The HfP chat thread – Thursday 18th March

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Bobri says:

18 Mar18 March 08:06

Always wondered what’s the card / account setup among HfP readers? Probably around 3-4 bank accounts each and 6-7 cards?
- chris1922 says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 08:56
  
  I reckon it will differ wildly. One bank account (BoS), and three CC; BAPP AMEX, Creation IHG Black for points, a Bank of Scotland for an interest free balance transfer offer.
- Buxton says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 08:58
  
  Two Monzo, one sole one Joint and a BAPP.
- The real John says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 09:05
  
  In the UK, 11 current accounts and 12 credit cards, actively use 8 and 3 respectively and 3 other credit cards when the situation warrants it.
  - Richster says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 09:26
    
    Phew, I’m glad it’s not just me that has a load of accounts 🙂
- Gavin says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 09:12
  
  3 current accounts, 3 credit cards – a long-held Halifax clarity, a Hilton visa and a free BA card. I swap between the free and paid BA card sometimes, and also hold Amex Platinum sometimes
  - 747_Brat says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 09:38
    
    10 current accounts and 8 credit cards! 😎
    - LST says:
      
      18 Mar18 March 10:22
      
      Wow, I’m an outlier with one just one current account (with a credit card from the same bank), a bendy 😂 and SPG Amex.
      - The real John says:
        
        18 Mar18 March 16:08
        
        Unless it’s a private bank which wants to keep your £2 million of invested funds, you really should have at least 2 current accounts with different banking groups, because any time your current bank can decide it doesn’t like you. Horror stories about this are getting more and more common.
- Chris Heyes says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 11:37
  
  Bobri I once (long time ago) had a Building Soc Account with every one min of £200 each one “couple with £1000”
  Them days there was a lot of Building Soc
  Got some funny questions from some obscure ones when opening them
  Now only Lloyds, NationWide 2/3 accounts each (Hmm NationWide still a Building Soc but given up on getting a pay-out from them most to young to remember the reason
  - Navara says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 16:38
    
    +1 I remember
  - Wally1976 says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 21:45
    
    I’ve still got £100 in a few building societies just in case….
    - ee says:
      
      19 Mar19 March 13:57
      
      I’ve still got £100 in nearly all of them (all of them except Cumberland BS actually!) The windfalls may not have materialised to any great extent but I have a number of legacy accounts with far more attractive rates than available today. E.g I have capacity to save £135k at 1.25% instant access and within the FSCS limits. Useful for my house extension funds.
      
      Plus Yorkshire and Cambridge have both got very attractive regular savings products that I’ve been able to avail of. (3.5 and 3 percent respectively).
- James says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 13:47
  
  1 Gold Amex Charge, 1 Gold Amex Credit (that doesn’t have an annual fee, I think it was a failed beta), 1 John Lewis Partnership (that I’m thinking of switching out), Curve, HSBC with a few accounts and Monzo
GT says:

18 Mar18 March 08:18

I’m looking for help from anyone that knows the current situation at Heathrow.

I have to collect family flying in to terminal 5 and assume I could be waiting quite a while for them to clear immigration. I understand I can’t enter their terminal so, my question is, are there any toilets available if I’m parked up in the short stay car park. If not, any suggestions.
- ChrisC says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 08:31
  
  Yes there are toilets in the car park and they should be open.
- Peter K says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 08:33
  
  How about you stop somewhere nearby (a supermarket?) and wait for them to clear immigration? They then call you and you go to the short stay car park.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 12:31
    
    thats what id do
- Paul says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 08:36
  
  I dont think queues are as bad as headlines make out. I returned from barbados last week as family of 5 and it was quickest i had ever cleared heathrow. No queues at all. It was 7am. Terminal 2.
- Mr. AC says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 08:37
  
  Collected my family from T2 last month (prior to the introduction of the form so it may have changed). While the website said I wouldn’t be admitted inside, in practice the arrivals hall was open, people were meeting their families, and a board with a notice close to the entrance said that only 1 person per group was allowed to meet anyone inside, so in practice it was allowed.
  - C says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 09:23
    
    This was also my experience in November, meeting family during lockdown #2.
- Tracey says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 09:22
  
  Just to warn you, my understanding is that collecting relatives from an airport isn’t one of the (lockdown) ‘essential journeys only’ reasons you can leave your local area. May be worth planning a food shopping trip at the same time.
  However illogical it would be to tell your relatives to make their own way to your home, and increasing the risks for them and by association for you, those are the rules.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 12:33
    
    The rules are not explicit i.e. they are not the ONLY reasons you can leave.
    
    picking your household up from the airport rather than then use public transport is reasonable and allowable.
- Liam says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 10:10
  
  My parents picked me up at T5 on Sunday and were waiting in the arrivals area when I finally got out. I landed about 3.30pm and although my flight from LAX was very sparsely populated, two or three busier European flights arrived at a similar time so the wait in the immigration line was about an hour. Seemingly some people have had it much worse.
  
  Given that I’m quarantining with them, I would argue that it made considerably more practical sense than to have taken public transport or a private taxi to the house, but as Tracey notes, what they did might not have strictly been legal (although they definitely weren’t the only people there to meet arriving passengers).
- Andrew says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 11:20
  
  Why not wait for them at T5 Long Stay? There’s still 2 hours of free parking.
  
  You say that you *have to* collect them, so chances are they are vulnerable and need assistance. So it seems fair that you would enter the arrivals area to help.
Chrism20 says:

18 Mar18 March 08:18

Just had a BA domestic back to Edinburgh cancelled for June 26th. Was hoping that one would stick due to the current plans for lifting restrictions. I think thats the ninth cancellation on that booking so hoping for tenth time lucky.
- IanM says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 08:26
  
  Why would BA cancel a domestic? Is there not some other reason than covid? I’m going down June 9th and expect the flight to be on schedule.
  - Anna says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 09:01
    
    IME BA often cancel and move domestic legs around, there’s a good chance it’s completely unrelated to covid. They still have to get you to your destination, of course.
  - The real John says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 09:10
    
    There are 22 flights a day available for booking in October 2021. Only 14 per day in June.
    
    If at the end of May only enough passengers have booked to fill up 8 flights (and considering all the other factors), whereas at the end of May 2019 they had enough passengers booked for 20 flights, why would they not cancel the other 6?
  - Chrism20 says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 09:26
    
    The entire schedule is up in the air for the obvious reason. I’m finding it quite entertaining now if I have to be honest. Until you are actually checked in I wouldn’t take it as gospel that anything will run as scheduled.
- Allan says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 19:39
  
  Lots of domestic cancellations and re-scheduling this week for June.
Grimz says:

18 Mar18 March 08:42

Just used Bendy blue for the first time linked to Beardy to pay NS&I 500 and it went through no problem. I won’t get any charges for doing this? What is a safe amount to put through each month?
- Augustiner says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 08:53
  
  Interested in how long do people leave the Ernies before cashing back out to bank account?
  - The real John says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 09:11
    
    I haven’t ever cashed anything out of Ernie. When I get to £50k PB I will reassess.
  - John Caribbean says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 09:34
    
    Monthly for me
    - Augustiner says:
      
      18 Mar18 March 09:40
      
      Any thoughts on safe amount to put thru?
      - Optimus Prime says:
        
        18 Mar18 March 09:55
        
        Just be smart and don’t put through your annual income every month….
      - Genghis says:
        
        18 Mar18 March 10:31
        
        £100k pcm minimum
      - BP says:
        
        18 Mar18 March 11:57
        
        Safe from what? If you are worried about money laundering checks then it’s random – Ernie, your CC or current accounts may all flag. If you are worried about your money being caught in the system and not being able to pay bills then only spend when you can afford to do without for 3-6 months.
  - memesweeper says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 11:40
    
    three months
    
    I’ve got a legitimate source on all the funds (ie not recycling)
    
    I’d be gutted if my NS&I was closed, I’ve been KYCed once that went OK, I’m definitely not pushing the boundaries
    - BP says:
      
      18 Mar18 March 12:46
      
      Did you get a reply from Ernie on the checks? I got a source of funds check and sent the evidence off and heard nothing back.
      - The real John says:
        
        18 Mar18 March 16:10
        
        Try withdrawing some, if it goes through they must be happy
  - Navara says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 11:59
    
    I only cash the winning cheque’s
- Jonathan says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 13:38
  
  What you could justify as savings. Ie. If you cycle multiples of monthly income then you’re on a sticky wicket.
  
  Equally paying £2k in & withdrawing again as soon as it clears 7 days later is fairly obviously not “saving”.
PMG says:

18 Mar18 March 08:57

I am buying a house with my girlfriend and moving in over the next month or so. We will be getting a joint account to pay household bills and for any other spend that affects us both. (Will have credit cards linked to it for that type of spend.)
Any recommendations for a good current account to use?
Liking the look of the Natwest Rewards Account due to ability to move rewards to Avios…
- Tracey says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 09:24
  
  NatWest rewards also give a decent travel insurance policy and mobile phone cover.
- Brighton Belle says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 09:29
  
  The Avios aren’t particularly cheap on this offer. Many other ways to get cheaper. And yes I have £50 of rewards sitting in Natwest waiting for a good use.
  
  But it’s an easy way to get something for nothing out of a high street bank.
  - PMG says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 09:47
    
    Thanks, that is exactly my thinking – might as well try to get something out of it 🙂
- 747_Brat says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 09:43
  
  Congratulations on the new house! 🙂
  Do look at Halifax Rewards and Santander 123 current accounts too.
  - Genghis says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 10:34
    
    We had the full 123 account for a long time and then went to 123 lite but given they’re always changing it around and so we now just have a basic account. The £2 fee wasn’t worth the cash back. This is still our main account but I keep the balance rather low.
    
    Halifax Rewards isn’t too bad. I operate one joint one and one personal one and earn £5 a month on each for minimal effort.
- Jon G says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 09:46
  
  Not Avios but you may be better off getting a supermarket bank account to get points on groceries – that might be better value than trying to get Avios and losing value on conversion rates.
  - PMG says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 10:06
    
    Thanks Jon, I just had a look at some of these (Sainsburys, Tesco, M&S) but seems like many supermarkets are closing their current accounts? Unless I was reading it all wrong…
    - TicknBash says:
      
      18 Mar18 March 23:48
      
      M&S will no longer provide current account services from August.
- Stagger Lee says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 11:56
  
  Worth pointing out that the Nat West account isn’t reviewed or pushed on here because apparently the ‘Exchange to Avios’ isn’t a permanent offer. That said I think it’s a decent account and there are plenty of other ways to use your rewards should the Avios option disappear.
  
  I also have their Rewards credit card which I use for non Amex spend. It’s £24 a year but that is refunded if you have the Rewards current account as well.
  
  One final thing, they have a regular saver account that pays 3%. you can only add a max of £50 a month but it’s better than nothing.
  - The real John says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 16:12
    
    You’ll get £10 interest after a year, it really isn’t worth it unless (like me) you were able to open the account in 15 seconds using the app.
    - Stagger Lee says:
      
      18 Mar18 March 16:21
      
      Same as me.
      
      When you see some of the hoops people go through on here to pick up a few points then a tenner for such minimal effort is OK with me.
C says:

18 Mar18 March 09:22

IME that 2% cash back can stack with gift cards through an employee discount webpage, so you can get up to ~5% overall.
- BuildBackBetter says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 10:46
  
  yep, 4% off on Xexec
Jon G says:

18 Mar18 March 09:31

Hoping to pick the collective HfP brain here on my rights relating to a flight cancellation:

3x One way Avios redemption flight from LHR to INV 19 Jul was cancelled due to operational reasons (non-Covid related). Can’t make other flights due to existing commitments and the next day does not work as I have to catch a ferry. Spoke to CS yesterday, who said they can only re-route on partner airlines. I don’t think this is true according to EC/261 Article 8b, which references comparable conditions but nothing on partner airlines. The only alternative is an easyjet flight at a different airport, but approx. the same time. Easyjet cash fares are now approx £400 in total, vs the usual short haul avios redemption, but my point is cash outlay vs use of points.

Do you think I can push for a re-route on easyjet based on Art. 8b?
- Tracey says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 10:13
  
  You can push, but I don’t hold out much hope. If you need to get those easyJet flights then I can imagine this ending up as a dispute, so only spend money you are prepared to lose.
- Anna says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 11:02
  
  You are absolutely entitled to re-routing, the “partner airlines” line is one of BA’s favourite fob-off lines and is complete rubbish. However, as Tracey says, you may be in for a fight and may have to pay up front for new flights (unless you can get your credit card to cover them), but I can’t see how you wouldn’t ultimately win on this.
  Is the easyJet flight also to INV (I didn’t know they did UK domestic routes), or to your ultimate destination? That might affect your rights so double check that.
  - Lady London says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 11:49
    
    +1 BA are being b*st*rds here and you have a right to be rerouted on a different airline. BA can choose which but they are supposed to provide the nearest in timing option.
    
    BA has no right to consider only their own existing partners although of course you’d be reasonable if you could.
    
    How much leeway did you have around your existing commitments before/after the original flight? how far off the original timing is BA offering a different flight? how many hours? (keen to see you look reasonable).
    
    If you paid your avios ‘taxes’ on a UK card, urgently raise a Section 75 request for the card to provide a replacement ticket. Doesn’t matter if costs more the card is jointly liable with BA. This would mean you not having to shell out cash at today’s going rate which BA is probably relying on your distaste for.
    
    If I lost my ferry due to any delay in getting this sorted then I’d be claiming all prepaid costs lost from card under s75 as well if I could.
    
    @Anna is right BA’s liability is open and shut under EU261 and should be easy win at MCOL provided there’s not something unreasonable on your part. s.75 off card would be quicker and more painless to you.
    
    Don’t worry the card will get their money back off BA as they have bigger lawyers than you.
    
    Can you provide info as above please?
    - Lady London says:
      
      18 Mar18 March 11:53
      
      ps s.75 is UK credit card only not charge card. If you have Amex charge you could ask them as there may be some coverage that comes with your card.
      - Jon G says:
        
        18 Mar18 March 12:10
        
        Thanks LL, Anna and Tracey for your thoughts.
        
        Unfortunately not much leeway, my CFA exam ends at 1pm and my flight was booked for 7pm. The flight they offered was 13:05 so obviously not going to be able to make it. It’s a direct flight to INV, easyjet has multiple flights per day so I’m sure I will be able to make it somehow, just not via BA.
        
        Will validate going through the s75 route, but total taxes were c.£50 so not sure if it qualifies if total needs to be above £100. Also wary that route may result in a refund, which is not great as I am points rich but cash poor.
        
        Regardless, good to know that my rights to a re-route hold firm, so will pressure but in the end I want to get this resolved asap so if they come back with a cash/Avios comp of the difference in fares I will probably take it.
      - Lady London says:
        
        18 Mar18 March 13:27
        
        Your reason is cast iron. Share it with them if you haven’t.
        
        yes total value for s.75 must be £100 I had forgotten that. But if even £1 of the total value was paid on UK credit card then you’d be covered under s.75 for the lot. I am unsure if the usual value of an avios, which courts seem to accept is 1.6p based on BA’s standard selling price, could be used here to assess the value of the avios+cash that you paid as over £100. I think it should but don’t know if that’s been tested.
        
        s.75 includes cover for consequential losses such as higher cost of replacement ticket. Plus other consequential losses such as your extra costs to travel to a different outward airport instead if required. (BA is also liable to pay you this under duty of care.).
        
        The essence of s.75 is card is jointly liable with BA. Naturally cards like to try to process things as chargebacks because that’s a chargeback against the merchant not them and limited to the original amount. So state very clearly and insist if it’s a s.75 claim.
        No you do not have to accept just what you paid back you are entitled to considerably more. The moment you take a refund you lose all of these rights BA is off the hook doing what they like with you landed with all the extra costs stress and inconvenience.
        
        BA is liable to reroute you regardless of cost to them under EU261. Dont feel guilty they make a commercial decision when they cancel flights and it’s their job to know what they’re liable for. They just seem to rely on bullying and stonewalling an awful lot of oeople or hoping the majority don’t know their rights.
        
        dont accept only your money back. can’t see BA offering you any cash diff till you sue them. when you do add for your time at your working rate, 8% statutory interest, cost to alternate airport, everything you can think of as BA is openly flouting the law here
Secret Squirrel says:

18 Mar18 March 09:39

Q on the VA current account with 15k bonus.
My switch was finalised yesterday, all other requirements are in place already.
Is it roughly a week to wait for the code?
- Joe says:
  
  18 Mar18 March 09:42
  
  Mine came through on the 13th day!
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    18 Mar18 March 09:45
    
    Was that the 13th day from opening the account or after everything was in place?
    - Joe says:
      
      18 Mar18 March 10:05
      
      13th day from meeting the final criteria (which was the completion of the switch).