The HfP chat thread – Monday 4th January

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• Anthony P says:

  4 Jan4 January 14:00

  Any plans to post an updated guide to earning points on HMRC payments or are last year’s articles still relevant?

  • Rob says:

    4 Jan4 January 14:11

    No real options now – Lufty card is closed to new applicants, Tesco Debit card is closed to new applicants. You are down to either Curve Metal (which requires a generous Visa or MC behind it unless your bill is huge) or Billhop (ditto given 3% fee).

    • Tarmohamed says:

      4 Jan4 January 15:41

      Could use Amex FX International Payments… if it’s business taxes.

    • MD says:

      5 Jan5 January 00:00

      Or Revolut.

• Benilyn says:

  4 Jan4 January 14:00

  When using bendy fronted, has anyone had Beardie/IHG charge interest/cash advance when making fin services payments at typical places? After 1Y of not really using bendy, thinking about signing up to metal or not…

  • Anna says:

    4 Jan4 January 14:12

    If you’re referring to the seagulls then there are now charges. Che Guevara is the way to go.
    Thank goodness we can speak covertly again!

    • Benilyn says:

      4 Jan4 January 14:54

      So who can pay seagulls with no issues (even if fronted?)

      • Anna says:

        4 Jan4 January 14:56

        No-one, if you’re referring to bendy.

        • Anna says:

          4 Jan4 January 14:57

          Unless it’s the paid version, but that constitutes being charged IMO.

        • Benilyn says:

          4 Jan4 January 15:02

          Understood, so it is all about Che Guevara paying Keith Barr and vice versa via fronted bendy?
          And Jade Premier card dipping in and paying off Keith Barr from time to time directly with no charges.
          Don’t own Paris so am I missing anything else. Russian startup CEO I know, but KGB have warned me from visiting too many times and leaving with all my money too many times.

        • Anna says:

          4 Jan4 January 15:28

          If you want Che Guevara to feed the seagulls you don’t need to involve bendy, just go direct via Keith Barr (nice one!).

        • Chas says:

          4 Jan4 January 17:38

          Ooh – now I need to work out what Keith Barr is….! I have barely used Che Guevara since Beardy got “interest”ed in my relationship with him.

        • Chas says:

          4 Jan4 January 17:40

          Got it! The trouble is (and using a gambling analogy) Keith operates lower limit tables than Richard does… 😭

  • BP says:

    4 Jan4 January 21:48

    Is Clubcard interest(ed) in paying Keith Barr? Need a new card for that to spread the load.

• Jill ( Kinkell) says:

  4 Jan4 January 14:38

  Nicola has just announced measures for Scotland: new restrictions in place from midnight for all of January , stay at home, only leave for essential reasons, can meet 1 other outside, schools shut until 1 February. WFH,
  all now law. No travel in or out of Scotland unless essential ( wasn’t it that before?) oh well. It is what it is . My house will be getting it’s second super-major clean, sort, tidy, paint!

  • BJ says:

    4 Jan4 January 14:45

    You’re pretty isolated there at the best of times Jill so I’m sure you’ll manage 🙂

    • Jill ( Kinkell) says:

      4 Jan4 January 15:11

      We will, but last time ,my London son and family arrived just before lockdown and stayed for 3 1/2 months.! I thoroughly enjoyed having them, with new granddaughter changing from a 3 month old to becoming much more interesting! We have the space, lovely walks and scenery and nearest neighbour 1/4 mile away. Now, it’s just me and hubby, who spends hours pouring over his stamp collection ( huge yawn!)

  • Anna says:

    4 Jan4 January 14:54

    It’s a great excuse not to do dry January, that would really finish people off psychologically!

    • Jill ( Kinkell) says:

      4 Jan4 January 15:15

      Never even contemplated it! 🍷

  • BuildBackBetter says:

    4 Jan4 January 15:19

    8pm announcement for England.

• Ross says:

  4 Jan4 January 14:41

  Hi All,

  We’re planning a trip to Jamaica at the end of Feb – looks like Jamaica won’t be letting us in. So, I’m going to have to change the flights again.

  Flights are Avios with Companion.

  I’m guessing that i’ll have to pay the £35pp fee? It’s the second time we’re changing the flights now.

  Thanks

  • Anna says:

    4 Jan4 January 14:55

    Wait till nearer the time to see if BA cancels the flights. You’ve got until 24 hours before travel to cancel yourself.

    • Ross says:

      4 Jan4 January 15:35

      Thanks. A bit chicken and egg at the moment, as if i wait until then, chances are that the next available Business Rewards won’t be for ages.

      Also – any easy what to see what flights BA are cancelling please? I’ve been trying to find a site that shows what flights have been cancelled but haven’t been able to.

      • Anna says:

        4 Jan4 January 15:45

        If BA cancels the flight and agrees to move you onto flights to another destination (if anywhere is allowing Brits in at that point!), there doesn’t need to be award availability.
        I don’t think you should bank on being able to go anywhere in February, though.
        You have the option of taking a FTV which would be valid until April 2022. This would avoid the £35 pp fee but might not suit you re the 241, if the expiry date is longer than that.

        • Ross says:

          4 Jan4 January 16:33

          Thanks, wasn’t aware that BA can just move your booking and offer you reward seats. Thats helpful. Thanks.

        • Anna says:

          4 Jan4 January 16:58

          It’s a bit of a complicated process, and they are not always transparent about what they can offer. But people on here have had varying degrees of success. I’ve had AUH moved to DXB for Easter but I think others have had greater differences between destinations. They have a policy of only changing to within 300 (?) miles of the original destination but I don’t think this is legally binding.
          Of course, if BA cancels and you are still able (and want) to travel, they are obliged to re-route you in business class, on another airline if necessary.

• Christoper Ingold says:

  4 Jan4 January 15:17

  HSBC Premier

  I called HSBC Prem earlier to enquire about upgrading from Advance. The agent informed me that HSBC had stopped processing Premier applications since March and was unlikely to do so anytime soon?!

  Surely there must be a way around this? I almost can’t believe that HSBC hasn’t been processing Premier applications for over 9 months….

  • 747_Brat says:

    4 Jan4 January 16:58

    I was told the same thing over the phone. I gave my local branch a visit the very next day, and got accepted within 5 minutes. I would suggest to visit a branch and avoid phone agents based in Manila, who are clearly not updated!

    • Christopher Ingold says:

      4 Jan4 January 17:07

      Appreciated!

  • Bigmaggot says:

    4 Jan4 January 19:29

    I upgraded from advance to premier 2 weeks ago on the phone, uk agent said it wasn’t possible. Phoned again next day and asked again and was given a phone appointment, was upgraded 2 days later

• Youllnever says:

  4 Jan4 January 15:18

  Is HFP being very slow for anyone else?

  • BuildBackBetter says:

    4 Jan4 January 15:23

    Yep. Thought it was my Wi-fi, but other websites work.

    • babyg says:

      4 Jan4 January 15:43

      site has been very slow (5-10seconds) today…

  • Mzungu says:

    4 Jan4 January 15:45

    Yes, took so long to load the second page of comments that I nearly went a made a cup of coffee!

  • Rhys says:

    4 Jan4 January 16:22

    It’s been better recently but today it is suffering. We are trying to figure out what it is – not entirely clear.

    • Nick says:

      4 Jan4 January 16:50

      The major issues were between 11.30 and 12.30. I was going to comment… then remembered Rob’s midday giveaway and assumed it was that. Either that or you forgot to put a few pennies in the meter!

    • Chas says:

      4 Jan4 January 17:51

      It was a 20-30 second delay for me earlier in the day, but things seem to have resolved themselves now.

• Mco says:

  4 Jan4 January 15:30

  I need to travel for work to Asia in early Feb. With the Boris speech looming at 8pm would anyone know if Business travel will be allowed if country goes into lockdown? I didn’t need to travel the last full lockdown so can’t remember if it was allowed last year.

  • Nick says:

    4 Jan4 January 16:52

    It was allowed last time… but the rules this time may change. There’s rumours galore flying around, particularly about changes to travel rules, but to be sure you’ll have to wait until later like everyone else. (Or more accurately, wait until tomorrow when the SI is published.)

• ashraj says:

  4 Jan4 January 15:36

  Any news on if IHG will be offering the same reduced points for Spire Elite in 2021. Looking to qualify via CC spend.

  Thanks

  • Rahaney says:

    4 Jan4 January 17:04

    Was wondering this too. Can’t see any updated info on their website and the other chart specifically refers to it finishing on 31st Dec 2020.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      4 Jan4 January 17:34

      The counter itself still says 55k but I know it took a while to update from 75k when the reduction was announced.

  • Alan says:

    4 Jan4 January 18:44

    Is this relevant to those of us with the current IHG card.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      4 Jan4 January 18:58

      Yeah you’ll need to spend enough to get 55k points instead of 75k.

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.