The HfP chat thread – Saturday 3rd April

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• BJ says:

  3 Apr3 April 15:18

  Do any Edinburgh readers know how long it takes paypoint transactions to show up on our online council tax accounts? I paid on Thursday 1st but transaction is still not showing today. I checked to see if it had credited against the 2020-21 account but it’s not there either. The payment was fine, it cleared on amex this morning.

  • Chrism20 says:

    3 Apr3 April 16:10

    I think it is roughly two to three days, might be a bit longer with the BH weekend. I also paid mine on the 1st and it still isn’t there.

    Just on the subject of Edinburgh and paying Council Tax for anyone using Co-op to do so the McDonald Road store closes on Monday for four weeks for a full refit.

    • BJ says:

      3 Apr3 April 16:38

      Thanks, I’ll check again Tuesday. I had never checked before so didn’t know what to expect. Are we still stuck with 2x £150 swipes for a £300 transaction or has that changed? Didn’t use the payment card at all last year, just paid online with Hilton but back to paypoint this year with my partners BAPP.

      • JH says:

        3 Apr3 April 17:09

        I did this a couple of days ago and was told the max per swipe is £200

        • BJ says:

          3 Apr3 April 17:39

          Thanks, will try it next time then.

  • Allan says:

    3 Apr3 April 16:52

    Anybody know how to get Edinburgh Council to actually give you a Paypoint card? Have emailed them twice but no response.

    • BJ says:

      3 Apr3 April 17:44

      Just call and ask, they’ll send you one. Don’t cancel your DD because we’re you to subsequently fall on hard times and need to request a refund of CT you overpaid in better days they use it 🙂

      • Allan says:

        3 Apr3 April 17:51

        Thanks, will try that.

• Bagoly says:

  3 Apr3 April 15:19

  Different question about a BAH booking:
  I am coming to the UK, and have booked a car which I need as part of the Holiday.
  Initially booked into LHR, and out from LHR at 19:25 a few days later.
  They have cancelled the 19:25 from LHR and put me on 15:35 from LHR.
  There is an 18:15 out of LCY.
  If it was just flights I am fairly sure they would let me take the later flight out of LCY.
  But should the switch to a one-way car be allowed?

  • Andrew says:

    3 Apr3 April 20:33

    What are your plans for the final day of your trip?

    It all depends on your appetite for additional cost for the one-way booking and the potential cost of the congestion charge.

    If you’re checking out the drive times between the two airports, be mindful that this is a BH weekend during Covid. The 50-60 minutes quoted on Google should be at least doubled for a post-lockdown midweek day.

• Mo says:

  3 Apr3 April 15:44

  Hi all, need some advice.

  I have an open jaw booked on Virgin (LHR-LAX and SFO-LHR) leaving mid september for a 2 week trip. It was booked as a redemption on the 50% off sale using 2 upgrade vouchers.

  The return flight has been changed, it looks as if they have cancelled my original flight (VS42) and put me on VS20 which leaves SFO around 6.5 hours earlier.

  I was hoping to take the night flight on the return to maximise my time there, so am wondering if this change allows me to ask for a change of dates to move the whole trip earlier by a week, without having to pay any more?

  • BJ says:

    3 Apr3 April 15:56

    6.5h is a significant change and your grievance is sound. My bet is they will be accommodating if you call, just be pleasant, demand nothing and just ask what they can do for you.

  • Blindman says:

    3 Apr3 April 16:48

    Should be covered.

    Virgin’s T&C’s for this
    https://help.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/flight-disruptions/cancelled-or-changed.html

  • Mo says:

    3 Apr3 April 17:51

    Awesome, will call and see if they can change, though looking online it looks as though the new dates don’t have UC availability for cash or points so might have to just leave it.
    Thanks BJ & Blindman

• Benilyn says:

  3 Apr3 April 16:02

  Virgin Atlantic free to paid credit card upgrade – what are people’s experience / what route should I take? I have just the free one at the moment and want the paid one (or both)

  • Harry T says:

    3 Apr3 April 16:07

    You have to apply for the paid one, be rejected, then appeal.

    • BJ says:

      3 Apr3 April 16:30

      Did you appeal yet?

      • Harry T says:

        3 Apr3 April 16:54

        @BJ yep, I’ve sent a letter to Jubilee House. Adapted the same letter I used last time. Hopefully they don’t actually want to reject relatively well paid people with stable employment who pay off their cards each month…

        • BJ says:

          3 Apr3 April 17:49

          I think only amex likes people who pay off their cards each month. Good luck. If you come unstuck again then it might be a good idea to get current account with them before trying again.

        • Harry T says:

          3 Apr3 April 18:09

          @BJ I recently switched to their current account for the 15,000 Virgin points, which I did mention in the letter.

    • Jonathan says:

      3 Apr3 April 16:43

      Virgin definitely need to make themselves far more flexible, and should certainly consider taking a leap out Amex’s book with their lack of restrictions on their BA cards.

      Don’t forget that you’ll have a six month exclusion period when (or if) you cancel the Plus card, and wish to return to the free card. Some HfP readers have mentioned here being able to hold both cards, but during the application process, it’s made clear that won’t tolerate this, so people who’ve got both cards have probably had them a long time

      • BJ says:

        3 Apr3 April 17:51

        Yes, seems we cannot hold both anymore.

• Will A says:

  3 Apr3 April 16:19

  I have the following 2 offers on my Business Platinum card:
  – £150 off for £1000+ spend anywhere (the backing business offer), and
  – 10% off Morrisons for spend £30+

  Does anyone know if these offers would ‘stack’ together? I’m thinking of spending £1k at Morrisons – would that trigger both offers or just one?

  • BJ says:

    3 Apr3 April 16:29

    Should trigger both.

  • Jonathan says:

    3 Apr3 April 16:46

    You’ll probably leave your local Morrison’s a bit uneasy about spending £1k at once (if that’s what you’re planning to do) even buying £200 of gift cards isn’t something the cashiers can’t do by themselves, they need their team leader in my experience

    • Memesweeper says:

      3 Apr3 April 16:51

      I’ve done >2k on a staffed checkout. It’s usually ok to do high value stuff.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      3 Apr3 April 16:55

      I’ve spent £2,500 in one go on the self checkout … no additional authorisation required.

      • Bagoly says:

        3 Apr3 April 17:03

        How did you get to that much?!
        Giftcards, Whiskey, Vintage Champagne?

    • Harry T says:

      3 Apr3 April 17:01

      Morrison’s won’t care if you want to blow a grand or two – they will probably be glad you are. Though if you’re a fragile-looking 80 year old, they may be worried you’re being scammed.

    • Jonathan says:

      3 Apr3 April 17:45

      I’ve had mixed experiences at Morri’s spending over £1k on GC’s. Never been denied but often requires supervisor intervention. Sometimes I get grilled on what I’m up to others they just tap their code in & leave. The issue seems to be ensuring you’re not a victim of a scam rather than anything more concerning.

      I’ve tried the self checkouts which work but it’s a faff as the GC’s are too light to register on the scales so you have to get a staff member to override for each card. Someone on here says put chewing gum or a chocolate bar from the tillside displays in the bagging area for each GC but to me that just makes you look like your stealing stuff.

      • Yuff says:

        3 Apr3 April 17:52

        Just put your car key, or similar, on the gc and it will register.
        Self service only allow one gc at a time though

        • DK says:

          3 Apr3 April 18:06

          Not in my experience

        • TGLoyalty says:

          4 Apr4 April 10:33

          Or the reusable plastic bags you’ve taken shopping with you anyway.

      • Doug M says:

        3 Apr3 April 19:59

        That’s why they put choc bars at the self checkout, to fool the scales. No problem doing multiple GC in my experience.

        • mark2 says:

          3 Apr3 April 21:34

          or mine, this week

    • Alan says:

      3 Apr3 April 20:12

      That’s not my experience, £5k was no problem.

      • Will A says:

        4 Apr4 April 00:15

        Wow, was that for the Morrisons offer?

    • Chris says:

      3 Apr3 April 20:32

      I bought 1500£ of amazon vouchers on Wednesday; in 3 transactions of 500 pounds – one after the other. They had amazon cards that let you choose the value up to 250 each so was only 6 cards in total; not sure if its number of cards that matter.

• TJ says:

  3 Apr3 April 17:00

  Any recommendations for insurance cover for essential travel abroad prior to 17th May? Battleface provide cover but lots of exclusions, Staysure don’t provide cover until after 17th May.

  • Tracey says:

    3 Apr3 April 17:58

    Cambellirvinedirect.com were mentioned in today’s Times.

• @mkcol says:

  3 Apr3 April 17:37

  Anyone got a Qettle tap (or similar)?
  Would you recommend it, if so why or regret & prefer to just use an actual kettle?!

  • Yuff says:

    3 Apr3 April 17:46

    They are fantastic, instant boiling water is so handy.
    Ours also does sparkling and filtered water

    • Yuff says:

      3 Apr3 April 17:50

      Ours is a Quooker tap not Qettle

      • @mkcol says:

        3 Apr3 April 18:10

        Thanks.
        I’d looked at Quooker too but think they were out of my price range.

  • Jay says:

    3 Apr3 April 17:51

    If you live in a hard water area be very careful in getting one of these as the limescale will kill the heating element. Even if you have the filters (which are not cheap) designed to de-chlorinate and take out minerals that make the water hard, they are not 100% effective. Had one for a number of years and rarely gets used now. For cold, carbonated water, cheaper to buy 2 litres for 18p than the cost of the gas and filters and for hot water for drinks, mine never seemed to get to boiling. Personally, they are very expensive for what they are and the running costs are crazy in terms of electricity to heat the tank permanently, purification filters and gas bottles. Initially bought one to provide hot water on tap for drinks, washing up extra but tank is small, so can’t get a good pot of coffee (2 litres) and enough to wash up so have to wait for the tank to reheat. Depending what you want it for. For hot water without having to have the heating on use an under sink water heater, for chilled carbonated buy from supermarket (far cheaper), for boiling water use a kettle and with the money you save get a really nice bean to cup coffee machine.

    • @mkcol says:

      3 Apr3 April 18:13

      Interesting thanks.
      I live in Milton Keynes so hard water area.
      They have 2,4 & 8 litre versions so for a 2 person household think even smallest will be fine.
      Their website says in an average price per kWh of 14p it’ll cost about 4p daily to keep hot – have you not found that or are you on an expensive tariff/use LOADS if hot water?!

      • Jay says:

        3 Apr3 April 18:23

        I am on Bulb so flat tariff at c. 17p/kwH. A 2 litre 3 kW kettle takes c. 5 mins to boil so costs c. 4.25p per boil (assuming you boil a whole kettle). The calculations on the manufacture websites must assume you only have one or two drinks a day and don’t use the water to wash up etc. as 4p per day assumes only 466 watts of electricity use which IME is way too low to keep 2 litres of water boiling whilst having to boil cold water as the boiling water is used through the tap.

    • Andrew says:

      3 Apr3 April 20:45

      Things can be just as bad in soft water areas.

      I’ve got family in Perthshire who live in a really soft water area. Kettles last about 2 years before they start to leak or go “bang”.

      My 23yo Philips Kettle has an annual trip home, after a few days use at my parent’s house the inside is sparkling and without a trace of limescale.

      • John says:

        4 Apr4 April 05:32

        Why don’t your parents use phillips

  • Alan says:

    3 Apr3 April 20:17

    Overall I would recommend but they are noisy and they do recommend annual servicing.

• Mco says:

  3 Apr3 April 17:48

  Am 900 VS miles short for a redemption. Only got seats held for 2 days so shopping portals won’t work. Its my partners account and she doesn’t have amex to send points over. Any other suggestions?

  • Mo says:

    3 Apr3 April 17:55

    I’ve been in a similar situation and they just let me make the redemption. I was on the phone wanting to make the booking and had to buy the points while on the call, accidentally bought 1k too few but the agent made the booking anyway.

    Worth a shot trying on the phone to make the booking, if not just buy 1k, might cost ~£30 though

  • Andy says:

    3 Apr3 April 17:59

    Make the smallest miles purchase possible, or transfer Bonvoy points although it is unlikely to be immediate

  • Carol says:

    3 Apr3 April 18:10

    I just had this situation with BA – 3000 miles short and by the time I had paid for them they were in my account. I would hope it is the same with Virgin.

  • Harry T says:

    3 Apr3 April 18:14

    If it’s an important or excellent value redemption, buy the points. They even have a sale on right now. Bonvoy transfer will be too slow.

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