Once done, you can also open any other account, such as the easy access saver, without fuss. They are highly efficient and everything was in place and open online quickly and easily. A confirmation letter came quickly in the post too. There is a good Help page online, and an opportunity to email queries too, not something that all banks offer. When I needed to phone the helpline about ISA transfer rules, the chap was extremely friendly, clear and helpful. Payments in appear very quickly in the account too.

And an ISA transfer from last year's Barclays Tax Beater TO IceSave took precisely two weeks.

Do NOT go in for Abbey's online ISA. They were so s-l-o-w. Took 6 weeks before they sent me my welcome pack, and getting started online was so complicated and long winded after waiting weeks for the necessary log-in numbers and all the stuff needed. And before I had even managed to log in to my new account, the interest rate had dropped.

Many many thanks i had looked at ICESAVE but had never heard of them before so was a bit dubious but have looked into them more and after reading your comments i think i will go with them... thanks for the Abbey tip that was who i was looking at but only because i have a current account with them and thought it would be easy !!!! Great advice
Cheers

That's good ... perhaps I ought to get commission from them!! Good luck.