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The HfP chat thread – Saturday 10th July

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Comments (244)

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

  • Jonny says:
    10 Jul10 July 08:15

    Hello. Paying HMRC via ‘Bendy’ (metal) with ‘Solihull’…

    Did I read somewhere that if I pay off my Solihull bill (because I’ve reached the funding card’s credit limit) so I can make further HMRC payments, that I WON’T get the ‘extra’ Solihull points – i.e. they’re capped at the funding card’s credit limit?

    But if I use Hong Kong to fund, they don’t apply that limit and I can top-up and repeat and keep earning their points?

    Lots of HMRC bills to pay this month.

    Tried to search – using the HfP ‘code words’ we’re supposed to use – but couldn’t find the answer. Hopefully someone will know. Thanks.

    • Memesweeper says:
      10 Jul10 July 08:22

      No cap on earning on my card. My guess is none on yours.

    • VerdantBacon says:
      10 Jul10 July 08:31

      There’s no cap to IHG points on their credit card, the card that caps points at monthly credit limit is Virgin

    • Jonny says:
      10 Jul10 July 10:19

      Thanks all. Found old ‘Solihull’ and ‘Hong Kong’ statements and seems points earnings were not capped by credit limits. Good to know still the case and reverse is true on Beardy!

  • Tom H says:
    10 Jul10 July 08:15

    Anyone had success paying virgin with CTV backed by HK? Last month or so not going through for me

    • Tom H says:
      10 Jul10 July 09:43

      *CRV

      • Reney says:
        10 Jul10 July 10:22

        I asked about this a few days ago and others had similar issue with different backing cards. The last time it worked for me was 3 July, backed by Bezos. Been trying every day and no luck.

        • Toppcat says:
          10 Jul10 July 18:44

          Will be a shame if this route has stopped… I made some payments successfully around the 20th of last month, but haven’t tried since.

  • Paul says:
    10 Jul10 July 08:16

    Word of warning re Amex Platinum Insurance

    If you book travel to any destination currently under FCO travel advisory, any claims for any Covid related matters will be denied, irrespective of the advice in place at the time of travel.

    For example, and relevant to Qatar sale fares. Doha is red even for transit. If you book for next May to go to Bali via Doha and something Covid related stops you going, or you catch Covid while travelling, you will not be covered, even if both Doha and Bali are green and open and have been for months.

    The relevant exclusion is No 15
    15) Any claim resulting from travel restrictions imposed by Governmental Offices relating to Trips booked after the World Health Organisation declaring a pandemic or known event.

    Amex/AXA claim that this change to conditions was sent to every member last year but I personally cannot recall ever receiving any notification ever about changes to Insurance T&Cs. Indeed I cannot recall ever getting any email from Amex about any benefit!

    General exclusion 15 suggests that until WHO declare this over, there is no cover for Covid issues caused directly or indirectly no matter how the FCO designate a nation.

    • Memesweeper says:
      10 Jul10 July 08:24

      Several countries require proof of COVID cover before admission too. Extra cover will end up being required I think.

    • YC says:
      10 Jul10 July 08:30

      Do we know when FCO changed their advice for Amber countries this week? I booked Thursday and by yesterday website had changed. But can anyone confirm if Thursday had changed/covered by Amex insurance?

    • JDB says:
      10 Jul10 July 09:11

      Everyone needs to make their own decisions, but I think your opening para misinterprets Exclusion 15 which excludes a “claim resulting from travel restrictions…” This appears to mean that, for instance, covid /govt restriction related cancellation would not be a valid basis for a claim, but not more than that. Most policies have this on one form or other, with varying degrees of exclusions. Amex Plat has another, different exclusion re travelling against FCDO advice which precludes claims.

    • Steve says:
      10 Jul10 July 09:29

      FWIW this contradicts what they say when you phone them up, and what they say in writing if you email them. I already confirmed (in writing) that an upcoming trip to an amber destination will have full cover (because I’m travelling for what they class as essential reasons).

      • Sandgrounder says:
        10 Jul10 July 09:56

        I think it’s pretty clear that ‘claim resulting from travel restrictions’ means just that, restrictions on travel, such as outright entry bans, FCO advice etc. It’s perfectly acceptable to exclude this if the restrictions were in place at the time of booking. It doesn’t exclude you from cover on your trip if no restrictions are in force when you travel. Read this note they issued last year:
        https://icm.aexp-static.com/Internet/insurance/pdf/en-GB/UK_ICC_Covid-19_FAQs_Final_v4_clean_cg.pdf

      • the_real_a says:
        10 Jul10 July 13:33

        You need to speak to the underwriters at AXA rather than AXA phone answers to get any sense. Although underwriters are born with a non committal teflon coating second only to solicitors. Its difficult to see how a claim for falling over and cutting your knee could be declined on the blanket covid restrictions. However, a claim for flight and hotel because of govt ban to travel of said third country seems a legitimate case for refusal.

    • Sukes says:
      10 Jul10 July 09:53

      In writing to me from AXA re Amex Plat end Oct 2020, I’ve not asked for a reconfirmation as not going anywhere anytime soon:

      Q: please advise whether in the situation that I purchase transport and/or accommodation in full on my card to a destination to which UK FCDO advice of “against all but essential travel“ is in place on the date of booking but not on the start date of my journey whether I will be eligible for my insurance benefits. I assume in this situation that I have fulfilled all other requirements of the insurance as set out in the insurance policy document.

      A: If at the time of booking the advice is all but essential then you are not covered for cancellation prior to going or have any travel insurance during your trip if the advice does not change.. If that advice then changes before your departure & your destination is now deemed safe to travel to then yes you will have the travel insurance as per terms and conditions.

      • Reeferman says:
        10 Jul10 July 11:52

        That makes perfect sense to me.

        I can’t understand why this would not be the case with any such travel insurance policy.

    • Yorkieflyer says:
      10 Jul10 July 16:43

      They were clear with me on enquiry that no cover for anything Covid or not if travel advice was no travel or non essential travel at the time of booking. I gained this understanding from the written terms and challenged it with them. It’s basically useless at present

      • Yorkieflyer says:
        10 Jul10 July 16:45

        Or possibly just become useful again if you book from now given that Schapps has relented after Javaid said he was going to have a word

  • Benilyn says:
    10 Jul10 July 08:32

    Slightly how long is a piece of string Q, but here we go, in general (for non UK) does Hilton or Marriot release more base rewards rooms at base redemption / not much inflated variable rate?

    • Matt says:
      10 Jul10 July 08:37

      Marriott offers all base category rooms for redemption, so if there is a room physically available it will be offered (I think)

      • OP says:
        10 Jul10 July 10:56

        Sadly no longer the case as have learned that hotels can exclude/block/limit nights for up to 10% of dates per year

    • John says:
      10 Jul10 July 09:14

      Depends on the Hilton hotel, some of them like to reclassify standard rooms as premium.

      The number of points needed for a standard room is capped (but the caps could be raised to the next level at any time) so they will not be “inflated” beyond the typical rate of about 0.3p per point

  • YC says:
    10 Jul10 July 08:34

    If anyone is interested in Domes Elounda, just noticed (maybe always been there?) they have a new base room available (Core Open plan). Cash rates are % wise much cheaper than other rooms. Downside could see them making this the ‘standard’ redemption in the future

    • Rob says:
      10 Jul10 July 11:16

      Could be the new rooms they were building last year. No sea views.

  • ee says:
    10 Jul10 July 08:57

    With all the discussion around Malta not accepting the Indian batches of the AZ vaccine, does anyone know if these supplies have been used up? My first AZ dose was from a UK batch, and with my second in 10 days time I really don’t want to be getting one from a batch that could derail future travel plans!

    • Tracey says:
      10 Jul10 July 09:04

      You could always ask the batch number first, if they are using an Indian Batch, you could choose to go elsewhere. There is plenty of AZ around and virtually every clinic would do a walk in appointment for second dose AZ with at least an 8 week gap.

      • ee says:
        10 Jul10 July 09:22

        Good idea. I’m over 8 weeks already but left my original appointment in place (11 weeks) because AZ seems to have better overall effectiveness with a longer dosing interval. Have flights booked to Malta later in the year so want to avoid any potential issues with that (and other destinations!)

    • JDB says:
      10 Jul10 July 09:04

      They were using those batches in March (I had my first on 15th) so I think it is very unlikely they have any left.

      • ee says:
        10 Jul10 July 09:24

        Agree – given the supply constraints back then, they presumably burned through them quickly. There was talk of a second tranche of 5m jabs coming but I presume the UK Gov isn’t pushing for them any more.

  • Dan says:
    10 Jul10 July 09:06

    Hi all, I was hoping someone could help. Booked in Club World to Maldives (reward seats.. thanks to this site!). I can’t figure out if the 777 has the new Club Suite or the old Club World seat. I can’t paste graphics here but this is what i see in ‘choose my seat’:

    Request a seat

    London›Male
    View flight details
    Cabin class: Club World
    Aircraft type: 77W
    Flight number: BA0061
    Depart: 19:15 Mon 11 Apr 2022
    Duration: 10 hrs 25 mins
    As an example, Row 10 in Club World has:
    A. E. F. K
    💺 | | 💺 💺 | | 💺

    Seat Guru shows for the same flight 8 CW seats in row 10!!! Is that possible?? Could it possibly be Club Suite??
    Thx!

    Club

    • Rob says:
      10 Jul10 July 11:13

      If 4 across on BA.com it is Club Suite (for now ….)

    • Travel Strong says:
      10 Jul10 July 11:24

      Seat Guru gave up a long time ago. BA source is good for the correct maps.

      • Gruntfuttock says:
        10 Jul10 July 12:37

        BA Source shut up shop end of June, shame, useful

        • Jonathan says:
          10 Jul10 July 19:35

          A real shame. Aerolopa has taken over as the most accurate seat map source for BA but sadly none of the other features from BA Source.

  • Phil W says:
    10 Jul10 July 09:35

    I have several thousand Rolls-Royce shares that I inherited, for which I have the original share certificates. I’d be interested in the collective wisdom from this group as the most cost effective/least effort required approach to selling them.

    • Chris K says:
      10 Jul10 July 09:52

      Paper share dealing is usually expensive. I would ‘Lodge’ them into your General Investment Account (.e.g. Interactive Investor) so they become electronic and then you can sell them for the normal online dealing fee at live prices.
      You download a form from the website and post it off with the share cert. (probably send recorded/special given the cost of replacing a lost cert) then the dematerialised shares will appear on your account in a couple of days.
      Hargreaves Lansdown aren’t allowing lodging at the moment “because COVID” but ii are and some big players will be too.

    • JDB says:
      10 Jul10 July 09:55

      It would be unlawful for me to offer investment advice to you, but I cannot think why you might wish to sell them! In my personal view it is the best covid recovery share around and I have put a lot of money behind that view… they have risen quite a bit since the rights issue, but still way off the 52 week high of 137p. My discretionary broker came independently to the same view. You should take your own advice though.

      • Travel Strong says:
        10 Jul10 July 10:12

        +1 a strong Buy for me also.

      • Lady London says:
        10 Jul10 July 13:20

        I was going to say don’t sell them now but without the reasons helpfully given by the other posters

      • Char Char says:
        10 Jul10 July 13:22

        Well I think saying its the ‘best covid recovery share’ might be going a little too far especially when you consider its 52 week low of 34.59 meaning its already nearly 3x that.

        • Super Secret Stuff says:
          10 Jul10 July 14:19

          It’s got a lot further to recover and hopefully the effects of the re or will be felt soon. Plus the maritime sale. You can probably guess that I too have put a bit of money behind this view

      • Alan says:
        10 Jul10 July 15:24

        +!

      • KBuffett says:
        10 Jul10 July 16:33

        I’d be interested in other recovery opportunities if anyone would care to share?

    • Will says:
      10 Jul10 July 09:59

      I’ve always found Hargreaves Lansdown to be cheap enough and reasonably decent enough service to not even bother looking elsewhere. I have isas with them but the account was very easy to set up and can trade from within the app once you have it all set up.

      • KBuffett says:
        10 Jul10 July 16:34

        Personally I think they are now too consistent at increasing prices. Also, their USA share trading facilities are lacking in features.

    • JDB says:
      10 Jul10 July 10:13

      @Paul W one additional thing I should have said that if you have a paper certificate (which is hopefully for the currently listed version of the company – Rolls-Royce Holdings plc ) it may be worth getting in touch with the registrars to update the details if the cert isn’t yet in your name if inherited and they will be able to help you with the admin generally although not advice or trading.

      https://www.rolls-royce.com/investors/shareholder-information/registrar.aspx

    • Phil W says:
      10 Jul10 July 10:51

      Thanks everyone. The share certificates are in my name, my dad did that before he passed away in 2016.

      I’ve followed RRs share price performance for nearly 25 years due to my dad being a long term employee, and I’ve been very disappointed with performance since John Rose left a decade ago.

      Personally, I’ve felt the diversification strategy left a lot to be desired. My final decision to sell hasn’t been made but I suspect lodging the certificates with an online broker appears the next best step.

    • AJA says:
      10 Jul10 July 17:03

      Rolls-Royce’s share registrar is

      Computershare Investor Services PLC
      The Pavilions
      Bridgwater Road
      BRISTOL
      BS99 6ZZ
      United Kingdom

      +44 (0) 370 703 0162

      webqueries@computershare.co.uk

      The easiest way to sell shares is to create an online account with them and then you’ll be able to sell via them. They will probably charge a fee around £12 to sell the shares or they may charge a percentage depending on the number and value of shares.

      Alternatively if you have an online account with another investment platform you can get them to add them to your account.

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

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