The HfP chat thread – Thursday 8th April

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Secret Squirrel says:

8 Apr8 April 07:34

Any interesting routes for paying off VA card? I tried bendy yesterday but declined…
- Mike1 says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 08:20
  
  Solihull? Hong Kong?
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 08:33
    
    Solihul direct?
    - Alan says:
      
      8 Apr8 April 20:55
      
      I thought paying off a CC bill with another CC would count as a cash advance and attract fees
      
      Am I wrong or missing something here?
  - John says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 08:59
    
    you’re going to have to enlighten me, what’s solihull? I’m aware of all the other names but this is new one to me and I have no idea which institution is HQ’d there other than gymshark!
    - Vit says:
      
      8 Apr8 April 09:13
      
      I to the H to the G. 🙂
    - Phil W says:
      
      8 Apr8 April 09:25
      
      Tom Cruise and John Travolta work their.
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      8 Apr8 April 09:27
      
      Creation are based in Solihull.
      - John says:
        
        8 Apr8 April 20:05
        
        ah, thanks. I have been using this method for a while but never realised they were based in Solihull!
Alex says:

8 Apr8 April 07:42

A newbie question. Is it worth getting HSBC World Elite Rewards card for MS, does it work with Bendy?
- Steve says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 07:48
  
  The conventional wisdom here is don’t risk MS with Hong Kong, they’re not at all tolerant of it.
- Jonathan says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 08:17
  
  What is bendy ?
  - Dan says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 08:22
    
    Curve
- Nigel W says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 08:21
  
  Whilst I would say yes for general spending, for MS, it is a very tricky situation as the other HFP has said. Saying that, I know other’s who put thousands per month on the card via MS and having zero issues.
  - Alex says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 08:38
    
    So VA and IHG are the only options for MS, nothing else reasonable exists, am I right?
    - Ash says:
      
      8 Apr8 April 09:42
      
      every card has MS opportunity
- Memesweeper says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 08:42
  
  I couldn’t even get mine to be added! Curve mistook the BIN range for something Canadian. No amount of support tickets I raised got it resolved. Given the low tolerance of HSBC for anything unusual then perhaps I dodged a bullet. I do put large sums through each month, roughly in line with my income and business expenses, and it’s not been questioned. My business account is also with HSBC so a source of funds check for them is going to be routine.
  - KBuffett says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 08:58
    
    HSBC are only super sensitive because they got in trouble for actually ALLOWING drug lords to launder their funds in USA
  - The real John says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 13:12
    
    Why does it matter if Curve recognises it as Canadian, you can change the currency to GBP (or anything else).
  - Alan says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 20:58
    
    I had problems with my Curve account that neither CS or their technical support could resolve. In the end they had to close my account and ask me to open a new one which (touch wood) has been fine since.
- N says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 09:02
  
  I put through a sub-1k amount per month to Ernie, but I don’t cycle it out as I’m not keen on MS as a whole (I know I’m missing out, etc, etc). This hasn’t caused any issues.
- bazza says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 09:40
  
  yes, you can do it but be careful…
N says:

8 Apr8 April 08:57

Applied for Business Plat over the weekend.

Got an email saying application under review.

Will I get an email telling me I’ve been approved or will it be one of those ones where the card turns up at my door? (I’ve got a few k of spending I’m holding off on for the SUB!)
- Lev441 says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 08:59
  
  You may need to provide additional documents to support the application… which is what happened to me.
- Tarmohamed says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 08:59
  
  We did get an email that application is successful.
- Jay says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 15:47
  
  Call the new business 0800 number in the email. Did you put a different trading address to the registered office address as this is a common one that they want a bank statement to prove the trading address is linked to the business. If you call, they will tell you over the phone if they need anything.
S879 says:

8 Apr8 April 08:59

Are there any extra charges if withdrawing more than £200 via curve metal. I’m a low user, no MS but need to withdraw about £500.
- Vit says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 09:10
  
  Not sure what your underlying card is but I did £500 (£300, and £200 on the same day) a couple month back with free curve + ihg and no charge incurred.
  - S879 says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 09:22
    
    Thanks. It’s Hilton Visa but I do switch to HSBC Premier too so will try 200 on one and switch to the other for 300.
- The real John says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 13:15
  
  I thought there was meant to be a 2% charge but if you just do £500 once a year and nothing else, nothing will happen.
  
  I did it on Lloyds Avios, Curve didn’t charge me but Lloyds charged me (a small amount of) interest that was refunded after a complaint. Won’t do it again given that someone reported Lloyds closed their card.
David says:

8 Apr8 April 09:03

Just received 25,000 bonus points from IHG for being Spire Elite which I achieved through a status match with my Marriott Titanium status. Partly makes up for the severe IHG recent points devaluation.
- Harry T says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 09:07
  
  When did you do the status match, out of curiosity? I’m also MB Titanium
  - David says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 09:09
    
    Can’t remember exactly but I think it was last summer.
Toddy says:

8 Apr8 April 09:08

On the subject of HSBC Premier, I received an email yesterday advising that they are waiving for fee for next year as “you’ll have missed the chance to use some of your Premier World Elite™ Mastercard® travel benefits.”

An unexpected, nice touch!
- PlaneSpeaking says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 10:03
  
  Hi Nadeshka, I noticed this last night too when I was looking at dummy runs as I need to make a similar call next week. I assume you’re UK based so which office did you call – was it Japan? Many thanks!
- Reney says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 13:22
  
  A lot of people mentioned this last night. Any views of whether I might get to skip the fee if I open a WE card now?
  - Mike says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 14:45
    
    Doubt so. The idea isn’t to reward new sign-ups with 1st year free but to ‘compensate’ existing card holders who have been paying the AF and getting no benefits.
Nadeshka says:

8 Apr8 April 09:10

So regarding next year’s peak and off peak dates, if people want the start of the hols and can be quick – BA.com isn’t reflecting the correct dates.
I called to book 28th March as amazingly the 4 business seats I wanted were available coming back from Japan.

Website said off-peak but call centre said they were definitely peak. They checked the website and agreed with me that it was showing Monday & Tuesday as off-peak incorrectly and so honoured the lower price!
However they will be updating it shortly…
- PlaneSpeaking says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 10:05
  
  Oh dear, I think I replied in the wrong place but so trying again and forgive me if the same thing happens! Hi Nadeshka, I noticed this last night too when I was looking at dummy runs as I need to make a similar call next week. I assume you’re UK based so which office did you call – was it Japan? Many thanks!
  - Nadeshka says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 11:43
    
    So normally (as in last week at 1am) I was calling the US number via Skype, which rerouted to UK staff!
    I had actually given up on the late nights and happened to check randomly this morning when I saw the 4 seats for 28th, and that it was pricing as off peak. As it was 8.30am I just called the UK number and managed to nab them.
    
    I think they only honoured the price as I was about 10k short of the peak price so they felt bad for me having been led to believe it was within my balance! I didn’t even ask but was v polite when I said I was sure website was cheaper…
- Rhys says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 10:06
  
  Bizarre!
- Anna says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 11:06
  
  Doh! I want March 30th, bet they will have updated it by then …
  - Nadeshka says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 11:44
    
    Well who knows how fast it will actually be fixed! Hopefully BA inefficiency works out for you…
    If I’d have had the avios to book outright online I would have and then I wonder when it would have been caught.
Roberto says:

8 Apr8 April 09:15

A question for the above thread ..if you are doing MS and get stopped by Amex, beardy or Hong Kong etc would they take your points balance off you and close your account or would they let you keep the points you have on balance to still use?
- the_real_a says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 10:12
  
  Points are at risk, those transferred to partners will be fine but anything pending on the current statement not transferred, or held with the credit card reward scheme can be removed. For example many people choose to trasnfer out of AMEX MR at the first hint of account suspension and financial review if engaged in hard MS.
  
  I would suggest a life ban from the financial institution if you are closed down should be more of a concern.
  - kitten says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 11:01
    
    not sure if this could cause a CIFAS marker as well? which would really be damaging
- memesweeper says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 10:57
  
  I had a close shave with Amex and, had they not relented, I’d have lost the MR balance I had.
  
  I’d expect other institutions to shut you down completely and totally. You would probably loose the ability to log in and ‘spend’ any balances you have. Customer service will clam up. You’ll be writing letters, which may or may not do any good.
  - Harry T says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 12:53
    
    @memesweeper
    I’d be interested to know what you got in trouble for, if you don’t mind sharing?
  - Yorkie Aid says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 19:01
    
    Thanks @Jay. That sounds like some very useful advice. I shall take a look at some of my legacy cards that I barely use and perhaps ditch them. For example I have a £13k limit with Barclaycard which I have barely used in probably 10 years. I have always been reluctant to close a credit account but maybe I could be better positioned if I did.
    - Jay says:
      
      8 Apr8 April 21:03
      
      @Yorkie Aid, having seen the ‘other side’ of credit card business on how targeting and lending is undertaken, I now only have a handful of cards with carefully selected companies with a maximum available credit line of c. 25% of salary assuming that I can utilise c. 50% of that line on a regular basis and show that it is paid back on time, every time. If you ever need more credit line, just ask, use it as you needed, and then when not needed ask to reduce. Like many, when I was younger a wanted a wallet full of cards thicker than a dictionary and 6 figure credit lines. In the long run this will work against you as the whole mentality of the businesses has changed. In the olden days MBNA would happily pay £millions to mail shot people and have promotional teams at most football matches and lifestyle shows as they wanted as many cards in as many wallets as possible and offered affinity partnerships to virtually any organisation. Later in their life (before Lloyds wrecked the business) the focus was on profit as market share in terms of cards in wallets meant nothing unless you could drive carried over spend each month.
      - Yorkie Aid says:
        
        8 Apr8 April 22:38
        
        @Jay Really appreciate you taking the time to explain these things. It sounds like I have some serious paring back to do. I love how knowledgeable people can be on this forum. Thank you once again.
- Lady London says:
  
  8 Apr8 April 10:59
  
  Could you tell us the outcome when you get it @Yorkie Aid? particularly interesting would be whatever Amex try to say was their reason.
  - Lady London says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 11:04
    
    ….and don’t forget to try to get extra compo alternatively interest % at statutory rate of 8% pa which it seems reasonable to ask for
  - Yorkie Aid says:
    
    8 Apr8 April 11:17
    
    Happy to @Lady London. I am not expecting a resolution anytime soon given how busy the ombudsman must be at the moment. I’m lucky I don’t need the money. It’s all very strange. I had asked Amex to increase my credit limit prior to the house move which they did but only by £2k. The only thing I can think of which may have made Amex think I was some sort of credit risk was because my limit was not really high enough with all the additional spending so I started making some interim debit card payments to help lower the balance. I used Curve for this (don’t know whether that’s relevant). I usually have a 999 score with Experian (drops a little after a credit card application), no mortgages or loans and over £100k in combined available credit. I haven’t made one single late payment to anyone in over 30 years so really not sure why I would be considered a risk.
    - Lady London says:
      
      8 Apr8 April 12:33
      
      Gonna be fun. Let us know what happens
    - Jay says:
      
      8 Apr8 April 15:55
      
      If you have £100k in available credit across all cards but low utilisation, card providers will look at the credit limit with themselves e.g. £10k which is 10% of the available credit pot and based on an overall utilisation level of say 5% (i.e. 5k revolving at any time) will realise they will make nothing from you in interest or fees. Working in the industry for years and the aggressive banks would always give you a higher limit than other banks (within reason) to get their card front of wallet (as you believe you are valued with such a high limit) and in turn you make spend with them and they have a chance to make money from you. Having high credit available across all providers but low utilisation is a big turn off to any bank even more so than than very high utilisation. It’s all about striking the right balance.