The HfP chat thread – Friday 13th August

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• Cherry says:

  13 Aug13 August 12:34

  Bombarded with “100,000 Avios when you become a client” ads from CitiGold Private Client (on LinkedIn) today. I assume requirements are high but may be of use for the high rollers amongst us.

  • BJ says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:30

    £500k IIRC.

    • Blair says:

      13 Aug13 August 13:31

      650 now

  • Blair says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:30

    They chase down Westerners in the malls in Dubai trying to get them to sign up on the spot from a pop-up kiosk. Maybe I’m misunderstanding their proposition but if I was choosing a private bank I’m not sure I’d do so on the basis of standing around a busy mall doing it. Quite an un-Coutts approach.

    • The Savage Squirrel says:

      13 Aug13 August 13:42

      🤣

    • BJ says:

      13 Aug13 August 13:48

      I guess much gets lost in translation, especially if they nab a weegie just off the flight from GLA.

    • Lady London says:

      13 Aug13 August 14:00

      Isn’t Coutts owned by NatWest though?

      • Blair says:

        13 Aug13 August 14:17

        Uncouth/Un-Coutts. Chosen for a pun.

        • Gruntfuttock says:

          13 Aug13 August 15:20

          Nice one son

• Anna says:

  13 Aug13 August 12:43

  I need to book a cash flight but take the domestic leg the day before the long haul. I can do this with Avios bookings but can’t see how to do it on a cash fare. I want mixed cabins as well so can’t use the customise feature. I really, really don’t want to have to call BA!

  • BJ says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:29

    Just google BA multi city and it’ll take you direct to the page/box you need.

  • Gavin says:

    13 Aug13 August 14:38

    You can try the multi-city search page on the BA site but if I recall correctly it’s not possible (or difficult at least!) to do a multi cabin booking

    • Anna says:

      13 Aug13 August 15:56

      This is the problem, you can’t mix cabins doing it that way.

• Grimz says:

  13 Aug13 August 12:43

  I have just received a letter from Virgin CC saying my CC expires soon and is not being renewed despite me always paying it off. Anyone else had this from Virgin? They say account history and credit reference agencies information is the reason. I have never had any issues during my time.

  • Babyg says:

    13 Aug13 August 12:48

    Are you using it with Curve etc? Perhaps your spending habits are strange?

    • Grimz says:

      13 Aug13 August 13:17

      Yes using it via Curve but not abusing it and taking money out of card machines. Just straightforward transactions

  • Reney says:

    13 Aug13 August 12:56

    I recall someone else reported something similar a while back, can’t remember who.

    • stevenhp1987 says:

      13 Aug13 August 13:20

      Is this allowed? I don’t see anything in the Virgin Money T&C that allow them to, essentially, limit spending on the account or close the account (except in very limited circumstances).

      • BJ says:

        13 Aug13 August 13:39

        I imagine it’s entirely their choice who they wish to do business with. Wouldn’t surprise me if they are now getting the broom out and, like Barclays credit, many will likely become caught up in it regardless of how soundly they maintained their accounts.

      • Blenz101 says:

        13 Aug13 August 14:02

        Provided they give the required notice they will have a right to continually assess the risk of any customer and decide to end an agreement.

        I doubt they like Curve. Also, when applying for the card income will have been declared. If there is spending (across all cards held and as reported to credit reference agencies) exceeding a reasonable proportion of income this will have been picked up. e.g. using Curve to allow credit card top ups into NS&I and cycling the money, if you declared a £100k income and were given a £5k credit limits, Virgin would be expecting a take home pay of around £5k per month, if 100% of this is used per month on one credit card alone (to get max points) then red flags will of course be raised.

        Not saying this is happening with the OP but given the website its reported on, the use of curve, points earning cards etc. only natural to assume something fish has been going on the bank didn’t like.

  • Andrew says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:32

    When did you last check your Credit History?

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:45

    They once closed down a free card of mine for pretty much no reason. No MS and only used it for about £10/month of transactions. Very strange. No issues with subsequent applications. I just think their IT and risk management is weird and bad.

    • Blenz101 says:

      13 Aug13 August 14:02

      Or they look for profitable customers?

  • Pangolin says:

    13 Aug13 August 14:02

    The only thing I use Virgin for is paying off Solihull

  • Navara says:

    13 Aug13 August 15:34

    Had mine reduced from 20k to 1k

  • Colin MacKinnon says:

    13 Aug13 August 16:11

    Once had the question from MBNA in the BMI days:

    How have you spent 90k in the last year when your income is 39k.

    “Have you ever tried building a house that’s on Grand Designs?” I replied.

    They then reversed direction and raised my credit limit!

    • Blenz101 says:

      13 Aug13 August 16:40

      All changed with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 which basically legistate the KYC rules. Seems fair enough to me you can’t spend over twice your income without the bank asking where the money is coming from!

• Mco says:

  13 Aug13 August 12:48

  BA cancelled my Avios flight for October and I now need to fly next week. The flight that I want has 4 revenue seats left. I need 4. Before I call them can BA refuse me these seats considering these are premium J seats for them to sell?

  Also can I change the routing to a destination 700 miles away considering the flights I want don’t have revenue availability.

  • Babyg says:

    13 Aug13 August 12:50

    I hear 300 miles alot.. not seen official links etc thou… BA have been very flexible rebooked same route so long as there are seats if you flight is cancelled, you should try MMB if its same route..

  • ChrisC says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:00

    If flights have been cancelled then there only have to be seats on the flight available.

    If you want to change then there has to be avios.

    700miles? no chance.

    • Lady London says:

      13 Aug13 August 14:02

      +1 ChrisC

      • Mco says:

        13 Aug13 August 16:31

        Thanks all.

• Sina says:

  13 Aug13 August 12:48

  IHG Ambassador – I wasn’t given the $20 credit in my recent stay at Paris Le Grand and after complaining to the Ambassador team, they have now apologized and given me 15K points in lieu. thought it would be of interest for anyone in the same situ.

  • meta says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:30

    Good outcome!

  • Blair says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:33

    How was the room at Le Grand? Did you get a meaningful upgrade or was it more like a move from less roomy closet room to slightly more roomy closet room?

    • Sina says:

      13 Aug13 August 13:56

      I was upgraded to Executive room, it was a big room (36 sqm) but the problem was, they jammed everything to one side of the room, and the other side was empty, and it was overlooking the backyard, I personally would’ve liked a smaller room but with a nice view. nothing else special to report tbh! also the lounge is closed!

      • Blair says:

        13 Aug13 August 14:21

        36sqm is indeed large for Paris. I’ve always rebuffed Le Grand on the assumption the rooms would be cupboard like. I once stayed in a room at the Mercure by St Lazare which was so small I couldn’t open my case and bathroom door at the same time.

        • Sina says:

          13 Aug13 August 14:32

          Not my experience, I’ve stayed at the Melia in Vendome as well which is a very nice hotel a number of times (pre-covid), and usually get it for £90/night. the rooms were as large and got 2for1 breakfast as gold.

• Alekun says:

  13 Aug13 August 12:53

  Anybody with London Power/AVRO – looking to move our gas/electric provider and utilise any referral links unless Rob has a better offer, I would happily use that link.

• ChrisC says:

  13 Aug13 August 12:57

  Anyone know who the current Chief Exec or similar of BA Holidays is please?

  • BJ says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:44

    Claire Bentley

    • ChrisC says:

      13 Aug13 August 17:42

      Thanks BJ

      Letter to be composed over the weekend!

      Am not one to complain but when you double check something, do it and then get told I “misunderstood” despite double checking isn’t going to ender the Bremen officer to me!

• Dej says:

  13 Aug13 August 13:16

  Anyone know how long it takes to get results from expert medicals day 2 test. We sent ours back last Saturday but not heard back (they were registered etc)

  • Tony1 says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:20

    +1

    Same here. Was on “chat” for 5 hours till they disconnected. Gave up. Have done the right thing by doing the test. Not needed but would like to know results. I will prob do a chargeback on card as service not supplied. Did the free NHS test and double vaccinated so no hassles. On way back to Spain now so result will be useless.

  • stevenhp1987 says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:33

    If you’ve done the test and sent them off then you’ve complied with the law.

    I wouldn’t worry about it if you’re not needing a day 8 test – as you do need the result of that one to leave isolation if you’ve arrived from an amber country and not fully vax.

    • meta says:

      13 Aug13 August 13:41

      I got my results on day 9.

      • Simon says:

        13 Aug13 August 13:50

        @meta Sorry I may have had a couple of drinks last night and cant find the exact comment, but did you mention that BA Porto flights are all being cancelled ?? I have an early Sept booking.

        • meta says:

          13 Aug13 August 14:21

          Yep, though Rob thinks they are just postponing a restart. BA agents told me the route is being cancelled. Exactly same thing happened last year. They never restarted. After September there is really no point going to Porto as the weather is not great and I doubt BA will want to run a service for a month. But you never know…

        • Simon says:

          13 Aug13 August 14:40

          Thanks that’s great. If the flights get cancelled and my voucher booking is refunded as cash I will just have to accept it I guess.

        • meta says:

          13 Aug13 August 15:12

          Or book yourself on TAP and take BA to MCOL which is what I am doing.

        • Pid says:

          13 Aug13 August 15:33

          I was planning to book a flight from porto with my FTV, would be a real shame if it was cancelled and I got my cash/avios back.

        • Simon says:

          13 Aug13 August 15:54

          @Pid my thoughts exactly

  • MinR says:

    13 Aug13 August 13:49

    Took 8 days to get my results back.

  • Dej says:

    13 Aug13 August 16:22

    Thanks all, was just wondering. It’s great av tuck box exercise but a pretty useless one if results take 8/9 days to come back.
    Tbh one of my kids tested positive (3 years old and did a nhs test) so we had to isolate anyway.

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