Unoffical Existing Customer Balance Transfers

scott_lithgows

Tesco 18 months 0% for 3 % fee

purplelemon

Just called my cards:

Barclaycard
3 offers (could pick one):

• Permanent account interest rate reduction: From 29.9% to 23.9%
• Reduce interest rate from 29.9% to 9.9% for 2 years, current balance only.
• 0% for 12 months on future purchases

Tesco Bank
Interest: No offers “at the moment”, “try next month”.
Balance Transfers: 0% to 30th April 2016. 2.99% fee.

NatWest MasterCard
No current offers for either interest rate or balance transfers.

NatWest Business MasterCard
Must speak to account manager for interest changes.
Don't do blanace transfers.

damianx

Hiya all-followed advice on this site and rang Barclaycard with a view to having interest reduced. I thought it was going to be like pulling teeth but the advisor was v. good and dropped interest from 24% to 9% for two years at the drop of a hat.
Thanks v. much for the heads up Martin-I'm impressed.

LearnedTheHardWay

1. First Direct - I have a Gold Card which I had originally opened to take advantage of a balance transfer deal they were offering. The balance was down to about 20% of the card limit, and when I logged in to my account a couple of weeks ago a banner offered me another balance transfer deal of 0% for 18 months for a 2.9% fee.

2. Barclaycard - I've had the Freedom Rewards version of this card for about a year, and they just offered me 0% on balance transfers until May 2016 for a 1.9% fee.

3. Nationwide - I have their Select credit card which came with 0% on new purchases - that period just ended and now when I login they are offering me 7.9% on balance transfers until 31st August 2016, for a 0% fee. Not the best deal, for sure, but thought others might like to know!

4. Tesco - I got one of their 0% for 18 months on new purchases cards so I could use it for fuel and groceries and collect the extra clubcard points (which, incidentally, have been worth £100's when boosted!). Anyway, the 0% on new purchases deal is about to end, so I'm about to pay off the £4.5k balance - once I've done that, it will be interesting to see what they bait me with - I will update my entry here once they make me an offer

rev_henry

Just cancelled my old Lloyds Duo Amex card (the old one without the annual fee) and was offered 24 months 0% balance transfer. No use to me, but may be of use to someone!

Jendawes

Thanks heaps MSE! Barclaycard took my and my husband's existing balances and froze them with a new interest rate of 6.9% for 2 years! New purchases will still be at the current 18.9%, and repayments will be made against those first, but it means we can be paying off the balances instead of just covering the interest!

bigadaj

Jendawes wrote: »

Thanks heaps MSE! Barclaycard took my and my husband's existing balances and froze them with a new interest rate of 6.9% for 2 years! New purchases will still be at the current 18.9%, and repayments will be made against those first, but it means we can be paying off the balances instead of just covering the interest!

Why continue to use the cards for purchases at that rate, pay on another card and clear by statement date for no charge or potentially pay with debit card.

Danii27

Can anyone help me with where I may be going wrong with this. Tried HSBC twice now in attempt to get my interest rate reduced and they are having none of it! Been told that it is not impossible to cut existing rates and would have to apply for a new card?? Mentioned to them that I've read online that this is possible but they are just not budging!

Candyapple

Danii27 wrote: »

Can anyone help me with where I may be going wrong with this. Tried HSBC twice now in attempt to get my interest rate reduced and they are having none of it! Been told that it is not impossible to cut existing rates and would have to apply for a new card?? Mentioned to them that I've read online that this is possible but they are just not budging!

Only certain card providers are willing to reduce their APRs and even then, it's not a guarantee that they will. From personal experience and also numerous threads on here, Barclaycard is one of the providers. HSBC are known to be quite a strict lender and so I would imagine that they wouldn't reduce APRs. As they have stated, you should either apply for a new 0% balance transfer card elsewhere, move the balance over from your HSBC and close it, vote with your feet so to speak. Otherwise you have no choice except to continue paying whatever interest rate HSBC currently have your card on.

UncleDes

We've got a Virgin Money card with a zero balance. Would like to use it as it has a decent credit limit, but last offer expired 30/09. No new offer since. Customer rep says that new offers come out every couple of months. Should we sit tight and do nothing. Or would using the card for a few payments trigger an offer? Appreciate your thoughts.