A cashback card with no compromises (Halifax Platinum Credit Cards)

Member Name: pgevans

Product:	Halifax Platinum Credit Cards
Date:	03/05/01 (693 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 1% cashback, paper statements, good interest free period, good web site

Disadvantages: No partners giving even higher cashback

Although I was able to get a Platinum card from Halifax, my comments are applicable to all Halifax cashback cards - indeed I'm not even sure what added benefits the Platinum card gives.

My requirements are (in order):

1) Card with no fee
2) Cashback (NOT points for toasters!)
3) Paper statements
4) Good website, with as near to realtime updates as possible (AMEX are the best at this).
5) Good customer service - although preferably I'd rather have no reason to call!
6) A decent interest-free period

I've already had a rant at the inadequacies of the egg card, and I'd already tried the A&L card, which has reduced the benefits available. I was prepared to put up with egg until I found another provider offering 1% cashback, and I found it at Halifax.

I'm a newish customer to the card and have had it since the start of 2001. Application through the net was painless, but the paper application form took a while to arrive and the card was also a little slow too. You'll have to suffer pictures of the Halifax staff who have been doing those awful ads recently - do they only employ tone-deaf people with weight problems (maybe I should apply...)?

An irritation was that for some reason you are unable to use the website facilities you have reached until your first statement date. For this reason, I kept my use of the card to a minimum in the first month, but luckily it is worth the wait.

The website isn't a 'hey-wow' experience, but is clean, simple and easy to use. You have access to recent transactions, your current statement and the 2 previous before that.

The only other facilities are a useful account summary, a 'contact' form and the facility to make payments using Switch/Delta cards (currently out of action).

Overall it is a clean, functional site which does exactly what you want. Thank heavens for that!

With Halifax, you still get
paper statements, which are necessary for record keeping and for checking your bills (you do do that, don't you?).

You get around 21 days after your statement date to pay your bill.

Not sure yet how the cashback refund works - I'll try to update when I know.

Customer service have been fine when I have contacted them, with phone wait time reasonable.

One problem I have had was trying an online purchase (from British Airways) which failed with my Halifax card. I went through OK on my egg card. I have made one subsequent online purchase with the card, so this may be an isolated incident.

All in all, a card that give me everything I want, although even more cashback would be welcome!

Summary: