The HfP chat thread – Sunday 25th April

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

• Dan says:

  25 Apr25 April 09:26

  Has anyone had any experience paying SLC with a curve card with HSBC WE cc in the back? Does it work and is it treated as a cash advance?

  • Jay says:

    25 Apr25 April 10:55

    Worked and IME no cash advance fee.

    • BP says:

      25 Apr25 April 11:13

      SLC being the student loans people? If making direct payments do they also still take the regular payments direct from your salary? Currently having over £900 taken out of my salary every month so may as well get some points if possible!

      • Jay says:

        25 Apr25 April 11:20

        Yes. It takes a few days for payment to process but then they ‘should’ adjust the collection but as it is collected direct from salary this has to work it’s way through from SLC to your payroll department so if it doesn’t happen within two payrolls, contact SLC and payroll dept to get the amount adjusted. SLC are a nightmare to deal with and you may find it better to pay off a large sum in one go instead of £900 a month on your card and cross your fingers that it will work its way down each month to a reduced deduction from your salary.

• Chrism20 says:

  25 Apr25 April 10:19

  Just been to Esso to fill up the car. The triple points and 5x points bother stacked as I expected them to do but according to the receipt I’ve received a third offer of 100 points for filling up.

  No idea why as there was no mention of a 100 points offer on the web or either the Nectar or Esso apps.

  Just under 400 points for the 35L and a couple of things from the shop.

  • Scott says:

    25 Apr25 April 10:23

    I don’t get any Esso offers, yet my mother who doesn’t drive does.
    She’s got 1000 points for a first fill and 3x points for Synergy? fuel.

    129.9 compared to 120.9 at Tesco / Sainsbury (normal fuel prices)

    • Chrism20 says:

      25 Apr25 April 15:36

      Yes you have to watch the prices. The one not far from my mum is quite competitively priced though, probably due to there being an Asda just round the corner so it was only 122.9 there.

      Have you tried the Esso app as well as the Nectar one? I had the 3x on the Nectar app and the 5x was on the Esso one but once I saved it on the Esso app it moved over to the Nectar one.

• Steve says:

  25 Apr25 April 10:36

  Update on feedimg Solihull “issues” from earlier in the week.

  Direct with Abbey fails (this route has worked successfully for me for many months til recently). Abbey via bendy, also fails.

  Just for research tried Hong Kong via the bent route (unnecessary, I know) also fails. My only current working route to Solihull is direct via Hong Kong.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    25 Apr25 April 10:46

    If your credit card doesn’t like the type of transaction directly where you can use it then it’s highly likely they won’t like it via bendy either. That’s because it’s usually the mcc that’s been blocked and bendy passes that through as is.

    • Steve says:

      25 Apr25 April 11:16

      Makes senses. Not that it matters, but intrigued why Hong Kong declined the bent route but were OK with direct, given the same MCC. No other declines on bendy Hong Kong spend.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        25 Apr25 April 11:42

        May have some other fraud verification method in play

  • Genghis says:

    25 Apr25 April 12:57

    Still working for me

    • Steve says:

      25 Apr25 April 13:53

      Very bizarre! Mind me asking which card? Mine is the All in 1.

      • Genghis says:

        25 Apr25 April 16:49

        Same

        • Steve says:

          25 Apr25 April 18:42

          I’m guessing Abbey must have a monthly cap on this MCC. I’ll wait to enter the new statement period and see if things change.

• Rob says:

  25 Apr25 April 10:46

  You can’t get anything, your wife could potentially get a BAPP.

  Obviously you could refer her (and vice versa, although you may be at your limit) for other cards – you’d get the referral bonus but she’d get nothing.

• TGLoyalty says:

  25 Apr25 April 10:47

  Refer your wife for a BAPP from your platinum card if she hasn’t had a BA earning card for 24 months.

  Otherwise just refer her for a nectar from the Platinum and bag 24k points.

• Axel says:

  25 Apr25 April 10:53

  My ARCC support card bonus has posted from friday’s application, darn that was a quick n easy 2000 points!

  • Bobri says:

    25 Apr25 April 12:40

    +1

• Rupert says:

  25 Apr25 April 10:56

  Unfortunately not. It has to be one amount of £40 or over.

• James. says:

  25 Apr25 April 10:58

  Has anyone here paid stamp duty on a house purchase using a credit card? If not how and which type of card (Amex, MC, Visa)?

  • Jonathan says:

    25 Apr25 April 11:02

    Curve or business credit card (not Amex) are only options. The latter may get you in hot water with card company & will also generate a fee.

    If it’s a decent sum & you have IHG Black/HH/Virgin Premium then Curve Metal for 6 months is probably worth it.

    • James. says:

      25 Apr25 April 11:07

      If I use Curve Metal, which I have, my single transaction limit is £4,500. So I would need to make 4 small transactions on the SDLT site across different days. Is that possible?

      • Jonathan says:

        25 Apr25 April 17:25

        Yes, you can pay in as many instalments as required/desired. You have 14 days from completion to settle the Bill with HMRC.

  • Chris Heyes says:

    25 Apr25 April 16:52

    James It would depend on the Solicitor, But it is possible to use Amex to pay Stamp Duty, Solicitor fees ect Just not easy to find the right Solicitor who will do it
    When my son bought his new house he did Pay with Amex
    You still need the funds available to pay
    My cousin is a retired Solicitor, he rung round his circle explained it needed to be paid by Amex simply to get Avios and hit a spend target.
    Second Solicitor he rung said no problem as long as he has funds to clear it.
    seems that funds are the issue not the card
    Even let him use Amex for house extras to the builder
    If I was you I’d be upfront as to why and ring around you might it it lucky

    • TGLoyalty says:

      25 Apr25 April 17:19

      Surely the problem is the fees for processing a large stamp duty payment (basically a pass through service) would wipe out a significant chunk of their fees.

      2-3% of 10-15k stamp is no joke. Either the fees were higher than usual or they charged something for the additional charges in which case your son paid for those Avios or they don’t even know the cost of their own business and therefore I’m not sure I’d trust their legal work.

      I can understand taking payment for their fees etc but just don’t understand why you’d do it on stamp duty / builders extras.

    • Jonathan says:

      25 Apr25 April 17:29

      I’d be gobsmacked if any reputable solicitor would allow you to pay them the SDLT by Amex as they take no cut on that & it’s often a hefty sum.

      You could investigate Billhop as HMRC accept payment by BACS as well as debit card. Fees will outweigh points unless you are chasing a big SUB though.

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