no fee balance transfers?

rainbow_carnage

I have a Halifax card that had a 0% offer on purchases for 18 months. That offer is about to expire in January. I have a £3,300 balance on it. I could pay it off if I had to, but that would require cashing out an ISA. I'm reluctant to do that, but if it means avoiding paying interest on the debt, then I will.

I've been trying to find a 0% interest card that I could move the debt to, even for a few months. Every card I've looked at seems to have a transfer fee. I know times are tough, but are there any cards that don't? I have a decent enough credit history and no other debts in my name.

I've looked at Martin's article about this, and he mentions the Abbey card. But when I click on the link, it says there is a fee. Am I not looking at the right card? Or has the offer expired?

YorkshireBoy

There are now only two 0% fee-free BT cards left...Ulster Bank Gold (6 months) & ICICI (3 months)...

http://www.stoozing.com/0fees.php

Another option may be the M&S card and it's Sterling travellers cheque loophole (effective 1% fee for 10 months 0%).

antuk

There is one more thats not listed on the stoozing site, AMEX Blue Sky Card, 0% BTs for 6 months. The website does not state that there is a fee or in the T&Cs, they are also listed on another comparison site as being fee free.

Hope that helps!

Ant

NickX

antuk wrote: »

There is one more thats not listed on the stoozing site, AMEX Blue Sky Card, 0% BTs for 6 months. The website does not state that there is a fee or in the T&Cs, they are also listed on another comparison site as being fee free.

Hi antuk,

Thanks for mentioning this one, I've just had a good look at the Terms and Conditions and there is a clause :

7.8 We may charge a handling fee in relation to Balance Transfers of up to 3% of the balance transferred

http://www.americanexpress.com/uk/bluesky/pdfs/Blue_Sky_Unex_TandCs.pdf

Does anyone know if they enforce this 3% fee or whether it is a fee free card ? Thanks

antuk

Hmm, i don't remember seeing that clause before, nothing stated in the summary.

Although its not very clear by that if they WILL charge or not, the following sites state its fee free:

http://www.moneyfacts.co.uk/money/cards/carddetails.aspx?moneyfactsid=CARDS000970
http://www.money.co.uk/credit-cards/credit-card-details/American-Express/Blue-Sky-Credit-Card.htm

Sorry for any confusion!!

NickX

antuk wrote: »

Sorry for any confusion!!

No need to apologise, it is good that you have mentioned it actually.

I am going to make enquiries on this as I am always in the market for a free Balance Transfer and I will post back the outcome.

Cheers.

YorkshireBoy

NickX wrote: »

I am going to make enquiries on this...

If you check out the main features page it states 0% for 6 months on "goods and services". Now to me they're purchases, not BT's.

Anyway, I rang them for clarification a couple of weeks ago, and they said the summary box was wrong, ie it was showing 0% for 6 months on BT's where it should have been showing 0% for 6 months on purchases.

They also said Amex don't do introductory offers on BT's, although they may offer them to existing customers occasionally. CSA also pointed me to condition 7.8 (but I'd already read it ) and said any fee would be notified when such offers were made.

BTW, the Moneyfacts link that 'antuk' posted doesn't mention 0% on BT's, only purchases. Seems to back up what I've been told?

NickX

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

If you check out the main features page it states 0% for 6 months on "goods and services". Now to me they're purchases, not BT's.

Anyway, I rang them for clarification a couple of weeks ago, and they said the summary box was wrong, ie it was showing 0% for 6 months on BT's where it should have been showing 0% for 6 months on purchases.

Thanks YorkshireBoy, good info. As ever, you are one step ahead of me

NickX

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

If you check out the main features page it states 0% for 6 months on "goods and services". Now to me they're purchases, not BT's.

Just called them and your dead right. No Balance Transfer offer on new cards.

Crossed off the list now, onwards and upwards as ever.

antuk

Think they've changed this one, i applied before i posted this and although when i got sent the card it said purchases offer on it, when i called up was told no its a BT card, but again they wanted to charge a fee

clio

The new cap 1 card is bt fee free . not 0% apr though it's 8.5 till 2012