Confirmation of fees free charity cards

HGLTsuperstar

Said before and probably will again, Guide Dogs no fee (and very nice limit). When you call to do BT mention getting online banking password, they actually asked me before I mentioned it

gwynleg

First time of writing - would love some advice. I have been accepted for a Mencap Platinum card but the credit card agreement says there will be a 2% balance transfer fee. I have phoned 3 times and spoke to three different people (including new applications people) - they all say there is a fee and that maybe the terms have changed since Martin put this on site! They say that a number of the other cards (NSPCC, Harley D, etc) dont have a fee.
I dont want to sign the forms agreeing to the fee, but am also doubtful about cancelling and applying for one of the other HBOS cards as a) they may not accept it, and b) it seems others have had problems with these too.
any advice gratefully received

grumbler

gwynleg wrote:

...for a Mencap Platinum card ...the credit card agreement says there will be a 2% balance transfer fee. ... maybe the terms have changed since Martin put this on site!

Well, online I see exactly the same T&C and Summary Box as quoted in my post #35 here. Are your copies different from these?

gingercordial

mary wrote:

3. Condition 5 is not listed on this paper, but it is on the copy of the Terms and Conditions which I keep and it says (5.2) under General Credit Card
Conditions. We may charge a handling fee of 2% for balance transfers and cheques offered at special promotional rates other than a special promotional rate you received when your account was opened. In English this means?

In English, this means:

They will charge a BT fee UNLESS it is a BT under the special 0% introductory period you get on opening your account. So if you are doing it under the 0% offer, there is no fee. Do not let them tell you otherwise.

mary wrote:

So, balance transfer fee or not in my Tx and Cs?

No fee, though you may have to argue for it!

gingercordial

pwl wrote:

I have received but not activated my Macmillan card for the following reason.

I applied for a Macmillan platinum 0% form 9 months card via the charitycard link on MSE.

I noticed in clause 2.2 of the Credit Card Agreement, sent with the card, that the minimum repayment is stated as 3%, as opposed to the 2% quoted in the agreement I signed up to online at the time of application and as still quoted online.

I raised this point with Bank of Scotland, who have taken 2 weeks to come back to say that 3% is correct and that the website conditions are wrong and that they will be writing to all cardholders.

Has anyone else experienced this? Surely, BoS have to honour the 2% figure? Or maybe not?

I hadn't noticed this before (slapping myself on the wrist for not checking) but yes, my first statement says I'm repaying 3% per month. I've just rechecked the applications site and it says 2%. I have most definitely not been contacted to state this explicitly, though of course it was down to me to check.

It doesn't bother me that much as it just means I'll have to make some purchases on it to keep my stoozepot topped up but I imagine this could make things very difficult for those managing debt with this card.

Although I had no problem with the BT fee issue!

Littlemiss-lotsofdebt

I read their Terms & Conditions thoroughly and also noticed it mentioned a balance transfer fee and called to query this. I was told there is definitely no fee during the promotional period. Obviously, if I decide to keep the card after 9 months and balance transfer again (which I won't!) they will charge me the fee listed in the T&C.

Hope this helps.
xx

not_so_clever

Alan_N wrote:

I had a similar experience as thejhw, again with the harley card. I applied for the card on Tuesday (11/04) night, and received the T&C on Thursday (13/04). Strange letter telling me the "Harley Davidson Card" was no longer available BUT "we can offer you the Harley Davidson Card" . Had it not been for that I wouldn't have read the paperwork. The wording of the fee in section 5.2 is to say the least vague. "we may charge a handling fee" and it continues "other than a special promotional rate" What does that mean ???

I checked the website.. It has been changed since I applied so I called them. I was told that there would be a 2% fee capped at £50. I was told that the zero fee offer was only from sites not owned by HBOS and had not been updated. I assured them to the contrary. Bottom line I insisted the team leader checked with the press office which she has promised to do and call me back next Tuesday (18/04) after the bank holiday... I'll let you know how I make out...

Hi,

Confused about the Harley D card - any updates since Alan N's post? I applied on line on 20th April, via MSE link, but the link is no longer there! Is th H-D card now off the list all together?

not so clever

Alan_N_3

Well HBOS never did get back to me. I didn't see the point in talking to anyone at the customer support centre again as clearly they don't actually know about these products. I decided to sign the paperwork and send it back for the card anyway. I anticipate being charged the BT fee when I use it, but then I'll argue the case again. I'm guessing based on the history of these cards it shouldn't be too difficult to get the charge removed. But it looks to be a lost cause trying to get confirmation that there won't be a fee.

Alan N :rolleyes:

colinw

Got my Scouts card today. Activated the card and did a BT for £6500 to Egg, the nice girl confirmed no BT fee payable. One happy camper! :j

not_so_clever

Got the Harley-D paperwork today & called 0800 032 1371 to check on the Transfer Fee quesion. Helpful chap asked me to read back clause 5.2 on my T&Cs ("We may charge a handling fee of 2% (at least £2) for balance transfers and cheques offered at special promotional rates other than a special promotional rate you received when your account was opened"). He confirmed that on the latest information that he had (10days old!?) this meant that there would be no fee on transfers during the promotional period. Final details would be confirmed when a transfer was made.

Sounds positive but heavily caveated!

Fingers crossed!

not so clever