The HfP chat thread – Saturday 5th December

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• Robert says:

  5 Dec5 December 09:03

  Does anyone still have the 20 off 80 fenwicks offer on AmEx? Wondering if I contact AmEx they can apply it.

  • Rhys says:

    5 Dec5 December 09:17

    Unlikely. Targetted offers are targetted for a reason and Amex doesn’t usually change their position on that. Exception is Shop Small, which is not targetted.

  • Oh Matron! says:

    5 Dec5 December 10:48

    Yep. Just activated today on my gold

• TripRep says:

  5 Dec5 December 09:19

  Shop Small isn’t showing up on my Amex app, anyone else noticed this?

  Can’t register at the moment.

  • MattB says:

    5 Dec5 December 09:20

    Lots of comments yesterday saying the same, some managed to get it added via the chat.

  • Peter K says:

    5 Dec5 December 09:21

    Lots mentioned this yesterday. If you contact Amex (including online chat) they add it for you straight away apparently.

    • Holam says:

      5 Dec5 December 10:30

      not if they’ve excluded you from the offer. They have banned a number of people

      • Doog1000 says:

        5 Dec5 December 11:29

        think I may have been banned – was unable to add via chat and did take full advantage via a number of cards in the summer

        • Chrisasaurus says:

          5 Dec5 December 11:38

          So, what’s interesting is that a number (small number) of people have reported the same issue, that they appear to be intentionally blocked from offers but the CS Agents appear to have no knowledge (whether truly or whether it’s just a line)

          I wonder what the criteria are, both for the ban and for getting potentially un-banned? Anyone ever managed to get any actual data? (DPA SAR eg?)

        • Rob says:

          5 Dec5 December 11:51

          Anyone who has requested a Covid payment holiday or is in default will likely be blocked, as they are with the referral scheme.

• Helen says:

  5 Dec5 December 09:22

  Is anyone else having issues with the Amex chat function? It keeps saying “unable to establish a chat connection “.

  • TripRep says:

    5 Dec5 December 09:29

    Now trying to cha in the app, no response,vwas wanting it for a hotel I’m about to check out from. Oh well, might consider putting it on my VS MasterCard instead

    • TripRep says:

      5 Dec5 December 09:43

      Chat finally answered, Shop Small added to my account. Just need to persuade hotel to let me pay £300 in £10 increments (jk obvs)

• TripRep says:

  5 Dec5 December 09:23

  8 in a row lol

  https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/dec/05/britannia-named-worst-uk-hotel-chain-for-eighth-year-in-a-row-which

  • Craig says:

    5 Dec5 December 09:32

    I used to have to stay at one of these with work, it was the filthiest hotel I’ve ever stayed in and I used to dread having to go. It took 3 goes once to get a room that was remotely clean; I used to take my own cleaning products! After a detailed report gathered over several months my employer finally agreed to change.

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    5 Dec5 December 09:55

    It would be a true achievement to be worse; mere indifference and lack of investment won’t get you there.

  • Gavin says:

    5 Dec5 December 10:08

    How do they get any customers? Do people not check reviews?

    • Sandgrounder says:

      5 Dec5 December 10:14

      They are stacked with the elderly on discount coach trips, probably a nice hotel when they stayed there in the sixties. They also accommodate a lot of asylum seekers alongside regular guests in some of the hotels. Britannia- it’s better than a war zone.

      • Mouse says:

        5 Dec5 December 12:46

        This is not a dig at Sandgrounder in any way, but I really hate the way that in the UK generally the perjorative “asylum seekers” has become the catch-all expression for a broad group of people containing many refugees from war and persecution who deserve our support and whom we should welcome. I feel like our society has become significantly less humane and sympathetic over the last decade or two and this really shows through in our language.

        • Fred says:

          5 Dec5 December 14:01

          Akin to immigrant v ex-pat

        • Nick_C says:

          5 Dec5 December 14:08

          “refugees from war and persecution” – you’ve correctly defined Asylum Seekers. We don’t need to reinvent the expression which is widely understood internationally.

        • Mouse says:

          5 Dec5 December 15:20

          @Nick_C Yes, but unfortunately it has taken on in the public perception, owing mainly to the reporting of the right-wing media, the implication that they are chancers or economic migrants who want to come here and claim benefits.

        • Charlieface says:

          5 Dec5 December 18:21

          Classic problem of a minority creating a stereotype affecting the majority.

        • Bazza says:

          5 Dec5 December 19:04

          I think the BBC have confused a lot of people with their catch-all ‘Migrant’

        • Josh says:

          6 Dec6 December 01:29

          Well… there are those balding “14 year olds” who were given school places…

• 747_Brat says:

  5 Dec5 December 10:16

  Does anyone has a data point on how long it takes for Qatar to issue a voucher on flights cancelled voluntarily. I have been waiting for over a month, still no signs of the voucher!
  Thanks.

  • Leafwarbler says:

    5 Dec5 December 11:52

    Ours took exactly 1 week.

    • 747_Brat says:

      5 Dec5 December 17:22

      Thanks

• Nick says:

  5 Dec5 December 10:21

  Has anyone worked out yet whether the ‘online only’ selfridges offer works instore now it’s reopened?

  • Youllnever says:

    5 Dec5 December 13:59

    +1. Curious about this as well

• Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:

  5 Dec5 December 10:26

  Any recommendations for food/alcohol/cigar retailers in shop small in Mayfair?

  • Rob says:

    5 Dec5 December 11:20

    Shepherd Market is your best bet.

    • Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:

      5 Dec5 December 16:52

      Slim pickings unfortunately. Pubs round there are in it but no retailers.

  • Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:

    5 Dec5 December 16:56

    Annoyingly the (closed) Sautter Knightsbridge is in shop small but the Mayfair shop isn’t!

    • Lady London says:

      5 Dec5 December 18:15

      Have you asked them? The Mayfair shop may be booked as an extension of the Knightsbridge shop – they could be one entity.

• xcalx says:

  5 Dec5 December 10:32

  Totally non travel related but I know a lot of John Lewis shoppers read HfP.

  How are JL for returns.
  I bought a Sony Bravia on Oct 16th. A few weeks ago we started noticing a green shadow during night scenes and a green tint to faces. It seems worse if a scene involves a bright light (streetlight) then all the shadowed side of TV goes green. I have followed all the advice re checking leads etc.
  JL have arranged for a local repair company ( Google/ Yell 3 * ratings with some terrible feedback) to contact us on Monday.
  Not really keen on a repair.
  Would like some thoughts on whether JL are likely to consider a refund.

  Thanks.

  • Ray says:

    5 Dec5 December 11:07

    I wouldn’t worry, they usually just do a full manufacturer replacement, I also had a 3 star company “fix” my 75inxh Samsung QLED tv and they fully replaced the full screen with an OEM part. The only thing they used again was the plastic panel and power lead.

  • MattB says:

    5 Dec5 December 11:08

    For a TV a couple of months old I would be looking for a replacement.

    • Tom H says:

      5 Dec5 December 11:15

      I am having a nightmare with my JL smashing 65″ TV, has been returned twice for 2 weeks each time same fault comes back each time. JL say that they don’t take over warranty until after the first year and before then it is unto Samsung. So it keeps going to Atlantic Electrical’s (the named Samsung repair shop) and no improvement. JL say I have to wait until after jan before they can take over. Not impressed.

      • Tom H says:

        5 Dec5 December 11:15

        *Samsung even!

      • DJ says:

        5 Dec5 December 11:27

        I am pretty sure it’s the retailer that needs to deal with all the repairs, if JL refused to take responsibility, then surely you can raise a case with your credit card for a refund?

      • Lady London says:

        5 Dec5 December 11:34

        you dont say how old it is. retailer is responsible for early period not manufacturer. look up on moneysavingexpert dot com will tell you all your rights they change according to how early fault occurs

        I would want to reject it and get it replaced or refunded but you may have owned it too long for that

        • Mike P says:

          5 Dec5 December 11:48

          The OP mentions that the television was purchased on Oct 16th so less than 2 months old.

        • Lady London says:

          5 Dec5 December 17:50

          for @Tom H.

    • Lady London says:

      5 Dec5 December 11:29

      +1

      • Lady London says:

        5 Dec5 December 11:39

        TVs are like washing machines and, to some extent, cars.

        If they have a fault early in their life get rid of it because it’ll always be a bad one. Never accept a repair unless you legally have to.

        • xcalx says:

          5 Dec5 December 12:26

          That’s what I was thinking. I bought a new Ford Sierra Ghia back in the 80s. Broke down within a mile of showroom. 2 week later picked it up managed to get 3 miles before it died again. Long story short after months of back and forth to garage and replacemant cars. I sold it ( to a dealership ) for a massive loss after 11 months of misery.

        • Lady London says:

          5 Dec5 December 18:08

          @xcalx I had a Citroen like that as a company car. Delivered dirty and broke down in first week. Told company’s leased car provider it was a “Friday car” and to take it back.

          They refused to take it back. Clutch went at 2 months again suggested best for them to take it back now on grounds of poor quality aka “Friday car” (repairs were included in the lease). Various faults later including 2 further clutches and being towed off the motorway twice, at 15 months the lease company said “hold on while we print out the service history”. They said “Chr*** why didnt you tell us it was this much”. I said “I told you and asked you to take it back every time it broke down and you refused”. Which was gratifying hearing their printer still.churning out the car’s service history in the background.

          It was still printing 10 minutes later, and they took back the car the following week.

          A Friday car, tv or washing machine is always a Friday car. If it breaks down early in its life get rid of it and don’t accept repairs.

  • Mike P says:

    5 Dec5 December 11:26

    I think a refund is unlikely. I think a replacement unit would be a possibility and would be what I would be pushing for with a television less than 2 months old.

  • Number9 says:

    5 Dec5 December 11:50

    As it’s over 30 days

    Your consumer returns rights after 30 days

    If you don’t reject the goods within the first 30 days, and find a fault within the first six months of possessing your faulty goods, you’ll need to give the retailer a chance to make a repair or replacement. If that’s unsuccessful, you can then ask for a refund.

  • xcalx says:

    5 Dec5 December 11:56

    Thanks for all the comments. I contacted JL. Re a refund or replacement. They will not consider either option as TV is now 6 week old. Would have replaced if under 30 days.
    I should have contacted JL and sent the photos I took of picture screen when I first noticed instead of waiting for my son to come round to check I had set it up right.
    If I want a Sony engineer I have to phone back on Monday

    • Tom says:

      5 Dec5 December 15:01

      You have to give them the option to repair or replace in the first 6 months (after the first 30 days). If the attempted repair fails then you have e the legal right to reject the TV for a full refund (unless they can somehow prove the fault is down to you which is unlikely).

      • Lady London says:

        5 Dec5 December 18:11

        just keep rejecting it.
        John Lewis’s service used to be much better than this.
        Escalate if you have to.

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