Halifax Clarity Card-O% fees etc.

zerog

lisyloo wrote: »

If you have safe access to the internet then you can send a faster payment as soon as you have withdrawn the money and pay zero interest.

Of course whether you want to spend time on the internet when you are on holiday is up to you, the interest is often cheaper than a cup of coffee.
Also be aware of internet charges. In some hotels the charges for using the internet are more than the interest. Cruise ships are extortionate but then I guess it's often via satellite, so bear that in mind.

As long as you ONLY use that card for cash withdrawals. If you also use it for purchases, then you may be paying off the purchases.

lisyloo

As long as you ONLY use that card for cash withdrawals. If you also use it for purchases, then you may be paying off the purchases.

You could just pay it all off?
But I agree, you have to look out for that.

I either clear it in full or sometimes (if I'm on a cruise ship and internet is extortionate) then just chill and pay a couple of quid on return.
It's usually much less than a single cup of coffee.

zagfles

jago25_98 wrote: »

This isn't how it was worded on the ATM's I used. I always read the warning. I will have to take a picture. It says "Your card issuer may charge you..." when in fact Halifax don't charge and it is the ATM that charges.

Many people see the Halifax Clarity no cash fee possibilty in the UK and the no fee abroad and put the 2 together. This needs to be clearer - yes you get no fee POS charges abroad, yes you get the possiblilty of no/low cash advance fees but I don't think it's possible to get no fee cash advance abroad because ATMS will always (I think) charge you, because it is a credit card, unlike in the UK.

Definitely wrong. If the ATM says "your card issuer may charge you" that means with the Clarity there is no charge (other than interest which as above is trivial).

The things to watch out for are if the ATM itself charges, or if they try to pull DCC (ie ask if you want to billed in GBP - say no!!).

In Germany once the ATM displayed a list of charges at the side, which I thought meant the ATM itself would charge - and was expecting a charge - but there was no charge. So think that must be the fee for that particular bank's credit card cash advances.

I've made loads of cash withdrawals on the Clarity all over Europe and never once been charged anything other than interest, and always got the MasterCard rate (which is practically interbank).

guesswho2000

jago25_98 wrote: »

This isn't how it was worded on the ATM's I used. I always read the warning. I will have to take a picture. It says "Your card issuer may charge you..." when in fact Halifax don't charge and it is the ATM that charges.

Many people see the Halifax Clarity no cash fee possibilty in the UK and the no fee abroad and put the 2 together. This needs to be clearer - yes you get no fee POS charges abroad, yes you get the possiblilty of no/low cash advance fees but I don't think it's possible to get no fee cash advance abroad because ATMS will always (I think) charge you, because it is a credit card, unlike in the UK.

I also get that message, UK or abroad, whenever I insert a credit card into an ATM, it's standard, Halifax Clarity or otherwise, in my experience, even when changing PIN.

However, I have used my Clarity card in probably 20 countries across the world and never (except Thailand) been charged an ATM fee, and in Thailand I was fully aware of it, as the ATM declared the fact each time.

You may be calculating it based on wrong exchange rates and getting an inaccurate figure; Halifax Clarity uses the MC rate on the day the transaction is posted to the account - if this figure has changed, it can appear you've been overcharged (especially with the way £ has been losing ground lately) - this isn't helped by the fact that Halifax don't show you the exchange rate applied or the base currency online (though they do on the statement).

KTF

Pre loading might be against the t&c but there is no problem doing it if you want to. They certainly dont seem to monitor it.

Sometimes they even do it themselves by applying the £5 'reward' after the balance has been cleared.

KTF

jago25_98 wrote: »

but I don't think it's possible to get no fee cash advance abroad because ATMS will always (I think) charge you, because it is a credit card, unlike in the UK.

Wrong. My Clarity card statements prove this is not the case.

jennifernil

We have been using our Clarity cards to withdraw cash at ATMs in several european countries since the card was launched, we have never been charged a fee.

js474

2 points:

1. You CAN pre-load the card - I've done it twice. I called them before I did it the first time and was advised it was ok so long as it's 00's and not 000's as that would raise suspicions re money laundering
2. I used this card last year & this year, both times in Egyptian ATM's and have never been charged

Hope this helps.

janetivor

We took out a Halifax Clarity card to travel to India last month. When we checked our online statement the last transaction was 24th March 2013. Knowing we had made another purchase and wanting to pay it off we called by phone as the statement wasn't up to date. We transferred several hundred pounds on 31st March. Today, 5th April, our online account has still not been updated from 24th march and our payment does not show. I have called them twice this week, the first call took 27 minutes and they said they would credit me with £24 for the inconvenience which has now been 'lost' in their system and they are going to now send that and also the costs of my 23 minute call to them today. They are certainly not on the ball or up to date! They say they can see the transactions on THEIR screen - so why can't I see it online 2 weeks after???? They response was that if I needed to see any details that weren't available online, I could phone them. From Singapore I suggested??? Yes. they said and they would call me back!!! Absolutely dreadful customer service!!