The HfP chat thread – Saturday 6th February

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VJ says:

6 Feb6 February 12:36

I wonder if any one know how to get swear/oath with solicitor these days?
- Ashish says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 13:06
  
  What do u need?
  - VJ says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 14:36
    
    I looking to get this done – https://www.realbusinessrescue.co.uk/liquidation/mvl-members-voluntary-liquidation/what-is-a-declaration-of-solvency
    - A says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 15:07
      
      If you’re solvent might be easier to just deal with assets, pay down creditors, wait the few months dormancy period and apply for striking off instead
      - kitten says:
        
        6 Feb6 February 17:15
        
        Unless there is an urgent reason this sounds a less complicated solution.
        
        After you request striking off having paid everything owed and disposed of the assets I gather the main thing to avoid is any ‘sign of life’ of the company. So absolutely 0 activity. Even the return of an unexpected 1penny credit would set the clock back again. And especially do not even enquire about the status of the company/striking off, as that counts as a sign of life of the company too. You have to sort it all out, make the application and let matters run their course.
- memesweeper says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 14:11
  
  One of my local’s is still open for this purpose, face to face.
- kitten says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 14:44
  
  Solicitors are also Commissioners of Oaths (which is what you need) and I’ve usually been quoted £0-a very token fee to swear documents etc. They seem to do it as a kind of loss leader.
  
  In the US you can get this sort of thing done, docs notarised (depending on the standard/type of notarization required by who wants it), at UPS shops.
- Alan says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 15:34
  
  If it is just a case of confirming that this is your sworn statement a Notary (Commissioner of Oaths) is a better option).
  
  I had one done recently. I was quoted £80 by a local solicitor but as I was passing a notary decided to have it done there. It cost £5.
  - VJ says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 16:11
    
    This is correct, I used this £5 service earlier e.g. https://www.hunterslaw.com/the-end-of-an-era-for-swearing-oaths-and-more-probate-changes-ahead/
    
    Not sure how to get it done now with offices closed down.
    
    I’m in SE London @Genghis you aware of one?
    - Genghis says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 18:41
      
      Sorry. Not had to have one done. I’ve had to get solicitors to sign stuff in the past (when accountants not good enough) but just asked a guy I know at work (back in the days when we were in the office).
      - Sam says:
        
        6 Feb6 February 19:14
        
        @VJ, I’m a lawyer and will be in my firms offices on Thursday (11/2) due to a project which cannot be done from home – my firms offices are in the City – EC3M, if you are happy to travel in, I can do this for you (I can’t allow you into the offices I’m afraid due to company policy but can meet you outside the office!) Some local high street firms have a solicitor working in them so may be worthwhile calling around to find someone local!
      - VJ says:
        
        6 Feb6 February 21:14
        
        Thanks Genghis.
        
        @Sam I’ll call around on Monday morning and see if one is available; please if you can drop an empty line on g17 @ gmx . com will be brilliant. Many Thanks
    - Alan says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 21:15
      
      I had mine done at Hartwig public notaries, about 100m from East Croydon station.
AJA says:

6 Feb6 February 12:46

I got an email from TAP late last night where it said “We have extended your status for another 12 months.” I got quite excited until I read that it only applies if you have obtained your status through flown Status Miles or flown segments and you have not reached the minimum enough to renew it. It does not apply if you got status through status match (which I did).

I wonder if (when allowed) I booked a LHR-LIS flight before my current status expires whether that would qualify as not flying enough to renew?

Does anyone know if TAP has a soft landing down to the next level or do you just lose status completely?
BuildBackBetter says:

6 Feb6 February 12:50

Anyone noticed if amazon and JL gift cards are back in stock at Morrison’s?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 12:55
  
  Were they out of stock?
  
  Plenty of Amazon and JL cards (baby and beauty branding can still be used everywhere) whenever I go.
  - BuildBackBetter says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 13:10
    
    They were, during the Amex offer. Haven’t visited their store since that time as it’s far from my place.
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 13:23
      
      Ah ok they never were here but Amazon were taken off shelves elsewhere
      
      I’m seeing plenty on shelve whenever I go.
- KBuffett says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 14:49
  
  Why, is there a discount/loophole available?
- 747_Brat says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 16:31
  
  If it helps, I bought 2x£200 Amazon vouchers at my local Morrisons last week.
Andrew says:

6 Feb6 February 13:06

I see that Nectar points can now be spent at Habitat (at the usual 0.5p rate) – £200 maximum per transaction like at Argos.
- Super Secret Stuff says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 14:16
  
  That has been there for ages, Sainsbury own Habitat and Argos
Erico1875 says:

6 Feb6 February 13:06

My Nectar has an offer of +70 points with any chopped tomatoes. Do these offers stack with multiple purchases. Ie 10 cans = 10 x 70 points?
- AJA says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 13:08
  
  No. It’s paid on the first can purchased however if you have the same offer two weeks in a row and buy the product on the day when the offers overlap you will earn it twice on a single purchase.
  - Rich says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 14:03
    
    Useful info. Thanks. Can you triple up with the vouchers the till spits out too?
    - AJA says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 14:10
      
      No. Those 3x vouchers are on base spend only eg you spend £60 earning 60 base points and 120 bonus giving you180 in total. They ignore any other bonus points.
  - Erico1875 says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 15:35
    
    Thanks. Pity. I was getting all excited
- Genghis says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 14:32
  
  I got that one a couple of weeks ago. Got a tin for 30p or so.
  - PJJ says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 15:16
    
    Done better than that !
    Jam, honey etc 100 bonus points (50p)
    Cheapo jam was 28p
    My kinf of shopping
    - James says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 17:36
      
      Sounds delightful
    - Genghis says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 18:42
      
      Assuming that’s what you’d eat, great. Cheap tinned toms taste the same as expensive tinned toms IMO. I don’t like cheap jam.
    - lumma says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 20:45
      
      Best one I regularly get is fresh root ginger 100 points. Buy the tiniest piece I can snap off for about 9p
      - Crafty says:
        
        7 Feb7 February 22:00
        
        Oh, the excitement.
Jonathan says:

6 Feb6 February 13:53

How long does it take for the bonus 500 Avios take to reach an account after 1600 nectar points have been transferred?

I did the transfer of 1600 nectar points earlier this afternoon, but so far all that’s showing is just the base 1000 Avios.

Anyone who’s got any idea please write below, thanks !
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 13:56
  
  It says after Feb 14th
- Harrier25 says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 14:03
  
  In the t&c’s it mentions that the bonus could take up to 28 days to be credited.
- AJA says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 14:14
  
  within 28 days of the end of the promotion period ie could be as late as 14 March. Also the 2x nectar on Sainsbury’s spend will also only post within 28 days of 19 April so possibly 17 May
- Super Secret Stuff says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 14:17
  
  Don’t expect it before March
- Jonathan says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 15:22
  
  Ah right thanks everyone
  
  I’ve also got a friend (non Avios collector) who’s also got a ton of nectar points that he’ll never use and we’ve agreed that I can buy 1600 points off him, so can the bonus be collected per account at all ? And before anyone asks, this is one friend, I’m fully aware that only 4 nectar accounts can be linked to BAEC account within a 12 month period
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 16:07
    
    The bonus will be per BAEC account won’t it?
  - AJA says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 16:27
    
    As TG says the 500 bonus Avios is earned for the first time you link a BAEC Account to a Nectar account and transfer 1600 Nectar points across. If you have already linked your BAEC account to your Nectar account you will not be able to unlink and link to your friends Nectar account to earn a further 500 bonus Avios.
  - Tracey says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 17:10
    
    Your friend will need to open a BAEC account, transfer their 1600 nectar points to 1000 Avios, wait for the bonus 500 Avios to hit. Then you unlink your BAEC account from your nectar. Link your friends BAEC account to your nectar, and transfer the 1500 Avios to your nectar account (2400). Unlink your nectar account from friend’s BAEC account. Link your BAEC account to your nectar account, transfer the 2400 nectar points to 1500 Avios into your BAEC account.
    If you think it worth it.
    - Crafty says:
      
      7 Feb7 February 22:00
      
      You’re doing all that for less than a fiver?
KBuffett says:

6 Feb6 February 14:49

How easy is it to book a weekend in hotels in London for Valentines?
- Super Secret Stuff says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 14:56
  
  Easy to book, illegal to stay at unless it is easential. Which I doubt a valentines trip is
  - Freddy says:
    
    7 Feb7 February 12:31
    
    Guess it’d be okay if it was a strictly business activity…
Louise K says:

6 Feb6 February 14:55

Sadly a close relative of mine is seriously ill in hospital in Lisbon. Is there anyway for me to get out there?
- Super Secret Stuff says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 14:58
  
  Last resort could always be to drive it. However google flights and sky scanners is your best friend. I wouldn’t be surprised if RyanAir or Easyjet will sell you a ticket.
  
  You might want proof they are in hospital just encase you get stopped at the airport.
  
  Also, remember hotel quarantining. I think Portugual made the list? But anywhere you go it is a risk
  - Super Secret Stuff says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 15:01
    
    Order of airports I would check:
    > Gatwick
    > Luton
    > Stansted
    > Heathrow
    > Manchester
    > Birmingham
    > Glasgow
    > Newcastle
    - Louise K says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 15:06
      
      Thanks. Will check them.
    - kitten says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 15:45
      
      check the airline site in the ‘wrong’ order ie from Lisbon.
      
      some like easyjet and ryanair will let you search depart from Lisbon then enter United Kingdom on in the destination box
      
      that proves the existence of each route available and you will be able to see the flights that are operating -to albeit in the opposite direction at first. Then book in the right direction.
      
      All the sites of airlines seem to tell you enough about tests reqyired and give links to forms required.
      
      skyscanner is showing via paris, and madrid on iberia.
      
      I’d also be flex on which landing airpory to get a soon flight directly and take a cat and drive the rest if not too far
      
      Hope you get there
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 15:31
    
    10 days in a country not on the red list means no hotel quarantine
    
    Think there are Portugal border check when trying to enter Spain now.
    - Super Secret Stuff says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 15:55
      
      @TG this is the most up to date article not behind a paywall, looks like quarantining will be necessary for Portugal (probably because of the high numbers of people that go between Portugal and South America)
      - Super Secret Stuff says:
        
        6 Feb6 February 15:56
        
        Ooops
        
        https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/red-list-countries-hotel-quarantine-33-high-risk-full-new-travel-restrictions-explained-859247
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 16:09
      
      my point is if you were to stay somewhere else for 10 days after you leave Portugal ie France you will not need to hotel quarantine.
      - James says:
        
        6 Feb6 February 17:39
        
        TGL. Why would you encourage that?
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        6 Feb6 February 19:03
        
        Encourage what? That’s the rule. It was the same when travel corridors existed your self isolation was cut by an number of days you had been in a valid country.
        
        It’s about where you have been in the past 10 days
        
        If a 3rd country has no problem letting people that have been in Portugal in I don’t see what your problem is.
- AJA says:
  
  6 Feb6 February 16:50
  
  Sorry to read that Louise. There are currently no direct flights between UK and Portugal – they are all suspended due to Covid. That said a quick search on BA’s website shows that they are selling codeshare flights via Madrid on Iberia for £118, departing LHR 10:55 arriving MAD 14:25 then departing MAD 15:45 arriving LIS 16:10.
  
  I am not sure whether you would be entitled to travel however unless you meet the criteria for entry into Portugal. You may want to contact the Portuguese consulate in London and see if they will give you special dispensation to travel. They reopen on Monday at 8:30am. 020 3433 3624
  
  See here for restrictions per TAP:
  https://www.flytap.com/en-gb/travel-restrictions?accordionid=37cff56d-7f30-4bdc-9638-33f9ee4f6c07
  
  See also:
  https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/portugal
  - Louise K says:
    
    6 Feb6 February 21:58
    
    Thanks all. Sadly my MIL passed away this evening so no longer a mad dash to be there. Probably would not have been allowed to see her anyway owing to hospital rules.
    - AJA says:
      
      6 Feb6 February 23:24
      
      Oh no! I am so sorry. My condolences to you and your spouse. That is terribly sad news.
    - Michael C says:
      
      7 Feb7 February 08:53
      
      Louise, so so sorry to hear your news.
      Without wanting to add to any problems, just to point out that you can’t transit through Spain unless you’re a Spanish resident.
      (This measure will be reviewed on 16 Feb.).
      Take care.