The HSBC Premier Mastercards thread

[memesweeper]

+1 @JDB

not just HSBC, but generally in these forums there seems to be a great reliance on rules, practice, and policies, not changing.

Hold a product until you don’t need it anymore, or it’s too expensive, but never cancel in the expectation you’ll get it again. Having regretted letting the MBNA Horizon I’ve had time to reflect on this.

[Luca M]

memesweeper wrote:

+1 @JDB

not just HSBC, but generally in these forums there seems to be a great reliance on rules, practice, and policies, not changing.

Hold a product until you don’t need it anymore, or it’s too expensive, but never cancel in the expectation you’ll get it again. Having regretted letting the MBNA Horizon I’ve had time to reflect on this.

That is a good point, but MBNA horizon was always a close product, never offered to applicant but only as replacement of the old MBNA Co-branded airlines card, so closing it always meant that you could not get it back. I keep mine as a fall back option if my MasterCard ma in options for forex spend do not work

[polly]

Bonus (or not) update
And so the discussions, polite thus far, have begun again. They removed my bonus end of year points in the October 3rd swoop. Just because mine had been awarded around the time the JDB mystery bonus was being granted! 3 months late by then. Anyway, was told l got my end of year bonus “in error” whatever that means. The manager `Liz involved spent quite a few hours sorting it all for me. She’s not best pleased. So it’s her against the new loyalty platform fighting it out. They furious, as they literally cannot re apply points any more.

She’s utterly embarrassed at the way this new lot are behaving. They even named my bonus incorrectly, and claimed l had only spent 1/12th of what actually spent, in real terms shall l emphasise. Putting aside our friends the seagulls, for now, and that’s ended anyway.

Had sent a reminder message on the internal site, asking for them to be added back to my ac. Only for some upstart to reply as above. To add to the indignity, he offered me a whole £25 as compensation for the removal of my justly earned 40k points. Worth £200 plus at least, if l was to buy them back as avios. That really made me see RED. So the saga continues. Have also missed out on the BA 25% uplift bonus on them too….

If they want to credit me the amount it would cost to buy 25k avios, will accept that solution. This has been going on since June.

[JDB]

@Polly this is HSBC you are talking about – it is/was entirely foreseeable that if you downgrade/cancel and reapply before the anniversary points hit your account that problems will follow. Only Amex panders to cancellers.

[polly]

@JDB
Am fully aware of them, and have indeed advised on here also, like you. They have always managed to solve an issue once you actually get to speak to someone senior. The issue seems to be now, the agents hands are tied re points, as they have to also defer to the points platform for resolution now. And the platform team appear not to understand the 2nd part of the bonus application. Truly bizarre.

Have not downgraded, am still holding my WE. This was my end of year bonus unfortunately, due to being applied late, simply got caught up in the returned sweep. Am NOT a canceller, but downgraded once, years ago for 1 year.

Note, others on here, who have paid their renewal fee, have also not been granted their 2nd half of their bonus. It does actually need to be sorted out by HSBC. We like this card, and will continue with it, but some issues are a headache for customers, this one, for example. Simply no reason not to grant the bonus.

[JDB]

polly wrote:

@JDB
Am fully aware of them, and have indeed advised on here also, like you. They have always managed to solve an issue once you actually get to speak to someone senior. The issue seems to be now, the agents hands are tied re points, as they have to also defer to the points platform for resolution now. And the platform team appear not to understand the 2nd part of the bonus application. Truly bizarre.

Have not downgraded, am still holding my WE. This was my end of year bonus unfortunately, due to being applied late, simply got caught up in the returned sweep. Am NOT a canceller, but downgraded once, years ago for 1 year.

Note, others on here, who have paid their renewal fee, have also not been granted their 2nd half of their bonus. It does actually need to be sorted out by HSBC. We like this card, and will continue with it, but some issues are a headache for customers, this one, for example. Simply no reason not to grant the bonus.

Did you change your mind then? You wrote at some length about downgrading in May and all the difficulties you experienced with the paper forms, getting the fee removed etc.

[polly]

@JDB
I was referring to a previous year when l had downgraded. Was actually advising Reney and some others about the timing, to start the process way before their year was up. I also mentioned that their actual renewal year does not always correspond with their statement date, and people could be caught out. One guy had given me a completely incorrect anniversary date, which would have caused fee charge issues, had l downgraded without double checking.
No, l didn’t actually downgrade, l had enquired about it, tho. That was when l realised the 2nd half of the bonus points were due, @Reney reminded me.
And yes, l wrote at length about the process, sending in paperwork by mail x 3 times etc etc.. in the past, eventually having to ask branch staff to scan them in.

But these incorrectly removed 40k bonus points are now a bigger issue. Am sure it will be resolved.

[points_worrier]

Well, my complaint regarding a missing 40,000 bonus at the end of year 1 has been resolved.
They apologized for removing the 40,000 points, but said this was part of a global error.
They said that ‘cash-like’ spend does not count towards the £12k spend target (although I had done some of this in topping up an ISA, I had made the £12k in its own right on ‘normal’ spend).
They said due to limitations they could not add points to my account. They have therefore credited my account with £335 to purchase 20,000 avios should I wish to do so.
I’m happy with this.

[Mick S]

Good outcome I suppose. Hopefully I will get something similar, my complaint is still active after almost 3 weeks.

Why they cant just add the points to the account is staggering. What a sh*t show.

[RasheeSanook]

I slightly regret not keeping mine. It was clearly a loss leader to retain their airline backbook whilst BOA were selling off the Blighty MBNA operation.

Luca M wrote:

memesweeper wrote:

+1 @JDB

not just HSBC, but generally in these forums there seems to be a great reliance on rules, practice, and policies, not changing.

Hold a product until you don’t need it anymore, or it’s too expensive, but never cancel in the expectation you’ll get it again. Having regretted letting the MBNA Horizon I’ve had time to reflect on this.

That is a good point, but MBNA horizon was always a close product, never offered to applicant but only as replacement of the old MBNA Co-branded airlines card, so closing it always meant that you could not get it back. I keep mine as a fall back option if my MasterCard ma in options for forex spend do not work

[polly]

@points-worrier
You know, l even suggested that to them in my email when asking for my points to be returned. What on earth is stopping them refunding the points. They know they were taken in error. But l will reply again and suggest this again, as l was calculating the enhanced 25% uplift also. Just annoying having to waste even more time on this, after battling to get them in the first place.
@Mick S
You prob can take this approach as well. Good luck to you also. My complaint is in also just shortly after the October 3rd sweep up of points. Silly system tho, not just replacing them. But cash equivalent is fine also.

[acm]

Anyone else thinking of leaving HSBC Premier WE for the Barclays Avios 100k offer? At this stage I’m not feeling I’m getting any benefits from the HSBC card. Waiting for an additional 20k points on the renewal doesnt seem worth it.

[rahaney]

acm wrote:

Anyone else thinking of leaving HSBC Premier WE for the Barclays Avios 100k offer? At this stage I’m not feeling I’m getting any benefits from the HSBC card. Waiting for an additional 20k points on the renewal doesnt seem worth it.

Already got Barclays Premier and AV Plus card myself. Will be downgrading this one to the free premier (warranty cover) before my next fee (no pro-rata refund given at HSBC). I do like the 25% extra miles across the airlines here but the other now has 4 free lounge passes (only with both prem and av+) and you can earn 2 vouchers a year meaning another 2-4-1.

I’d be happy to stay with this but they need to sweeten the pot to at least the same points earning potential…

[acm]

rahaney wrote:

acm wrote:

Anyone else thinking of leaving HSBC Premier WE for the Barclays Avios 100k offer? At this stage I’m not feeling I’m getting any benefits from the HSBC card. Waiting for an additional 20k points on the renewal doesnt seem worth it.

Already got Barclays Premier and AV Plus card myself. Will be downgrading this one to the free premier (warranty cover) before my next fee (no pro-rata refund given at HSBC). I do like the 25% extra miles across the airlines here but the other now has 4 free lounge passes (only with both prem and av+) and you can earn 2 vouchers a year meaning another 2-4-1.

I’d be happy to stay with this but they need to sweeten the pot to at least the same points earning potential…

Taking advantage of the recent Amex Plat offer means I don’t see any HSBC WE lounge advantages now. To keep the topic on HSBC WE though, I agree they need to sweeten the deal. 80k HSBC points over 2 years, for 2x yearly fees + lounge key doesn’t seem like much anymore.

[BuildBackBetter]

Where HSBC WE falls short is lounge access for family. It quickly adds up if you have kids.

[Mick S]

points_worrier wrote:

Well, my complaint regarding a missing 40,000 bonus at the end of year 1 has been resolved.
They apologized for removing the 40,000 points, but said this was part of a global error.
They said that ‘cash-like’ spend does not count towards the £12k spend target (although I had done some of this in topping up an ISA, I had made the £12k in its own right on ‘normal’ spend).
They said due to limitations they could not add points to my account. They have therefore credited my account with £335 to purchase 20,000 avios should I wish to do so.
I’m happy with this.

Received a call today, finally, my complaint was lodged four weeks ago.
Offered £150 for the 40,000 points which cannot be added on. Declined the offer

[Mick S]

rahaney wrote:

acm wrote:

Anyone else thinking of leaving HSBC Premier WE for the Barclays Avios 100k offer? At this stage I’m not feeling I’m getting any benefits from the HSBC card. Waiting for an additional 20k points on the renewal doesnt seem worth it.

Already got Barclays Premier and AV Plus card myself. Will be downgrading this one to the free premier (warranty cover) before my next fee (no pro-rata refund given at HSBC). I do like the 25% extra miles across the airlines here but the other now has 4 free lounge passes (only with both prem and av+) and you can earn 2 vouchers a year meaning another 2-4-1.

I’d be happy to stay with this but they need to sweeten the pot to at least the same points earning potential…

You wont get the points anyway, its a real struggle to get them.

[Reney]

Mick S wrote:

points_worrier wrote:

Well, my complaint regarding a missing 40,000 bonus at the end of year 1 has been resolved.
They apologized for removing the 40,000 points, but said this was part of a global error.
They said that ‘cash-like’ spend does not count towards the £12k spend target (although I had done some of this in topping up an ISA, I had made the £12k in its own right on ‘normal’ spend).
They said due to limitations they could not add points to my account. They have therefore credited my account with £335 to purchase 20,000 avios should I wish to do so.
I’m happy with this.

Received a call today, finally, my complaint was lodged four weeks ago.
Offered £150 for the 40,000 points which cannot be added on. Declined the offer

I got told my 40k points will be added in 3 weeks or something. What do you get if you decline?

[Mick S]

went back to them and said as a minimum I expected £335, preferably £415 when you factor-in the 25% bonus just now.
Now had a response to say the points will post in the next few days. Amount of time I’ve spent on this for 20,000 avios is beyond ridiculous.

[polly]

@Reney
That’s good if you get them re applied. That’s all l wanted.They categorically told me they couldn’t re apply the points. But offered me the cash like Mick S. annoying really, have been messing w this since the summer. The manager who intervened got the 2nd tranch applied, is appalled. She has been told not to interfere. She is our csa, seriously. Not allowed to reply to me. What is going on in there. The new platform really is not on the customers side. In the end they put the cash in my account last week.

As @Mick S what a waste of time over the summer, getting what is owed in the first place, having them removed in error, then denied them being refunded. What an absolute mess.

[Mick S]

decent outcome today. After being promised the 40k points last week (complaint lodged for 5 to 6 weeks) nothing had appeared in my account.
made contact today, said I would raise another complaint about the existing complaint not being actioned.

was paid a cash value for the 40k, plus a cash value for the 25% uplift, plus a compensation fee for all my wasted time.

once the 2nd year of this card has elapsed I’m out – not paying a further £195 for this level of incompetence.

[polly]

@Mick S
Result then. Nice you got a bit of compo for wasted time. My bit of compo was derisory, but couldn’t be bothered arguing anymore.
Our dilemma is that we sometimes fly LCC like FR to Dub, so will probably keep on paying the fee. Once we still have the Grain Store and Dublin use, it will probably cover the fees.
Just hope the platform gets it’s act together and works well for the both customers and the bank.

[0 post]

I was compensated £415 (25k Avios) + compensation for the missing points not arriving in my account on my anniversary (which is what the website advertises and not 60 days!).

£195 also compensated for the lack of lounges either being open or at capacity.

Apparently I will still get my 40k loyalty points within 60 days, I haven’t!

[KevinF]

Mick S wrote:

curve

Hi Mick,
Are you earning HSBC points for transactions via Curve reliably now?
Thanks

[KevinF]

Mick S wrote:

curve

Hi Mick,
Are you earning HSBC points for payments made using Curve reliably now?
Thanks