The HfP chat thread – Friday 3rd September

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Tony1 says:

3 Sep3 September 08:43

Need to check my logic.
Daughter has my second Plat, so gets a PP and can get her plus 1 in at Stansted Escape Lounge.
She is going on a girls weekend trip but there will be 5 of them. I suggested, as I have been turned away in the past, that she does not buy on line additional lounge entry, but charges it all to PP and then to Amex. Is this the best route to keep them all together ? Does the lounge allow 5 in on Amex PP ? ( I know they will charge for the extra 3 – but unsure of how much I am going to be subsidizing the trip ), or is there a better solution ?
(She has decided Turkey off the menu now – so BCN via Ryanair it is think the lounge will cost more than the flight),
- Sam G says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:35
  
  £20 I believe per extra person. She just tells the lounge to swipe for 5 and it’ll get charged automatically to your plat. Can’t think of a better solution!
  - C says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 09:46
    
    Iirc there is a limit on guests in many PP lounges. Worth checking in advance. But up to the limit charging to PP (and then Amex) works fine – I have done it a number of times.
    - Tony1 says:
      
      3 Sep3 September 09:51
      
      Many thanks. I just needed to check. Not had many caffeine opportunities so far today. I assume same . similar at BCN on the return. But don’t rate that lounge well. I may suggest a terminal restaurant instead. ( but the allure of a free drink guides the younger generation – well my daughter anyway – esp as I will end up paying )
    - Sam G says:
      
      3 Sep3 September 10:01
      
      Yes that’ll be lounge specific though. UK ones don’t like big groups but I think 5 would be OK. A lot will depend on the situation there on the day.
      
      Some PPs in the US are/were unlimited guests – I remember reading about a guy who swiped in 20 people or some silly number
LS says:

3 Sep3 September 08:45

I have used Randox for a departure test for a flight on Sat. I dropped it off yesterday well before the drop-off shut. I would be expecting it back late this evening.
Is there any way I can check if they have received it and it is likely to be on time? My emergency backup is an eye-wateringly expensive 4h PCR test early on Sat morning, but I would want to avoid that if poss!
- Yvo says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 08:50
  
  You will get a confirmation email that they have it this morning and from that point the results email has always arrived in the evening for us.
  As soon as you get the first confirmation you can relax.
  - LS says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 08:54
    
    Perfect, I like the sound of the confirmation email. What time does it normally arrive? Ish.
    - EvilDoctorK says:
      
      3 Sep3 September 09:45
      
      Normally confirmation email arrives early morning ( Randox lab is near Belfast and they collect from the Dropboxes and courier them to Belfast overnight ) .. I dropped two samples at a box near me on Weds afternoon .. got the confirmation they’d arrived at the lab before 7am .. one result came through around 5pm the other at 8.30pm .. I’ve always found Randox reliable .. so wouldn’t panic into booking something more expensive yet
- Tracey says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 08:50
  
  I thought Randox showed as processing when they had received your test back. Don’t they promise your results by midnight? Only going from what I’ve read- I saved £3 by choosing NWP.
- MM says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:29
  
  I can confirm used Randox 6 times in last 60 days. Confirmation email latest arrives by 11am but usually earlier. Results usually by 7pm latest
- barnaby100 says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 10:09
  
  Both of our confirmation email always go to junk although the order confirmation and test result emails don’t- so check junk if not received.
Triath5 says:

3 Sep3 September 08:53

Need help please! I stayed at a serviced-apartment type property in Valencia, and had booked and prepaid 4 nights but only stayed 1 because it was so dire.

Is there any way I can recover the remaining 3 night payment? A few things to consider:
1) I work remotely, so weeks before staying I asked them via e-mail to confirm internet was video-conferencing capable. They said yes, but it wasn’t (8 Mbps download, 1.5 Mbps upload – I have a Speedtest screenshot with their IP address on site) – a definite requirement in my case.
2) The room had advertised 1 double bed and 1 sofabed, and the sofabed was unusable because of just how bad it was. Even the lady setting it up told us not to sleep on it.

Is it reasonable for them to keep all 4 nights’ payment? I’m not asking for compensation, I just want the other 3 nights I didn’t stay because clearly I wouldn’t have been able to work. They told me to f off in several cases, saying ‘internet is good enough for us, and sofabed quality is subjective’.

I paid with a US credit card and will try to pursue a chargeback through there (has anyone ever done a chargeback for something like this?), but does anyone have any experience / any other avenues in dealing with instances like these? I think there’s a Consumer Bureau for Valencia which I will try to contact as well but don’t want to waste my time if this is a lost battle….

Any help appreciated – these shoddy operators need to be clamped down on!
- LS says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:06
  
  Did you tell them at the time? Give them a chance to move you/correct things etc? If so, they you should be able to get at least 3 nights, and if you couldn’t reasonably move elsewhere (because it was late) you can claim the 4th night as well.
  Remember credit cards (and S75) are very good in this circumstance.
  - ChrisC says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 09:08
    
    US credit card so S75 May very well not be an option.
  - Jonathan says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 09:11
    
    US credit cards don’t have section 75 consumer credit law, that’s UK only issued credit cards. I don’t know if any other countries have something similar in place
  - Triath5 says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 09:12
    
    Yes, told them absolutely everything. The first night they moved me to a different room where the internet was equally crap, and the sofabed was just as bad as the first.
    
    Spoke to them again during the morning of Day 2 and they told me once again to deal with it, as they ‘the internet never gives any issues, etc.”. I’ve got an e-mail thread with written evidence from them saying the “internet is good enough” from before, and also a whatsapp business chat with me trying.
    
    That’s when we checked out, sent them a formal e-mail stating we’d like them to propose a resolution, and they just responded saying No.
    
    They won’t help me so I need to pursue a different route.
    - Sam G says:
      
      3 Sep3 September 09:38
      
      If you’ve got all that evidence then try the chargeback assuming you paid the provider directly. If you paid an agency they’ll (correctly) be able to dispute it
    - Harry T says:
      
      3 Sep3 September 09:41
      
      I’d chargeback the silly bastards, tbh. I doubt you’ll get far pursuing local legal action or reporting them to a local consumer action body. It’s clear they provided a rubbish product that didn’t match what you asked for, and you have plenty of evidence to show you reasonably tried to pursue service recovery and they were useless and obstinate. My only caveat is that I don’t know good the chargeback system is in the USA.
  - Chrisasaurus says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 09:19
    
    This is a comprehensive reply – agree entirely. Note in this case the OP mentions it’s a US so protection still applies through chargeback but no s75
- Andrew says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:09
  
  8Mbps download, 1.5Mbps upload should be perfectly capable of video conferencing.
  
  It’s not that long ago that we were doing it on dual channel ISDN at 0.128Mbps
  - Thom says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 09:37
    
    In ‘theory’ it’s borderline – the common video conferencing apps require 1.5-3Mbps down speed depending on if it’s a 2-way or group conference call. In reality you will need more as there is always background activity and fluctuations.
    
    Whilst I agree that the internet is pretty slow for this day and age, I would also say they weren’t lying when they said it was suitable for video conferencing if you didn’t specify a minimum required bandwidth …
    - Magic Mike says:
      
      3 Sep3 September 21:17
      
      Nothing wrong with that for all the standard vc systems…
  - davefl says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 15:09
    
    26 years is not that long? I was installing the 1st Picturetel systems that did it. Was amazing at the time.
- BuildBackBetter says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:25
  
  And people wonder why we should use credit cards like Halifax clarity, when abroad
  - Jonathan says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 09:34
    
    Doesn’t cover you if you have to pay in cash and you use a UK credit card to withdraw it!
    
    However I fully agree with you on this point, it’s just a shame the rewards credit card that offers no or very low FX fees isn’t good at all. A quick look at what Amex offer to people able to apply for a US based credit (or charge) card of theirs quickly leaves you in despair, there’s no 241 vouchers for them, but for some people these vouchers aren’t worth anything anyway
    - Tony1 says:
      
      3 Sep3 September 09:58
      
      I would ask to write in the “official” guest book. That’s the one where there are only a few comments and no pages missing. Failing that report to the local tourist authority. They do take things seriously in my experience. Last result is a denouncia – but tbh its not worth the hassle.
      - Michael C says:
        
        3 Sep3 September 10:17
        
        Quite agree, Tony, the tourist authorities would definitely look into this. OP should send pics compared to original description.
        Also agree the wifi signal is a bit of an iffy situation, but the sofabed isn’t.
- Char Char says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 10:02
  
  Did you book direct or thorough a third party is the main question.
  
  I don’t think internet speed is grounds for getting a refund but if the room didn’t match then maybe
  - TOBIAS L says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 10:57
    
    Direct booking with them. Didn’t take any evidence apart from the speed test. Agree it’s a relative point, but following 3 ZOOM/Hangouts which failed miserably leading to a more costly hotspot off my phone, I clearly couldn’t continue.
    
    Unsure about pics of the room not matching – the sofabed was there but it might as well have been a wooden plank in terms of comfort. I have no ‘proof’ per se of just how uncomfortable it was though.
    - AnotherUser says:
      
      3 Sep3 September 11:22
      
      Agree those internet speeds are a relative point – I wouldn’t *like* to to videoconference on those speeds, but on some platforms/if you’re lucky it could work fine.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        3 Sep3 September 15:23
        
        Should like 3 calls failed though.
Jan H says:

3 Sep3 September 08:55

Word of warning for anyone trying to rebook cancelled flights to within a years validity.
I tried Chatbot and as soon as I told them what I would like to do the ‘gentleman’ terminated my chat!
I then managed to get through on the phone and after asking the agent to check the BA policy he agreed to my request. Told me it would all be noted on file and that I could ring at a later date to book desired flights. After reading a comment on HFP (I think it was Lady London (thankyou!!) I gave it 24hrs and checked on MMB to find absolutely nothing had changed.
Once again rang and got through to an agent ( gave him my phone number, got cut off but he rang back -phew) who said there was nothing on file! Organised a full refund due to poor availability of flights next year when i needed them.
If you get through on the phone ………give them your phone number first before anything else and double check everything you’ve asked them to do, some of them don’t seem to have a clue!
- Eppleby Green says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 12:08
  
  Good idea because if you’re a member of BAEC then BA probably have all your contact details but in my experience, pre- and post-Covid they do not use them.
Fred s says:

3 Sep3 September 08:58

Have shifted supermarket spend to Virgin since the Money Back offer started on 26/8. A dozen or so transactions of varying amounts from a couple of quid through to £150 since then, but none of them showing on Money Back, even as pending. Getting concerned now that it’s been over a week since the 1st purchase.
- Andrew H says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:01
  
  I haven’t seen any from Mozzers yet either…
  - Andrew says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 09:13
    
    First purchase showed on the Virgin Money App the day after it posted to the statement.
    
    I’ve only done one to be honest, it’s not clear if it’s payable every time or just once like Amex, MBNA, Halifax etc.
- Reney says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:21
  
  did you use your Virgin card directly, i.e not via Curve.
- Jonathan says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 11:32
  
  All my Morri’s have posted as pending 1-2 days after clearing on card albeit at 7 rather than 10%. I’d raise a claim now if over a week but they may ask for receipts… All transactions were chip & pin so no Curve/ApplePay etc in the middle.
  
  Nothing tracked on Airtime/PAW though.
  - Reney says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 13:15
    
    @Jonathan, my offer on VS card said 7 and 10% at different places, so I assumed the 10% was targeted and someone did the editing badly. Mine posted at 7% I have no intention of raising a case and risk losing what I got but be interested to know your outcome.
    
    For me Airtime and PAW posts 2 days after VS and shop away a few more days after that.
    - Reney says:
      
      3 Sep3 September 13:15
      
      sorry mis-read I though you raised a case yourself!
NickIK says:

3 Sep3 September 09:00

Passing through Gatwick north yesterday afternoon, no Lounges open, many restaurants and shops closed. Anyway, noticed that what used to be the Clubhouse is undergoing a rebrand/refurb to Plaza Premium. Good for AMEX/Dragonpass holders. Maybe not such good news for anybody hoping to see VS’s return to LGW.
Thomas Shelby says:

3 Sep3 September 09:01

Is there a limit for airtime transactions? I been putting through c.£100 transactions but do £1000 transactions track fine too? at morrisons
- rams1981 says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:09
  
  Mine went through last week. Tracked on Airtime and PAW but not Virgin Shops Away yet
- Ryan says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:22
  
  I’ve had c. £3k track at Argos when they used to do 5%
trader363 says:

3 Sep3 September 09:17

Not sure if I’ve got this right. There is a 700 weekly limit on solihull to che?

I’ve done a lot more than that this week (needed to use Che to make some high value payments) and I don’t see any 700 limit stopping me?
- John says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:21
  
  Can somebody translate this lexicon please? Solihull and Che?
  - Andy says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 10:04
    
    Solihull = HQ of the IHG Creation card, Che = Che Guevara = Revolutionary = Revolut
- Chrisasaurus says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:22
  
  No limit other than card limit, fraud limit and of course random undocumented arbitrary limit because of how shocking an outfit creation are…
  - The Urbanite says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 10:03
    
    There is a method to Creations madness even if it doesn’t appear so!
- Reney says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:23
  
  for me that limit only applies in very specific circumstances and Che is not one of them.
- SteveJ says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:24
  
  That’s if you are going via fronted or metal bendy AFAIK. If direct then n/a.
  - SteveJ says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 09:25
    
    Edit : correction my comment applies on Solihull to Brighton, not Che
- trader363 says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 09:34
  
  Thanks for the advice, much appreciated
- Neil says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 10:09
  
  Enjoy the interest at the end of the month when it hits your card! Might be worth reading your new updated T&C’s
  - Guernsey Globetrotter says:
    
    3 Sep3 September 15:53
    
    I have both Marriott and IHG Solihulls and am not aware of any new T&Cs … are you mixing that up with Beardy and the 5th August changes (which actually don’t seem to have changed anything yet)?
- Jonathan says:
  
  3 Sep3 September 11:34
  
  If it’s working then why ask? If you’re nervous stick at £700 for this statement period…