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The HfP chat thread – Monday 8th February

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We have decided to run this daily chat thread on Head for Points during the coronavirus outbreak.

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Comments (256)

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

  • 747_Brat says:
    8 Feb8 February 04:20

    HSBC is bringing back the switch incentive once again!

    For those of you looking to switch to Premier or Advance current accounts, you can switch now and get £125 incentive (new customers only).

    • 747_Brat says:
      8 Feb8 February 04:21

      Source:
      https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/saving/article-9233581/HSBC-current-account-switching-bonus-125-returns.html

      • Blenz101 says:
        8 Feb8 February 04:30

        £200 for opening an expat account, no switch required

        • Bs says:
          8 Feb8 February 06:47

          £200 if you deposit £50k. The cost of CHAPS transfers in and out will be significant.

        • DJ says:
          8 Feb8 February 12:03

          The Expat account offers no S75 protection on the credit products, and the only £50k protection on deposit. Is there any advantage of opening the Expat account? Since the UK Premier also offer currency accounts too.

      • lumma says:
        8 Feb8 February 05:16

        Previously you could qualify for these switches with HSBC while having an account with First Direct. This article suggests that’s no longer allowed

        • EwanG says:
          8 Feb8 February 07:49

          Allowed for some:
          “This offer isn’t available to customers who hold an HSBC current account at the time of application or who’ve held one at any time since 1 January 2018, nor those who’ve opened a first direct or M&S Bank account since 1 January 2018. If you opened your first direct or M&S Bank account before 1 January 2018, you can still take advantage of the offer.”

        • 747_Brat says:
          8 Feb8 February 11:07

          @Lumma
          T&Cs regarding having an account with First Direct and M&S are identical to the last switch offer which they rolled out in Oct/Nov 2020.

    • Doug M says:
      8 Feb8 February 11:54

      I’m finding HSBC a really useless organisation. I’m persevering with an attempted upgrade from Advance to Premier as I’d like the WE card. I’ve got so fed-up phoning and messaging them I’ve made a complaint. They not refusing me, just making it impossible to do. Phone calls result in referrals to the web, the web results in referrals to phone numbers, and no one takes any responsibility. The quality of the phone lines is appalling. I know people are working from home, but HSBC seem to have a phone system designed to make hearing their staff near impossible.

      • James says:
        8 Feb8 February 12:23

        Dreadful bank with dreadful systems. I walked away from an application due to endless problems with it that went on for weeks, wasn’t worth the hassle for c. £100.

        • Rob says:
          8 Feb8 February 12:57

          They can be a joke and I say this as a long term customer. I rang last week to transfer some money but, despite passing all the security checks and trying to send the money to an account which had been linked to my HSBC account for years, they refused because of the high amount.

          I was told that if I didn’t want to go into a branch to do it, I could just write to my branch and they would move the money!! This would require no security check, no verification, nothing ….

          • Pete M says:
            8 Feb8 February 14:24

            Hmmm… I am tempted to move to HSBC Premier from first direct, but considering how great FD are and how awful HSBC, even Premier, sound I am not so sure…

        • Number9 says:
          8 Feb8 February 13:11

          My Mum had 2 accounts with HSBC I’ve been sorting out her affairs as her executor. Hsbc sent me the details, account number, balances direct debits of a completely different deceased woman than my Mum. This woman has over 40k in her hsbc accounts. I phoned them up to complain and they asked me to take paperwork to branch so they could deal with it.
          Well apart from being in lockdown nearest branch is 10 miles away at least and I told them no.

          • Peter K says:
            8 Feb8 February 21:11

            Report them to the information commissioner. That is a massive data protection breach surely. Even though the person is dead the money will now belong to someone else!

  • Si says:
    8 Feb8 February 05:34

    If you apply for an Amex platinum card, how long does it take for hotel status to be applied to your previously lower status I.e. after apply, how long would it take for my Marriott account to become gold etc?

    If it happens very quickly and I then cancel the platinum card before the £575 charge is applied to account, does your enhanced status remain for the remainder of the year or does it get cancelled at the same time?

    • Mark says:
      8 Feb8 February 06:34

      In my experience it takes a few days. Hotel status remains after you cancel the card.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      8 Feb8 February 07:37

      Anything from a couple day to a few weeks

      The £575 is prorata refundable so even it it takes a month it’ll only have cost £50.

      Sounds like you haven’t had a platinum before? If you are eligible for a sign up bonus it’s worth considering keeping it to hit the spend for 35k points.

    • Anna says:
      8 Feb8 February 08:39

      It’s not clear if you know from your post but the status isn’t automatic, you have to apply for each hotel status once you have your card account set up.

      • Si says:
        8 Feb8 February 09:28

        Thanks for the info.

        I thought you would have to give your membership numbers at point of application and would automatically update as part of the acceptance process (assuming accepted).

        It’s mainly the Marriot gold I’m interested in. I have a “pending” stay (nothing should ever be considered confirmed at mo!), where gold could help but I’m aware gold doesn’t necessarily get you that much…

        I was looking to get the 90 day platinum status match, but sadly/unfortunately/annoyingly they closed it the day I had to apply [yesterday].

        As looks like I’m going miss out on a similar status match, I’m looking at other options as currently only Marriot Silver, which is basically worthless.

        • Anna says:
          8 Feb8 February 12:32

          You need to actually have your card registered then there’s a facility to request each hotel status you want. it’s a bit fiddly to find it initially but as I recall the status updated within a few days and both OH and I have been Bonvoy gold ever since, which is nearly 2 years ago!

        • Harry T says:
          8 Feb8 February 15:20

          Marriott Gold is pretty much as worthless as Silver, to be honest. When I went from Gold to Platinum last year it was like being in a different loyalty programme. Gold might get you the same room type with a “better view” but nothing else apart from slightly increased points earnings, versus silver. I have only once been upgraded even one higher category above the booked rooms, as Gold. And I ask for upgrades.

    • Rob says:
      8 Feb8 February 09:43

      You keep the hotel status for at least the full year, probably longer.

      • Kevin says:
        9 Feb9 February 00:11

        I just got an Amex Platinum. Remind me how I get Marriot Bonvoy status upgraded from Silver to Gold?
        Thanks

  • Anuj says:
    8 Feb8 February 07:32

    Just in case anyone else has missed it too. I discovered that Qatar are extending status to 31 December. I got a message when I logged into my account.

    Additionally Singapore airlines are extending my status ending this month to Feb ‘22, and then if I understand correctly they’re extending it again to Feb ‘23 which seems very generous.

    This is the blurb “ Renewing KrisFlyer Elite Silver and Gold membership for an additional 12 months at the end of membership year due between March 2021 and February 2022 [NEW]”

    Have I understood it wrong ?

    • Pangolin says:
      8 Feb8 February 11:07

      Your understanding is correct. Singapore is giving another year of status extensions.

      Lufthansa take note!

  • Navara says:
    8 Feb8 February 08:12

    For all you impatient HfPers you may want to check your Virgin accounts for the Tesco bonus..

  • SG says:
    8 Feb8 February 08:16

    Morning all
    Can you still top up Revolut with Beardie’s card and not be hit with a fee?I understand you are being charged for using HSBC?Will I be safe with a debit card top up if anything else fails?

    • Guernsey Globetrotter says:
      8 Feb8 February 10:08

      Not in my experience – did a test transfer this January and got charged a 5% cash advance by Beardy. The conventional route is the Creationists crediting the Revolutionaries and Beardy can then be used to pay down the Creationists fee free. There is no charge on the C side (but they do charge a small amount of interest until the balance relating to the Rev transfer is cleared)

      • Amar says:
        8 Feb8 February 10:45

        I regularly topup the revolushun with my own beardy and it’s fine.

        This week I did a few topups to the mrs revolushun using my beardy (presuming all would be fine as it’s the same route) but I’ve been charged a very hefty 5% fee. Seems very odd that one revolushun incurs fees and the other doesn’t. Mind you, my account is a lot older than hers

    • Ben says:
      8 Feb8 February 11:18

      I have given a coupel of top ups a go using HK and then I also tried using Bendy in between. No charges yet but I understand they only appear on the statement rather than straight away so will have a wait a coulpe of weeks to find out

  • TGLoyalty says:
    8 Feb8 February 08:22

    Anyone woken up to a random £10 credit on their gold card “American Express Promotion Credit”

    I’ve only spent about £5 on this card in the past 2 months so it’s not a offer credit.

    • Andrew says:
      8 Feb8 February 08:34

      Could be related to an offer transaction months ago – I’ve had this before when I’ve raised a missing credit, it was added manually and then a few months later this appeared which I could only assume was the automated system catching up.

      • TGLoyalty says:
        8 Feb8 February 08:36

        Possibly it was well used before that

        Maybe a small shops from the summer.

  • Mco says:
    8 Feb8 February 09:08

    Anyone flown through T5 recently? What’s the situation with duty free? Is it normal price now?

    • Andrew says:
      8 Feb8 February 09:09

      I think duty free is closed as it’s a non-essential retailer.

    • Sanya Agarwal says:
      8 Feb8 February 09:38

      Just flew on Saturday. Main cosmetics section is closed but all alcohol and food is open. Extremely good offers on alcohol at the moment, £11 for 1L Smirnoff, Gordons etc.

    • Rob says:
      8 Feb8 February 09:38

      Anything with ‘duty’ on it is still cheaper because ‘duty’ is not being charged. Only cigarettes and alcohol attract duty however. Everything else which used to get a VAT reduction will no longer do so.

      • Andrew says:
        8 Feb8 February 09:51

        Unless the retailer still wants to offer tax free prices (and pay the VAT on your behalf) which most retailers at LHR did before for passengers travelling within the EU and domestically.

        • TGLoyalty says:
          8 Feb8 February 10:04

          Yes but that was offset by those travelling outside still getting the reduction.

          Now they’ll be swallowing the whole lot

          • Andrew says:
            8 Feb8 February 10:25

            Not really off set, but yes, it did mean that it wasn’t everyone that they had to pay the VAT for.

  • Anna says:
    8 Feb8 February 09:08

    as anyone else noticed that points aren’t being deducted automatically for Bonvoy reward bookings even if you’ve got enough points in your account? This seems a bit sneaky given that according to the message on each booking, you’ll be charged a higher rate if prices go up in the meantime – just as prices are about to go up for some properties! I’ve made sure I’ve had the points deducted for my upcoming bookings, it might be worth checking any if you’re not sure whether you’ve done this!

    • TGLoyalty says:
      8 Feb8 February 09:14

      No I’ve made a number of UK bookings over the weekend and all deducted the points.

      You must have enough to fulfil the whole booking otherwise it becomes a points advance.

      • meta says:
        8 Feb8 February 10:10

        There might be a problem with new properties. I had an issue last year when booking a new property in Kyoto on the app. Points weren’t deducted even when I had enough. I received confirmation email as if the points were deducted, but it showed on the desktop as points advance. I contacted Marriott on Twitter who forwarded to IT department. It was resolved in about three weeks.

        • Genghis says:
          8 Feb8 February 13:46

          Equally, when I booked recently opened Courtyard Oxford Central late last year for this summer, points were deducted at the time of booking and then taken again in early January. I complained and got the points refunded.

    • TJ says:
      8 Feb8 February 11:43

      Yep, happened to me recently when I booked a redemption at the Langley. I wonder if it’s related to the impending category change? Still, I’ve locked in the 36k redemption now.

      • Anna says:
        8 Feb8 February 12:35

        Mine was 2 separate nights booked at The Langley. I had plenty of points but I only realised I hadn’t been charged today. I’ve locked in the points price now and hoping 3rd time lucky for our stay!

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