Mortgages and savings accounts for existing customers on the rise
28 July 2010 / by Rachael Stiles
The proportion of mortgages and regular savings accounts that are only available to existing customers of that provider has increased, according to research from consumer watchdog Which?
As reported in Which? Magazine, consumers have been discouraged from shopping around for the best deal since the proportion of existing customer products has increased dramatically in the first half of the year.
The number of products that are tied to other products from the same provider has seen a big increase during the past few years, Which? found, and is continuing to rise.
While some providers offer exclusive deals to existing customers, Which? is concerned that they might not always offer the best value for money, because the products they are tied to might not be the best deals available.
For example, an attractive interest rate might only be available to existing customers of a current account that does not pay any interest on balances that are in credit.
Which? urges consumers who are thinking of taking out a tied product to consider their options first and examine the whole package to calculate whether or not it offers the best deal.
The study found that in June, tied products accounted for 15 per cent of regular savings accounts, up from 11 per cent in January, 18 per cent of fixed rate mortgages, up from nine per cent, 21 per cent of tracker mortgages, up from 15 per cent, 17 per cent of credit cards, up from 16 per cent, and eight per cent of cash ISAs, up from seven per cent.
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| Provider | Account | Interest Rate (AER) | Term | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The Access Bank UK » |
3 Year Fixed Rate |
2.20% per annum |
£5,000 | Apply Now > |
| Earn 2.20% fixed interest – 3 year term – Minimum deposit £5,000 – No withdrawals permitted. FSCS Protected | ||||
The Access Bank UK » |
2 Year Fixed Rate |
2.02% per annum |
£5,000 | Apply Now > |
| Earn 2.02% fixed interest – 2 year term – Minimum deposit £5,000 – No withdrawals permitted. FSCS Protected | ||||
 Vanquis Bank » |
4 Year Fixed Rate Bond |
2.40% per annum |
£1,000 | Apply Now > |
| Earn 2.40% gross/AER fixed for 4 years. Save £1,000 – £250,000. No withdrawals during the term. Individual or joint accounts available. Annual or monthly interest. FSCS Protected | ||||
The Access Bank UK » |
1 Year Fixed Rate |
1.72% per annum |
£5,000 | Apply Now > |
| Earn 1.72% fixed interest. 1 year term, save from £5,000 to £500,000, no additional deposits or withdrawals permitted, FSCS Protected | ||||
Vanquis Bank » |
3 Year Fixed Rate Bond |
1.85% per annum |
£1,000 | Apply Now > |
| Earn 1.95% gross/AER fixed for 3 years. Save £1,000 – £250,000. No withdrawals during the term. Individual or joint accounts available. FSCS Protected | ||||
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Up to 6 years |
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| Capital protected deposit plan with the potential to mature after years 3, 4, 5 and 6. If the plan matures early it will return 5% times the number of years the plan has been in force. Also available for Cash ISA and ISA transfer. | ||||
* Income payments and returns are dependent upon the FTSE 100 Index.
| Provider | Account | Interest Rate (AER) | Term | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 RCI Bank » |
Freedom Savings Account | 1.30% | Instant Access | More Info > |
| MARKET LEADING. Earn 1.30% gross/AER. Instant Access. No notice periods. Unlimited payments and withdrawals. Pay in from £100. RCI Bank are protected up to a total of €100,000 by the FGDR, the French deposit protection scheme. Manage account online. | ||||
 Ford Money » |
Flexible Saver |
1.22% |
Instant Access | More Info > |
| Earn 1.22% AER variable interest. Interest can be paid monthly or annually. Open an account singly or jointly. Minimum deposit £1. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals permitted. FSCS Protected | ||||
 AA Savings » |
Easy Saver | 1.15% | Easy Access | More Info > |
| 1.15% gross/AER. Instant Access. Free withdrawals and no notice period. Deposit from £100. Includes a fixed bonus of 0.95% gross fixed for the first 12 months. Quick and easy online application | ||||
 Aldermore Bank » |
Easy Access Account | 1.00% | Easy Access | More Info > |
| 1.00% gross/AER on balances from £1,000 to £1 million. Unlimited withdrawals without restriction or loss of interest. | ||||
Gross is the interest you will receive before tax is deducted.
AER stands for the Annual Equivalent Rate and illustrates what the interest rate would be if interest was paid and compounded once each year.
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