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The HfP chat thread – Thursday 4th November

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Comments (463)

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

  • Tarmohamed says:
    4 Nov4 November 02:58

    Anyone know if it’s possibly to renew my Dropbox subscription a few days earlier than the renewal date? Trying to take advantage of the Amex offer which will give me a massive saving.

  • Dave says:
    4 Nov4 November 03:51

    Hello, from Maldives

  • FCP says:
    4 Nov4 November 04:01

    Amex Platinum & Travel:-
    I know Amex do a 10% code for travel with Etihad, which i can use on the Etihad site.
    Anyway to apply and book this via Amex Travel?
    I saw the International Airline Program (IAP) and that gives a whopping 1% discount from Etihad.
    Also noticed that Platinum card got double points booking via Amex Travel. Thought only Gold offered that. Pleasant surprise.

    • James says:
      4 Nov4 November 06:07

      Gold offers 3x points on travel

    • Andrew says:
      4 Nov4 November 06:10

      No to your first question.

      Don’t forget the £100 back on £400 spend offer for Platinum and supps.

      • FCP says:
        4 Nov4 November 06:13

        Andrew, is the offer on both main and supplementary cards? My wife got on her main card and have used. I took the supp and zero offers yet. Amex told me 60-90 days to receive any…

        • Andrew says:
          4 Nov4 November 06:18

          Yes it’s on all my supps too – but new supps do take a couple of weeks after you begin spending on them for the offers to appear.

          • David says:
            4 Nov4 November 08:05

            Does anyone know how long the £100 credit takes to show on the statement?

    • Andrew says:
      4 Nov4 November 08:15

      Been 10 days and still waiting….

  • Dave says:
    4 Nov4 November 05:23

    Some new decent Amex offers available. F&M, Selfridges, Melia. 35% back on which? subscription. If combined with vold portal, up to £48 back, could be a cheap annual subscription.

    • Sandgrounder says:
      4 Nov4 November 05:26

      5 off 30 at Esso.

      • Yuff says:
        4 Nov4 November 05:38

        Used to love the esso offer , when it was every time.

        • Sandgrounder says:
          4 Nov4 November 05:47

          None of my local Tesco Express Essos are on the list this time, which is unfortunate.

      • Andrew says:
        4 Nov4 November 05:39

        Esso always a popular one – I’ll leave others to save as I don’t use petrol stations personally. Although there’s always a discussion about gift cards, so maybe I shouldn’t be so hasty.

      • Gavin says:
        4 Nov4 November 10:36

        Good timing with Nectar Xmas offer too

    • PMG says:
      4 Nov4 November 06:14

      Is the F&M offer cumulative in a similar way to hotel offers?

      Text/Terms seems to read the same but just wanted to check if anyone had experience on this – thanks 🙂

      • Andrew says:
        4 Nov4 November 06:20

        Generally most offers are but you can never be sure apart from others experience of the exact same offer this time around, which would be too early for this one.

        • PMG says:
          4 Nov4 November 06:47

          Thanks Andrew – will wait a little bit and see if anyone is able to report back in the next few weeks!

          • TGLoyalty says:
            4 Nov4 November 07:29

            Could always buy a £250 gift card Instore

          • PMG says:
            4 Nov4 November 07:45

            Good point TG – hinges on me remembering to go to F&M on my one trip to London before the offer expires though…

      • Andrew says:
        4 Nov4 November 07:33

        F&M offer only requires a £200 spend

    • DJ says:
      4 Nov4 November 07:40

      Which? subscription any good?

      Just thought there are lots of comparison websites out there already ..

      • BuildBackBetter says:
        4 Nov4 November 08:13

        I use it and think it’s good. Not just detailed product reviews, but things to watch out for can be helpful. For example didn’t know that buying basic breakdown cover doesn’t help you if car stops running near your home.

  • Kamil says:
    4 Nov4 November 06:26

    Does anyone know if there is a £5 drop off fee to use the upper class wing? Also, on VS’ website it says the fast track security is not working, does it mean the upper class wing is not working?

  • Nigerian Prince says:
    4 Nov4 November 06:45

    Creation credit card IHG rewards points for Oct not received, I spoke to an agent on the phone he told me they will not issue reward point after they give notice to close the card, a complaint is on the way

    • SteveJ says:
      4 Nov4 November 07:01

      This is what most (though not all) who all to ask are being told. Though my statement date was Oct 13th, after the closure letter, and points from that statement DID post, albeit a week late.

      So they’re factually incorrect in saying that “they will not issue reward point after they give notice to close the card”.

      • DJ says:
        4 Nov4 November 07:37

        It has been more than a week for me, and points are still not transferred.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      4 Nov4 November 07:30

      They probably should’ve said that on the letter they had their intern type up …

    • K23 says:
      4 Nov4 November 09:17

      Not a criticism but I’m baffled by HFP’s deafening silence throughout this fiasco considering how heavily both Creation and Curve were promoted on the site. Creations actions are worthy of a rogue trader as opposed to a fairly major UK lender.

      Neither myself nor my wife did any MS. We used curve for the FX savings and for ease. We’re both in receipt of their closure letter and no sign on this month’s points.

      • Rob says:
        4 Nov4 November 09:24

        You are aware that this site is regulated by the FCA, that we only exist for as long as the FCA continues to tolerate us, and that the FCA has approved these closures on the basis that people have been abusing the card?

        • ianM says:
          4 Nov4 November 09:50

          No – didn’t realise that the FCA had approved the unilateral closures by Creation with no reason cited. Where has this been covered?

          • JDB says:
            4 Nov4 November 09:56

            The Consumer Credit Act 1974 s98A (3) allows any credit card firm (unilaterally) to close accounts without citing any reason.

          • Paul says:
            4 Nov4 November 10:03

            Are those who are now not seeing points move across to IHG from Creation still spending there for the remaining period? I almost feel what’s the point now if November’s statement’s points are not going to move across either. Hi

          • Sprout says:
            4 Nov4 November 10:16

            @JDB Understand your point, but Rob appears to be aware of a reason as he states that these closures have been made as people “have been abusing the card”. I for one have not been told this was the reason.

          • JDB says:
            4 Nov4 November 10:26

            @Sprout I think it is fairly clear there has been widespread misuse of the card, just from reports and boasts on this site. It is just unfortunate that others have been caught up in the clean up operation, but there are reports all the time, right across the industry, of people getting bank accounts or credit cards closed without any apparent reason.

          • Jonathan says:
            4 Nov4 November 10:30

            I am no legal expert but i would say there is a difference between the legal wording of the Consumer Credit Act which is a long standing law with minor amendments every now and again, and the “FCA has approved” it, which implies Creation sought the regulators advice and guidance on the matter.

            I was reading the T&C’s and in the strictest sense breaking the rules of the the card would be dealt with under section 12 immediate termination. Abusing the card, (is not breaking the rules) and as Creation have stated a “business decision” would be covered under section 14 giving 60 days notice.

            As the latter has happened and i think everyone has now accepted this, its the lack of points during the notice period, no free night certificate whilst they are still taking your annual fee and not offering any refund which is the basis of everyone’s complaint.

          • JDB says:
            4 Nov4 November 10:45

            @Jonathan in respect of the free night etc. the points terms, that link into the full IHG Rewards don’t actually make very good reading. It certainly seems/seemed something of a risk to expect everything would remain as normal in the 60 day notice period.

          • Char Char says:
            4 Nov4 November 11:29

            Quoting the credit consumer act is not an answer to the FCA approving the closures

          • Lady London says:
            4 Nov4 November 12:07

            Jonathan “sought the advice and guidance” of the FCA.

            Translation: Creation covering their a$$ in the face of realising they’re going to get a lot of complaints including from people that haven’t breached any ts and cs (in some cases because Creation were silly and has apparently discovered their ts and cs left them exposed. Now they’re trying to clean up retrospectively and, to deter many claims that may be justified, are posturing all bully-boy. May work in France (Creation’s homeland) but shouldn’t work with our much more protective consumer law.

            Worse potential translation of “Creation sought the advice and guidance of the FCA” : the FCA actually told Creation to clean up its act.

        • Track says:
          4 Nov4 November 11:08

          Does FCA now issue wavers for breaches of contract law?

          • Lady London says:
            4 Nov4 November 11:42

            And not everyone abused it, either.

            Anyone that has made reasonable use of the card and not breached t’s and c’s that were advised to them either upfront or with the due notice before any new terms that were advised took effect, should go after Creation by all means possible and wipe their nose on the floor.

            Granted I would take a guess that no more than 20% of HfP readers have operated the account within t’s and c’s that were duly advised to them.

          • Jonathan says:
            4 Nov4 November 16:02

            On the otherhand i have now maxed out my £10k card limit. If they write it all off like some others have had all will be forgiven and we’ll part ways on good terms. 🙂

          • cinereus says:
            7 Nov7 November 16:11

            No, as anyone with any legal experience is aware.

        • Alan says:
          5 Nov5 November 07:34

          Please provide some more info on this, Rob – lots of reports of closures from people that have made tiny numbers of transactions or haven’t linked cards to Curve so would be interested in hearing the basis. Are you also saying the FCA approved closures in these circumstances? And to keep the annual fee/not send points/deny free night certs? It seems far too organised for Creation to seek advance approval…

          • Rob says:
            5 Nov5 November 10:15

            Oddly no-one has yet taken up my offer to provide me with all their credit card statements to prove they did nothing dubious with Curve.

        • cinereus says:
          5 Nov5 November 09:13

          What does that mean? How does FCA regulation have any bearing on factual journalistic coverage?

          And are you seriously suggesting the FCA has individually approved every closure? And that every closure is due to abuse?

          This is looking like more than a journalistic dereliction of duty at the moment.

          • Rob says:
            5 Nov5 November 10:00

            It’s not factual coverage unless readers who claim to have never used Curve for any nefarious purpose provide me with every single Creation credit card statement to prove it.

            I cannot write an article attacking MY OWN REGULATOR based purely on unproven claims from readers who are not even identifiable. I would have assumed that was obvious.

        • cinereus says:
          5 Nov5 November 09:16

          @JDB presumably you are aware that the Consumer Credit Act 1974 s98A (3) does not usurp consumer rights legislation?

          • cinereus says:
            7 Nov7 November 16:14

            @Rob – you can report factually that accounts have been closed. You can also (as you have done multiple times before) state readers’ claims (regardless of whether they are proven).

            The onus of proof is not where you think it lies and any journalist worth his salt would know how to cover this story without making baseless attacks on a regulator. Your silence on even acknowledging what is happening is very suspicious.

          • Rob says:
            7 Nov7 November 18:01

            Once we get the first ombudsman responses, we’ll cover it. Readers will then have something concrete to work with.

            You can’t have it both ways. For the last 10 years I have been asked to not write about ways of abusing Creation cards (before Curve, the key one was paying them off with another credit card) so loopholes did not get stopped – and we didn’t. You can’t turn around now and ask me to cover it because your toys are being taken away.

      • Track says:
        4 Nov4 November 11:05

        You are exactly the person Creation wanted and targeted.

        AML risk claim is for posture. Creation real beef is that counted those “FX savings” you refer to as their missed revenues.

        • Char Char says:
          4 Nov4 November 11:28

          Creation actually blamed FX savings or just another rumour?

          • Lady London says:
            4 Nov4 November 11:45

            Who cares. If it wasn’t in duly notified t’s and c’s then it wasn’t valid for each individual’s use of the card and the individual can’t have benefits denied on the basis of it

          • Track says:
            4 Nov4 November 15:00

            There was information that Creation computed lost revenues. That would be lost FX revenues and lost interest income on cash-like transactions.

            Discussed that — nothing stopped Creation configure the categories or make all Curve transactions subject to interest (as Tesco Bank has done). In this case, customer complaints would have no leg to stand on. Unlike shutting down the account and not refunding the fee for annual service.

    • Greg says:
      4 Nov4 November 16:56

      Open a new account in your wife / spouse / partners name, and become a supplementary card holder.

  • Chris says:
    4 Nov4 November 06:47

    Hi all. I’m living in Austria and Award wallet just alerted me that my avois will expire. 1st question am I correct in thinking that if earn a single avois, all my avois will extend for 3 years? 2nd point any easy way to generate avois from EU.

  • P says:
    4 Nov4 November 06:50

    Does anybody know if I will get an extra 3 avios per £ when spending with the BA premium plus card on the BA avios hotels site (15 avios per £)?

    • FatherOfFour says:
      4 Nov4 November 10:18

      I don’t have the Premium Plus card, but made a transaction with the Avios hotels last month. It shows on my statement as AVIOS Group, Crawley – with a transaction detail of BRITISH AIRWAYS AVIOS BOOKINGS A00.
      I assume the BAPP algorithm looks at the vendor, rather than the transaction detail and I think you would be lucky to get the extra 3 per £!

      • Guernsey Globetrotter says:
        4 Nov4 November 11:11

        Correct – when buying Avios the same thing happens and it is NOT credited as a transaction with BA, so you’ll only get 1.5 Avios per £ rather than 3 if using a BAPP to pay. Still, a 16.5% return on your booking is not too shabby 🙂

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