Aqua Reward Credit Card - 3% cashback up to £100/...

[Uplink]

Originally Posted by luci

I got a letter a couple of weeks ago saying my credit limit was going to be increased within 40 days of the date of the letter, which would have been Xmas Eve. I called them up to confirm the date and they said they would apply it with immediate effect.

OH didn't get a letter so called them. They said not everyone gets an increase and he hadn't been using the card for 6 months yet. He has actually been using it for a month longer than me, has practically the same spend on it and pays it the same way, ie usually before the statement is issued. I know because I pay both accounts

What are the spending patterns on the two cards? Who's card is paying the household bills? Any one of you having debts? How about individual bills, like mobile phones? Any card constantly near the limit? How about constantly having a low balance? Is any of the cards used a lot more, and paid early so it can be used again before the DD is taken?

I'm interesting the broad picture for my own statistical purposes. I wonder what makes them give someone an unsolicited increase early on, but reject another one.

[DragonQ]

My next payment date still says 26/11/2012, and my amount left to spend hasn't been updated to reflect my direct debit payment. >_>

[luci]

Originally Posted by Uplink

What are the spending patterns on the two cards? Who's card is paying the household bills? Any one of you having debts? How about individual bills, like mobile phones? Any card constantly near the limit? How about constantly having a low balance? Is any of the cards used a lot more, and paid early so it can be used again before the DD is taken?

I'm interesting the broad picture for my own statistical purposes. I wonder what makes them give someone an unsolicited increase early on, but reject another one.

Both cards operated pretty much identical. We used OH's one for the first month then I started using mine. Both used for online spend, restaurants, shopping, both been used abroad. They are used as if they were 2 cards on the same account even though they are separate.

Neither of us have debts, not used to pay mobile phone bills. OH's card was within £31 of the limit and mine £36, but both paid off with a manual payment next day. Same amount of manual payments.

There is £300 difference total spend on each card between two, but they were practically the same when I was offered the increase.

No rhyme nor reason for one being offered and the other not. Just strange that mine has been used for a month less.

[Uplink]

Originally Posted by DragonQ

My next payment date still says 26/11/2012, and my amount left to spend hasn't been updated to reflect my direct debit payment. >_>

Did the direct debit get credited on your online statement though? If yes, then it just adds to my "staple" theory.

Mine was debited from my current account and credited to my credit card on 3/12/2012 (in this case it was my bank who failed to show the DD as pending in the days prior).

Call them up. Or, if you can wait a while longer, write them a secure message (same site with the online statement) so to see if they respond with "call this number", like they did when I contacted them about Aqua Secure.

[Uplink]

Originally Posted by luci

No rhyme nor reason for one being offered and the other not. Just strange that mine has been used for a month less.

Right... I'll see my "staple" theory and raise myself a "lottery" theory. Feels like these letters are drawn out of a hat. If this is the case, I'm crossing my fingers for one myself

[luci]

Applied via the website for an increase on OH's account and received the following response today

Unfortunately I have been unable to increase your Credit Limit on this occasion. We routinely review credit limits every 6 months and provided there has been a clear payment history in that time, an increase may be granted.

I had only been using mine for 3 months when I got an automatic increase.

[iaintw]

You have to wait six months and they can write a letter to you with a increase Credit limited
You also pay them in on time
not any problems with late payment charges
dont apply a increase or they can tell you about the increase credit limit
They routed your limited by 6 months time after you paid them on time etc.
this is the credit cards companies do.

[dominiquereynolds]

Started using Aqua in August and up tp £75.43 cash back earnt so far :-)

I asked for an Increase as I need to watch that I do not go over. Have ben making extra debit card payments to make sure I stay under the £500 limit. I also asked for an increase but states you have to be 6 months.

Also thinking about getting one in wifes name so we can earn more :-)

[blitzboy]

Originally Posted by dominiquereynolds

Started using Aqua in August and up tp £75.43 cash back earnt so far :-)

I asked for an Increase as I need to watch that I do not go over. Have ben making extra debit card payments to make sure I stay under the £500 limit. I also asked for an increase but states you have to be 6 months.

Also thinking about getting one in wifes name so we can earn more :-)

Definitely get your wife earning it too if you spend enough. We both have this card and are both over half way there already, after 4 months. We have also already received a 100% credit limit increase (after 3 and a half months)

[gener8or]

Big mess up this month, been away and forgot to transfer the required funds for the Direct debit in time.
Missed it by 1 day and had a £12 fee, made an immediate faster payement the next day.

Rang aqua and they said no worries we can see your faster payment and refunded the £12 without even asking.

Asked them if it will affect my cashback, she said no, lets wait for the statement

[sammyz1]

I got a letter for a credit limit increase. I wouldn't say I'm a big spender. I have a limit of £250 and because my direct debit is set on the 20th of every month, it's really a case of first month £250 spent, 2nd month, maybe £50 and Third month, £200. I really need to ring them and move my DD date but haven't been bothered. Hoping with the credit limit increase, I can catch up on cashback. Am now wondering if it's ben 40 days since the letter has arrived?...

Also someone before my mentioned Page 45/45 about going over. I messed up my sums once and only had £30 left on credit and was buying...something. Short story transaction was denied. They didn't let me go over, thank god.

[blitzboy]

Originally Posted by sammyz1

I got a letter for a credit limit increase. I wouldn't say I'm a big spender. I have a limit of £250 and because my direct debit is set on the 20th of every month, it's really a case of first month £250 spent, 2nd month, maybe £50 and Third month, £200. I really need to ring them and move my DD date but haven't been bothered. Hoping with the credit limit increase, I can catch up on cashback. Am now wondering if it's ben 40 days since the letter has arrived?...

Also someone before my mentioned Page 45/45 about going over. I messed up my sums once and only had £30 left on credit and was buying...something. Short story transaction was denied. They didn't let me go over, thank god.

You can just make extra payments via their website or via your bank.

My credit limit was only £250 to start with but I spent way more than that each month.

e.g. Pay £70 for fuel on Aqua card. Wait a few days for it to show on Aqua online. Pay £70 via faster payment. £250 available again

[Gromitt]

Originally Posted by blitzboy

e.g. Pay £70 for fuel on Aqua card. Wait a few days for it to show on Aqua online. Pay £70 via faster payment. £250 available again

I don't even wait that long. Spent £70 on fuel, and then that night transferred that amount over. Next day my available balance is back to normal.

[DragonQ]

Yeah you don't need to wait until it appears on the statement. I would wait until the "available to spend" amount gets updated though, which can take anywhere from 5 minutes to a few hours.

[boobbby]

Originally Posted by Gromitt

I don't even wait that long. Spent £70 on fuel, and then that night transferred that amount over. Next day my available balance is back to normal.

Yes!! I do it like that all the time in fact usually transfer a few pounds more than needed so I can buy smaller items withough having to top up. Faster payments usually means my available balance is up to the maximum (or just over) after just a 1 hour

[aleph_0]

I was wondering if many people had experience with requesting credit limit increases. More precisely, do they request income details, or is it the case of just entering the requested amount and waiting for a response?

I can't decide whether to request an increase, or wait and see if a magic letter comes.

[boobbby]

Originally Posted by aleph_0

I was wondering if many people had experience with requesting credit limit increases. More precisely, do they request income details, or is it the case of just entering the requested amount and waiting for a response?

I can't decide whether to request an increase, or wait and see if a magic letter comes.

I requested an increase and they told me to wait until I had been a card holder for 6 months.

[sammyz1]

Originally Posted by blitzboy

You can just make extra payments via their website or via your bank.

My credit limit was only £250 to start with but I spent way more than that each month.

e.g. Pay £70 for fuel on Aqua card. Wait a few days for it to show on Aqua online. Pay £70 via faster payment. £250 available again

This is my very first credit card and not sure of the 'do and don't'.

I read on the review centre that AQUA charged a couple of it's customers interest if they paid there balance early. I don't know if that's true but it made me a bit cautious.

[aleph_0]

Originally Posted by sammyz1

This is my very first credit card and not sure of the 'do and don't'.

I read on the review centre that AQUA charged a couple of it's customers interest if they paid there balance early. I don't know if that's true but it made me a bit cautious.

They don't (well, if they have done, no-one on here has had it happen, and it would be against their terms).

One area where people do make mistakes is when they are carrying a balance (i.e. not paying off in full), and then not paying the minimum payment on the statement. E.g. statement at end of month, they make a big payment on 30th, payment comes in before statement is generated, statement requests minimum payment by 14th, customer doesn't make minimum payment, then complains because the paid 'early', in their eyes, rather than made another payment to the previous statement, which is what really happened.

But anyone who is not paying off the aqua card in full is doing it wrong.

[Uplink]

Originally Posted by sammyz1

I read on the review centre that AQUA charged a couple of it's customers interest if they paid there balance early. I don't know if that's true but it made me a bit cautious.

Err... link please? Charge interest for early repayment? If that's true, it's a huge bullet point in my "staple" theory, and I'll upgrade the title "staple gun and sellotape", and puts their standard CC services into a time before computers were invented, and I'll be downgrading THEIR credit score in my personal Credit Provider Rating Agency Sticky Note so I avoid them in the future (not that it's not on a downwards trend anyway).