[Jon9]

Amex bonvoy gives you gold status if you spend more than £15,000 a year on the credit card; so I don’t think any need for the Amex platinum card as well in your example.

[Jon9]

PIL wrote:

Premier Inn in Wilmslow is very handy at cheaper rates

Or the Premier Inn West Disdbury which if you are driving is straight down the M56 against the flow of the morning traffic. Also only a short walk to some of the restaurants on Burton Rd. the night before.

[Jon9]

Blair Waldorf Salad wrote:

Not to veer off-topic too much but I’ve foubd a European IC offering the AMB free weekend night across all days of the week. Bookibg progresses fine, no error at any stage. I’m not brave enough to rely on the booking’s validity though, nor will I be calling IHG (!!!) to check. Is this a Fight Club known issue? If so a simple yes will suffice and say no more.

I suspect I am looking at the same IC as you so would be very interested in any answer to this question. My booking is for February so I had wondered if it’s an off-season thing.

[Jon9]

HughM wrote:

Today (28 June) is the publicly announced date of termination of all IHG reward cards from Creation. Personally, I have received no notice of withdrawal of my white IHG card (the free card). No notice of closure when I log in (the closed Premium card had a note of limited functionality). I’m just wondering if this little card has slipped below the radar. Last statement dated 23 June, with 800 IHG points to be credited. Business as usual?

Have you not had any emails from IHG itself mentioning that the card is shutting and they will be extending your status into 2024?

Even as an ex Creation card holder whose card was closed by Creation, I have received several emails related to this. That you never received a letter from Creation informing you of card benefits changing doesn’t stop them from changing it.

[Jon9]

Colin MacKinnon wrote:

@LadyLondon Email from FOS this morning asking me for feedback. (Today was the latest deadline to Creation).

So checked IHG account and Free Night sitting there.

The Creation saga is over!

No email from the FOS or from Creation but my free night from my October year end has appeared in my account today as well.

That’s now my outstanding points paid out in April and my year fee was refunded by Creation in November 2020, so all resolved.

What a mess by Creation. Blowing apart their business model for no benefit.

[Jon9]

Crafty wrote:

NorthernLass wrote:

I still think I’m owed a 2nd free night – Creation withheld the one I should have had in October 2021 on my card anniversary, as well as the one I wasn’t sure I would earn by spending £10k during the closure period. But it now seems as though everyone (including my OH) is being given the certificate earned during the closure period, therefore I’m still missing my 2020-2021 one! I’ve communicated this to the FOS who have said they will follow it up with Creation.

I haven’t asked for the fee back. It was actually refunded to my card account during the closure period but I never claimed it.

I’m missing the one legitimately earned and withheld in October 2021 as well. It seems that cohort has been missed.

Accidentally missed or deliberately withheld?

My year end was also October and I wonder if Creation think that by refunding accounts fees in November they stopped us from reaching year end and so are entitled to withhold the FNC. This would be the basis on the basis of the previous FOS case JDB quoted about Creation and the FNC only becoming valid if the customer paid the next year’s account fee.

[Jon9]

Crafty wrote:

I have a further small tranche, yesterday, but still less than half of my total. And no free night in sight. So here’s hoping they haven’t reached the end of addressing the matter…

I have received all my points but no free night yet. My year end was October, so I had assumed a straight forward resolution.

Hopefully they aren’t now going to claim that as I had my £99 fee refunded in November, I never actually reached year end…

[Jon9]

Have received just under half the points owed at the time of closure but no free night voucher.

My year end was October and I had spent over £10k so not sure what Creations rationalle is.

I had indicated provisionql acceptance to FOS but time for an email withdrawing that.

[Jon9]

JDB wrote:

@Colin MacKinnon with your 28 Nov anniversary, you ought to be fine (by a matter of days!) notwithstanding the unilateral refund. I don’t see what there is to lose in accepting. For those with anniversaries a couple of weeks later, after the closure date, there’s a question mark, even if £10k spent. For those that hadn’t spent £10k but are claiming they would have done but for the unilateral closure, hmm!

The first 2 scenarios you outline probably cover 99% of the complaints to the FSO re Creation. It is surprising as part of this settlement that the FSO have not required Creation to explain what their view is on each of those conditions.

I don’t really understand what role the FSO think they are playing here. Creation could have approached me at anytime and made an offer to settle if I would withdraw my FSO complaint. They don’t need the FSOs permission.

[Jon9]

NorthernLass wrote:

I told the FOS I can’t accept an offer when I don’t even know what IS being offered and they replied that this constitutes non-acceptance and that my case will be allocated to an investigator “shortly” (I thought this was what they had actually been doing for the past 12 months, but anyway).
I think we’re going to hedge here, I will refuse and P2 will accept and we’ll see what transpires from Creation. We’re not talking about huge amounts of value here but at the end of the day I firmly believe that Creation were contractually obliged to provide benefits during the notice period following the closure notifications and clearly the FOS agrees to some extent – though to what extent exactly is difficult to gauge due to all the vagueness!

Are you expecting any more from an FOS investigation than was in the generic offer email? I didn’t think the FOS would assign any value to time taken dealing with those or as punishment to Creation.

As a data point, I’ve accepted their offer and am expecting some residual points and a FNC based on my year end being October.

The text of my FOS email indicates a 4 week timeframe for resolution.

“Your complaint about Creation Financial Services Limited

Following our discussions with Creation we’ve received enough information to start investigating your complaint.

Thank you for letting me know you accept the offer made by Creation Financial Services Limited.

I’ve asked Creation Financial Services Limited to settle the complaint directly – so I won’t do anything more unless I hear from you. This should be completed within the next four weeks.

But if you don’t hear from Creation Financial Services Limited within the next four weeks – or there are any problems – please let me know.”

[Jon9]

Perhaps I have misunderstood your post.

Amb free weekend night is only available Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, not Sunday/Monday night like you are trying to book.

Also, there is a special Amb Weekend rate, which is higher than the basic rate. It is however refundable up to 24 hrs prior.

So for Lisbon IC in November 2023, a non refundable weekend night is about £220 but the Amb rate is £265 per night.

[Jon9]

NorthernLass wrote:

I’m still showing as Diamond but under review. I’ve got the email from September congratulating me on achieving Diamond and stating all the benefits, so I’m just wondering what explanation IHG would offer for this. I imagine it would be a bit embarrassing for them to admit to an IT error on this scale.

What was your route for obtaining Diamond and getting the email please? Was it the ambassador renewal, the Diamond offer code that was generally shared or natural stays / points? Just wondering as my account showed an extension in Diamond status to the following year upon renewal of ambassador but I don’t think I received an email about it.

[Jon9]

My wife had this email on her supplementary Marriot Amex. No idea why but as she doesn’t use it via GPay very often, I’d wondered if it was an automated process.

[Jon9]

I’ve done the bus and train option before, absolutely fine although a bit of walking and going up and down stairs / escalators. Depends on how much luggage you have and age composition of your group as to how practical and obviously not nearly as fast a journey as the taxi.

If you are in Boston for any length of time it might be worth getting the $22.50 7 day subway/bus pass which you can buy at the airport.

[Jon9]

Blair Waldorf Salad wrote:

How long are annual fee refunds taking to credit to people’s bank accounts? Or other method of refund? My statement was produced about 6 days ago

My year end was 23rd Oct and was charged my fee then. It was then refunded 24th Nov without me having complained / communicated to Creation in any way.

As far as I am aware that was the point when anyone else being refunded was. I haven’t heard of anyone receiving a refund due to a complaint and it appears only people with year ends from Aug to Nov were refunded.

[Jon9]

JDB wrote:

@EwanG – as above, the terms you have published are Barclaycard terms; Creation provided new terms when they took over the IHG cards in 2017. I am not sure what further amendments there were subsequently, but those need to be take into account as well. Also, don’t forget the full IHG Rewards terms that were incorporated then, still are and thus form part of the overall agreement with Creation.

The IHG T&Cs will reference how IHG run their overall points scheme not how Creation award points. Those terms and conditions give IHG the right to adjust point deposits, not anyone else.