Downgrade via app – “no options available”

[PeteM]

If it’s any consolation the executive complaints manager who dealt with my escalated complaint accepted the product knowledge most of his colleagues have of the cards is “very poor”. He was finding out things about them himself whilst resolving the complaint. It does feel like the launch was very very rushed…

[flyertalk29]

The downgrade option has finally appeared for me, although I’ll be keeping the paid card for another 2 months as I’m putting a £10k transaction through in June and the extra 5000 Avios will be handy.

[alig4th]

PeteM wrote:

It does feel like the launch was very very rushed…

In my head, I assumed Barclaycard rolled this out when they did you meet up time-wise with those that got an Upgrade Voucher from their Premier accounts; i.e. so people would have two to use with the same expiry…

Still, as you say, completely rushed by all accounts as very little went smoothly!

[CH]

PeteM wrote:

You’ll need to wait for the downgrade option to appear in the app, @Aston100 – it would appear it usually shows up after the second statement is produced.

Just to add some variety to this, I’ve just noticed it appear. I’m still within the first month so haven’t had the “first” (ie second time the £20 is charged) statement yet.

Wondering if I downgrade, whether I’ll get the 5000 HFP SUB though.

[chelynnah]

OH’s downgrade offer appeared in the app today (along with a 1k bonus offer). It wasn’t there a couple of days ago. He’s not downgrading until he hits the 10k and then thinking about it. We don’t have the second statement yet, but have hit the 3k spend. Maybe they’re slowly filtering through.

[Aston100]

Player 2 applied and received their card during the enhanced HFP signup bonus offer – a few weeks after mine.
The downgrade option is now giving Player 2 the ability to drop to the free card.

I still don’t have any downgrade options available.

This seems a bit arbitrary.

[Aston100]

Downgrade option has finally appeared tonight.
Was not there this morning.

[slliw]

The option wasn’t appearing for me. My iPhone subsequently packed up which meant I had to re-download and re-register the Barclays app. After I did this the free card now shows available. Might be worth a shot removing and redownloading the Barclays app

[martin64523]

If I downgrade to the free card will I lose the upgrade voucher which I just triggered today on the plus card and is showing up on ma BA account?

[stevenhp1987]

martin64523 wrote:

If I downgrade to the free card will I lose the upgrade voucher which I just triggered today on the plus card and is showing up on ma BA account?

No, but if you’re spending enough to have already triggered it, it might be worth keeping the paid card.

[ipath]

Do I need to wait to downgrade until the Avios have posted to my Exec Club account? Trying to avoid another £20 fee, which seems fair given Barclaycard charged me one before I even had the card. Problem is my statement date is the 6th and the second working day of June is rather late because of the extra public holidays

[Chiroman]

I just did the downgrade. Seems like it wasn’t completely slick (as implied new card number etc when I assumed details would all stay the same the product and entitlements would just change behind the scenes) but at least the option is there.

I probably could put 10k through without incurring too many additional £15 fees (the premier avios cashback worked OK!) but the plan was always to downgrade and I’m sticking to it! 30k Avios already posted. Thanks Rob!

[KJC]

Still haven’t got a downgrade option in the app despite applying on day 1. Spent an hour on the phone to customer service. Agent tried to walk me through downgrading through the app even though I don’t have the button. She was clueless as to why my app didn’t have the option. She went away and spoke to a different team who told her that I have to wait for the button to appear. There’s no way to downgrade it via another channel. I asked if they knew when I’d be presented with the button, she said no. I said “So I just have to keep paying £20/month indefinitely until somebody decides to put a button in my app?” Her reply – “Yes”. I’m just going to cancel the card I think. Not worth the hassle.

[Aston100]

KJC wrote:

Still haven’t got a downgrade option in the app despite applying on day 1. Spent an hour on the phone to customer service. Agent tried to walk me through downgrading through the app even though I don’t have the button. She was clueless as to why my app didn’t have the option. She went away and spoke to a different team who told her that I have to wait for the button to appear. There’s no way to downgrade it via another channel. I asked if they knew when I’d be presented with the button, she said no. I said “So I just have to keep paying £20/month indefinitely until somebody decides to put a button in my app?” Her reply – “Yes”. I’m just going to cancel the card I think. Not worth the hassle.

This is mostly my experience too.
Player 2 received the downgrade option well before Player 1 did, despite Player 2 applying for their card a month after Player 1 did.
Player 1 received the downgrade option in the middle of a random day during May. It was not there late morning when player 1 first checked checked, but had appeared by late afternoon when player 1 checked back.
No rhyme or reason why.

Player 2 did not downgrade, but instead cancelled because this card is more trouble than it is worth to Player 2.
Amusingly, Player 2 was refunded their £20 monthly fee despite cancelling very early into a new month (I understand the fee is for the previous month), and the customer service agent (through the app chat function) provided a further £20 for some unknown reason, despite knowing player 2 was cancelling.

So, Player 1 got the downgrade option about 2 months after receiving the card.
Player 2 got the option less than a month after receiving the card.

[NICK N]

I applied to downgrade on app. It was accepted and I never got the card. After some messing about they told me I couldnt move to the free card as I had moved!? I hadnt. They now agree I have not moved but I still cannot swap to fee free card until 30 days has passed as their computers dont understand. I have taken £110 in compensation …..so far