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Halifax Clarity Card - T&Cs change means no longer free to use?
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JLOFRO
Forumite 3 posts
I've just had a letter from Halifax announcing T&C changes, and buried deep within the accompanying leaflet is a note saying that they are adding a non-sterling transaction fee to purchases and cash transactions made abroad. You have to flick from the covering letter to the booklet and then be referred onto table B5 to find that info but it does seem to be a fundamental change in the proposition, given I only have this card as it was exchange fee free for purchases and withdrawals abroad. Wondering if this is the conclusion others draw or whether I've read the material wrong? Thanks!
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I'll study it further but I doubt they would remove the current fee free facility without stating it in the main document.
The new T&Cs don't come into force until the 27th February 2020, so the website won't have been updated yet. The new T&Cs are in the letter and accompanying leaflet, sent to cardholders.
The T&Cs for foreign usage are not changing, so the OP has nothing to worry about and has no need to close their account.
In many scenarios it is actually a loss leader for them. In the past there were quite a few similar product when burst. A few to name Nationwide debit card, Loots, Metro has changed from worldwide to EU only for free non sterling transaction and cash withdrawal. Monzo has changed their T&C to restrict the amount of cash you could withdraw and the number of withdrawals.
But Halifax Clarity is one of halifax iconic credit card that and widely known one of the earliest CC to introduce no fee for foreign cash withdrawal, so it has become on their icon. They might want to sustain that small losses in exchange of maintaining their market leading position.
I believe the one sent was not specifically refer to Clarity Card but general Halifax clarity card. Shall they inted to stop that perks, they would have stopped people to apply the new one.
On balance, I think it's still a cost effective way to pay holiday and currency bills? But it's ironic that they call it a "Clarity Card"!
Maybe they've never heard of the Plain English Campaign or Crystal Mark for written communication;
http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/services/crystal-mark.html
I'm thinking that guide is a generic publication which covers all Halifax credit cards - however the covering letter clause A5 overrides that specifically, and exclusively, in respect of the Clarity card.
In which case there would be no non sterling transaction fee scenarios.
That's how I read it - other opinions may differ.
PS - should this not be in the credit card forum ? :question:
The specific clause in T&C does not apply to Halifax Clarity. So we could still enjoy the fee free cash withdrawal in foreign currency.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=76724853#post76724853
What also confused me was that it had a 3% fee for "promotional" balance transfers and cash withdrawls, but 0% for "non-promotional" transfers, making me briefly think "great, unlimited free balance transfers as long as there is NOT a promotion!" until my temporary brain fog cleared and I realised that the non-promo transfers would need to be paid off in full on the next months bill! :doh:
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