Hi Everyone

I have been unable to set up a Yahoo account successfully but have just hopped back onto the forum to see many familiar faces are still contributing. When I get a chance, I will have a read of everyone's posts. I would still like to keep in contact with those of you who were my support system from 7th October until I was finally reunited with my money (I notice that the councils etc. still do not have their funds back - whatever happened to liquidating Landesbanki's assets?). If anyone is on Facebook and would like to keep in contact with me, I am on there under Jacqueline Panter and would love to hear from you

xx

It's lovely to keep seeing familiar faces popping on here, and I hope everybody's doing well.

Well, my post-Icesave ISA saga has finally, yes just finally, been concluded. Following on from when I posted in January, this isn't so much an Icesave enquiry post, more a Skipton rant.

Last summer Skipton made a time limited offer to open a fixed rate ISA at 6.5%, which I jumped at. I transferred in another ISA I had, but left the Icesave one alone because I didn't want to mess about too much and wanted a quiet life!!

So last year when I got my Icesave certificate I went to pay my cheque into my Skipton account. After waiting around and being pushed from pillar to post while they lost my original transfer forms but didn't tell me.............followed by a long story of phone calls, writing and visiting branch, they opened a new ISA at 2%. I complained that I hadn't asked or signed for this, and they then dropped the bombshell. I wasn't allowed to transfer in another ISA after last summer's cut-off date. Nobody had told me at the time, only that to open an account was during the limited period, and nobody had told me when I went to pay in to it in December. I was only told this over the phone, and when I asked if the branch had any literature on this account or anything at all in writing about the conditions, I was told they didn't. I complained about this and the fact that I had missed out on other good offers last year while under the impression I didn't need them. I then transferred this new ISA out as a damage limitation exercise. More correspondence.........more waiting.......etc.

I also then wrote a formal letter of complaint about the lack of information, mistakes etc. and lost interest.

My transfer recently went through, and I have received an apology and an offer of compensation for my lost interest and expenses, which I have accepted.

So at last my ISA story is over, and I just have to wait until June for my Icesave fixed rate accounts to mature. Then comes the problem of where to save next........................

Phew .... that has been a Saga. Pleased you got there in the end. Hope they gave you a fair amount. Where to save next. My view don't bother spend it! Depends how much you have. It might be the time to buy a second property and sit on it for a while. Don't forget we all nearly lost it, so maybe do something different than give back to another banker is a better idea. The holiday of a lifetime ..... the sports car you've always wanted ...... refurbish the house ...... treat the kids ...... it has to be better than lining another bankers pocket! So May any secret thoughts? Good luck Kevin

Hi

Anyone out there? I have an Icesave query...... Grrrrrrr! Just when I thought I was safe. Basically, I am eligible to claim back tax paid in the financial year 08-09. Unfortunately, I have no way of proving how much tax I paid on my Icesave deposits so the Tax Office has advised that I cannot claim and in the absence of any paperwork, I am stuck! Given I had in excess of £70,000 deposited with Icesave, I am eager to recover the tax paid as soon as possible. Any ideas anyone...?

Many thanks

Jacqui P:

Hi

Anyone out there? I have an Icesave query...... Grrrrrrr! Just when I thought I was safe. Basically, I am eligible to claim back tax paid in the financial year 08-09. Unfortunately, I have no way of proving how much tax I paid on my Icesave deposits so the Tax Office has advised that I cannot claim and in the absence of any paperwork, I am stuck! Given I had in excess of £70,000 deposited with Icesave, I am eager to recover the tax paid as soon as possible. Any ideas anyone...?

Many thanks

Hello Jacqui P, I'm still here! I still have the Icesave helpline telephone number: 0845 605 6050 and the FSCS number: 020 7892 7300. I would imagine they will have records of tax paid on all accounts and would be able to supply you with the relevant information. It is your right as a taxpayer to have access to this information so give them a call. Do let me know how you get on.

Best wishes

Hi Jacqui, Glad to see your still here! Have you tried ringing the FSA helpline and asking if they are going to send a statement of tax paid for the year ending 5 April 2009. If Newcastle Building Society have the information on their system I would think it will arrive in due course. Best wishes Kevin

Oh my God! I had forgotten what a royal pain in the a*se the FSCS are! The tax office said that the FSA can issue a document detailing how much tax I paid last year, the FSA said the FSCS will do it and the FSCS told me to do it myself! I told knob end on the telephone that I am unable to do so as my balance fluctuated constantly throughout the duration of my account and it is not possible to recount every withdrawal/credit to enable me to work out my interest. Mr Helpful told me that I would have to go without then! I asked him whether the administrator of Icesave could help and he said 'Maybe.' I then asked him why he didn't offer that information and he told me it is for me to work out and not for him to advise!!!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I was hoping that if I ever had to deal with Muppet Land again that the fraggles previously working there dealing with our compensation would have been eradicated and replaced by someone with sense!

kev2006n:

Hi Jacqui, Glad to see your still here! Have you tried ringing the FSA helpline and asking if they are going to send a statement of tax paid for the year ending 5 April 2009. If Newcastle Building Society have the information on their system I would think it will arrive in due course. Best wishes Kevin

Hi Kev2006n - good to see you too and thanks for your advice! I was rather hoping that I wouldn't end up bouncing off walls in rant land alone. The FSCS told me that Ernst and Young are the administrators so I have e mailed them but failing a response, I will try Newcastler Building Society. I cannot believe how crap this all is. I cannot be the only person in the situation - has no one in Financial Services worked out the procedure re issuing of tax declarations and is this the start of round two? I am only just regaining my strength after that draining time of being cut off from my savings and don't want an uphill struggle to claim back what is rightfully mine. This is all such a dung heap...

Good to see you Jacqui, and in your usual highly descriptive form. I am unsure about the legal necessity for paperwork to support your claim, might a formal declaration of the estimated interest from yourself be sufficient, pending correction if further evidence is forthcoming? There are probably precedents in other spheres.

By the way, what a lovely photo on Facebook. You sound fiercer than you look! Who is the lucky man?

acecardsharp:

Good to see you Jacqui, and in your usual highly descriptive form. I am unsure about the legal necessity for paperwork to support your claim, might a formal declaration of the estimated interest from yourself be sufficient, pending correction if further evidence is forthcoming? There are probably precedents in other spheres.

By the way, what a lovely photo on Facebook. You sound fiercer than you look! Who is the lucky man?

Ahhh thank you acecardsharp. I really am just about the least fierce person going - in fact, people tell me to toughen up as, to be honest, I am an absolute walkover! I know I have growled a lot re the injustice of this whole Icesave disaster on this forum but I am not a growly person normally.

My husband is Richard and we have been married three years this year. Did you see the kittens on my Facebook page? They are sooo adorable...

The Tax Office advised that they do indeed require a form of documentation to highlight tax paid. I have e mailed my local MP in Cambridge and asked him to sort it out as I am fed up with it. Will keep you posted...

Hi Everybody

Keep checking this site regularly and glad to see people still out there - just wanted to say hello to all.... Good luck Jaqui with your tax query

Microlighter

HELP!

From NatWest's website:

''Not paid money into your account for a year?

UK regulations say that we have to lock your account if you don’t make any deposits for a year. This form lets you pay money into our Cash ISA again – the more you save, the higher the interest you’ll earn. Simply take your completed form into your local branch or post it to: Central Tax Unit, 9th Floor, 1 Hardman Boulevard, Manchester M3 3AQ.''

I've opened a new Barclays ISA for this tax year and deposited the maximum amount of £3,600, therefore I cannot make any deposits into my NatWest ISA until 6th April 2010. Does this mean my £35k is going to be frozen AGAIN?

Has anyone tried to make deposits or withdrawals from an ISA that hasn't been touched for over a year?

Thanks.

---

kev2006n:Phew .... that has been a Saga. Pleased you got there in the end. Hope they gave you a fair amount. Where to save next. My view don't bother spend it! Depends how much you have. It might be the time to buy a second property and sit on it for a while. Don't forget we all nearly lost it, so maybe do something different than give back to another banker is a better idea. The holiday of a lifetime ..... the sports car you've always wanted ...... refurbish the house ...... treat the kids ...... it has to be better than lining another bankers pocket! So May any secret thoughts? Good luck Kevin

Thanks so much Kevin for your sympathies and suggestions. Sorry I've not responded earlier, but I've been away enjoying myself!

I get the point about spending the money, which we will do, but it's where to keep it until it's spent that now presents a problem. Not that there's all that much money we're talking about here, as the Icesave savings were part of my regular savings towards retirement. I was fortunate in not having to worry about life-savings going down the drain/geyser, but every penny has been carefully managed with a view to maximising my small pot.

Great to see Jacqui back, but sorry I can't help on this. Good luck anyway.

Hi May, Lovely to hear from you. Have you thought about maybe buying a place to rent out. The prices must be near the bottom with every chance of making a profit over the medium term. Or maybe a holiday home to enjoy. Just hate the thought of the bankers nearly walking away with it scott free, well almost! In the meantime keep it in small amounts. I've put some in Nationwide,Northern Rock and a holiday home! We are hoping to rent out the holiday home from time to time to cover running costs. Good luck.

We have nowhere near enough money to buy any buy-to-let property, but that would be a great idea if we were free to do it. However, our first priority would be to lend to our sons in order to get them started.

Yes, I already do keep it in small amounts - very small amounts they are too!

I can't believe that after the heady days of the last two years, where all the banks were vying for our business with juicy interest carrots, we are into a new tax year and nobody seems to be after our ISA money. Or have I missed something? Where are you folks putting your 2009/10 ISA cash?