The HSBC Premier Mastercards thread

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

Youllnever wrote:

Guernsey Globetrotter wrote:

As always – it’s a case of asking what is most valuable to you and then weighing up the opportunity cost… and how much you want to do business with HSBC, currently one of the most inefficient & annoying banks I have come across!

Sorry, but Barclays currently takes the throne and HSBC doesn’t even come close, with the numerous issues currently present on their Avios cards. At least with HSBC’s cards, once you receive it, it works as expected. That can’t be said with the Barclaycard in my experience, especially with their inept customer service that is unable to resolve anything.

Fair comment @Youllnever but also bear in mind that the HSBC product is a long established one and yet they still seem to struggle to do even the simple things for clients. Barclays at least have the excuse that it is a new service and they may also have underestimated the demand… Overall, if experience tells us anything, HSBC may well re-gain your throne of ineptitude from Barclays 😉

[Mick S]

Although Barclaycard as a company is very mature, its just the new card which is new.

Spent 80 mins on the phone to Barclaycard earlier, getting a charge refunded. The lady on the phone was beyond useless, didnt have a clue. She then engaged with a colleague on an instant messaging, meanwhile, I’m just getting the verbal transcript. I could feel my blood pressure rising 🙂

[Mick S]

Guernsey Globetrotter wrote:

Youllnever wrote:

Guernsey Globetrotter wrote:

As always – it’s a case of asking what is most valuable to you and then weighing up the opportunity cost… and how much you want to do business with HSBC, currently one of the most inefficient & annoying banks I have come across!

Sorry, but Barclays currently takes the throne and HSBC doesn’t even come close, with the numerous issues currently present on their Avios cards. At least with HSBC’s cards, once you receive it, it works as expected. That can’t be said with the Barclaycard in my experience, especially with their inept customer service that is unable to resolve anything.

Fair comment @Youllnever but also bear in mind that the HSBC product is a long established one and yet they still seem to struggle to do even the simple things for clients. Barclays at least have the excuse that it is a new service and they may also have underestimated the demand… Overall, if experience tells us anything, HSBC may well re-gain your throne of ineptitude from Barclays 😉

Barclaycard though, long established though – it’s only the Avios card which is new.
Spent 80 minutes on the phone earlier to get a charge reversed on my Hilton card. The girl who answered the phone was beyond useless, she then had to engage with a colleague via instant messaging – meanwhile I was getting full verbal commentary on what was being typed. I’m traumatised by the whole thing. 🙂

[rams]

Just been charged my annual fee. Has anyone had this automatically refunded recently?

[JDB]

rams wrote:

Just been charged my annual fee. Has anyone had this automatically refunded recently?

Yes, had mine automatically refunded in Feb (for second year) and others have reported this as well further back in this thread.

[rams]

JDB wrote:

rams wrote:

Just been charged my annual fee. Has anyone had this automatically refunded recently?

Yes, had mine automatically refunded in Feb (for second year) and others have reported this as well further back in this thread.

Yes thanks, I should have been clearer – I meant more recently than Feb 🙂

[Luca M]

I am also interested in recent reports of annual fee refunds for 2022, potentially April/May anniversary dates. Mine is coming up in June and was thinking to downgrade to the free card (BTW one reason for not cancelling and applying later for the free card is that I have a quite large credit limit now HSBC Premier WE that was increased overtime, and in my experience HSBC has always started with a comparable low credit limit if you start a credit account from scratch). If the fee are indeed refunded, I will keep it for another year (I already have paid the Amex Platinum and BA Premium fee this year), as I cannot justify the annual fee for this card at moment (the LoungeKey access is useful as we travel as a family of 5 at times and Amex Platinum plus HSBC World Elite have allowed us to get in all for free (nicely asking to apply the entry to the last born, now 6yo), but still, for 2-3 entries a year not worth the fee)

[sm]

My world elite premier hsbc card fee is due in the next month. Is the fee being charged now? I know reports of it being refunded earlier in the year.
Thanks in advance.

[Guernsey Globetrotter]

sm wrote:

My world elite premier hsbc card fee is due in the next month. Is the fee being charged now? I know reports of it being refunded earlier in the year.
Thanks in advance.

I just asked for my annual fee to be refunded today so I’ll provide an update here once I get feedback 🤞

[aso40]

My fee was charged in April, and has not been refunded. I called to cancel the card and they would not offer a refund either (which is as expected).

[colinc57]

Mine is Jan, so unlike most I paid in 2021 ( as well as 2020). Think I used the lounge in Feb20. 2022 was waived ( doubt I will fly this year) .

Seems arbitrary is some get 2 yrs free and others just one.

Add the issue of access to lounges , doubt I will pay jan2023, and will pay for entry myself or travel business.

[thom]

Same for me; no fee in Jan 22 but paid the prior 2 years (they were my first so bonus points offset). Having never used the lounge benefit hard to justify if I have to pay next year without additional benefits!

[iamfugly]

Does anyone have any recent experience of closing the card account and having the annual fee returned (no transactions since fee charged)? Or indeed any experience of successfully asking for the fee to be waived?
I have a May anniversary, I tried calling Premier customer service and neither of these requests was accepted.

If you have successfully closed the account and had a return of fee do you know if there is anything in the T&C’s to confirm the application of this theory; that if the annual fee hits and there are no transactions since the fee has hit, closure of the account can result in the return of the fee?

Appreciate any input

[Fur Fox Ache]

Somehow I wasn’t aware of the hard points expiry rules on the card and just noticed on my statement that I lost some points last month, with more to lose coming soon. I don’t necessarily want to do a large transfer out but realise that this impacts building up a stash.

I’ll need to search about for good options on transfers of small amounts (unless anyone has any good options they can share?), or rethink my strategy with this card altogether…

FFA

[Luca M]

Fur Fox Ache wrote:

Somehow I wasn’t aware of the hard points expiry rules on the card and just noticed on my statement that I lost some points last month, with more to lose coming soon. I don’t necessarily want to do a large transfer out but realise that this impacts building up a stash.

I’ll need to search about for good options on transfers of small amounts (unless anyone has any good options they can share?), or rethink my strategy with this card altogether…

FFA

How old were those points? I normally swap them once a year in Aug/Sept when they run the special Avios promotion

[polly]

@ Fur Fox Ache
When you click on points, it will show you the upcoming expiry points. I usually transfer that amount only over to BAEC. And keep an eye on the next expiting lot. Waiting for a further uplift transfer to BA this summer, so hold the balance in place until then. Wish they would team up with Bonvoy or some other hotel group….

[Mexd]

The points can expire?? Where do you see this expiry date, in the app or web browser online banking? What’s the period of expiry?

[polly]

Mexd

Click on points, it will open to Rewards Summary. You will then see the next 3 expiring sets of points. My next ones are in 2024, so hope they will be in baec by then….

[sm]

If you are downgrading from the world elite card to the free premier credit card – is it the same long drawn out process as it was when I upgraded three years ago? I think my renewal is in the next week also so I’ve probably left it too late!

[polly]

SM
Yes, l think it is. It was a nightmare last time for me, 3 attempts, paper forms, went into branch eventually with forms. Someone on here said it’s still paperwork. I have to phone tomorrow think my year is up next week too, so will see what transpires. If they insist on the fee make sure there is a call saying you want to downgrade before the fee kicks in. Then they will return it once the downgrade is processed… then will wait 6 months and upgrade again, if ness.

[sm]

Ah thanks Polly! Sounds like a nightmare! It was like that for me when I upgraded! Maybe they won’t charge us like they didn’t charge me last year

[Reney]

Any updates on whether HSBC is charging the annual fee at the moment? Or willing to waive it?

[polly]

Sm,Reney

Am currently in discussions with a nice csa, who was to phone me back today re the fee. Agreed we are not getting the whole benefits from the WE, and will see what they can do.. am not giving up, but made sure l discussed the drop down as my renewal date is 25th they think! They did mention some not being charged it, so a faint hope. Not the end of the world, as am putting through high spend via curve metal atm. May or may not do the downgrade after all this spend goes through…

Re stamp duty house purchase etc. am prepaying daughter’s solicitor all fees etc with WE, she repays me via PayPal on her BAPP. Win win… Both benefit. And prepaying other daughters annual rent via WE/curve. Again, PayPal Amex repay..handy, but needs close attention to have kept it going…

[sm]

Thanks for info Polly. I phoned Monday to discuss fee and CSA (also very nice ) said they were charging fees now. Mine is due 21/5/22. Tomorrow! He said he’d send a ‘downgrade form’ by post but said if popped into branch they could print it and I could submit it to them same day. They couldn’t find said form in branch on Tuesday so couldn’t help me.
As I still hadn’t received it today I phoned them again and said it can take 5-7 days! They emailed the form to the branch. So I popped in and filled it in and they sent it up for processing.
The CSA said I would be refunded my annual fee if it was charged as I requested the downgrade before it was due. But let’s see….

[Reney]

polly wrote:

Sm,Reney

Am currently in discussions with a nice csa, who was to phone me back today re the fee. Agreed we are not getting the whole benefits from the WE, and will see what they can do.. am not giving up, but made sure l discussed the drop down as my renewal date is 25th they think! They did mention some not being charged it, so a faint hope. Not the end of the world, as am putting through high spend via curve metal atm. May or may not do the downgrade after all this spend goes through…

Re stamp duty house purchase etc. am prepaying daughter’s solicitor all fees etc with WE, she repays me via PayPal on her BAPP. Win win… Both benefit. And prepaying other daughters annual rent via WE/curve. Again, PayPal Amex repay..handy, but needs close attention to have kept it going…

Thanks Polly, would love an update when you hear back. I am due my second year bonus in June I think and want to wait for the transfer bonus but am not using this card a lot so need to do the sums to see if it is worth it to keep or just downgrade.