HDFC offered LTF Regalia - now I am charged renewal fee after 1 year!!

292°
Deal Cadet
mo-ahmy

Hi guys!

Just wanted to know what can I do for a situation like this one. A year ago I got a call from HDFC offering me LTF Regalia, with limit of 3 lakhs! I clearly asked her if the card is LTF and she said Yes.

She explained to me about converting this card into LTF through 2 ways:
a) registering billers on SmartPay
b) buying a health policy for 1 year. :/

She even said buying a health policy is a better way to make this LTF. I wasn’t aware of DD forum back then otherwise I would have asked my query here :p sad

I bought HDFC ERGO for a year (only because I am getting a LTF CC as explained by her). I was charged 2500 + GST as renewal fee for this credit card.

This is my first CC and I am quite naive with all this.

I have spoken to HDFC on calls, on emails. Even shared with them the contact details of their executive who offered this card to me, along with a screenshot of text message where she clearly mentioned about LTF CC (as I wasn’t picking her calls earlier). Now, I am not sure if I can spend 3,00,000 in a year to get waiver on charges.

What should I do? Is there a higher escalation in HDFC? (I sent an email to their grievances alias)

Shall I use this card for this year and cancel it? Are there any other CCs available which are better and easy to manage?

Thanks!

24 Comments  |  
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Benevolent Benevolent
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Fight it out, they would refund. Go to nearest branch and submit written complaint and take ack.
Facebook, twitter – highlight your issue 2-3 times
May be a mistake I guess, but HDFC is nothing but very similar to SBI or PSU. U have to struggle.
Do not close the card, use it during offers for friends etc and recover fees.
Regalia is a good card from good bank(rewards-wise though no transparency)

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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hmm sound advise. I’ll try to keep it bro. Anyway I have payed till Sept 2021 pensive Will try to use it till I can and see what I can do. Ill go to the branch. On email they were very strict and speaking as if I have run away after taking a loan rolleyes

Deal Subedar Deal Subedar
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put a request to close the card
when callback comes, they will ask reason and mostly will credit reward points equal to fee
this is what at least they do with my axis card

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Will try this. On email they were very confident about their decision of not converting it to LTF. Im afraid if I put a close request, they will do it without even calling me laughing Will use it till next year since they already took the renewal fee sad

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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just tell them you filling a complain with RBI and submitting all proof and see how fast they would let it go

Deal Subedar Deal Subedar
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Send a mail to this email address explaining all the details.
[email protected]

I was also in the same boat but after 3 months of constant follow ups and complaints with my RM, and the credit card department they finally told me that they will make the card LTF if I register 1 bill pay and will reverse the annual fees levied. They did that after I confirmed that I have added one smart pay biller.

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Thanks a lot for sharing your experience brother.

Have sent an email to the address you gave. Let’s see.

You said they reversed your annual fee once you have registered for bill pay, right?

So that means there is still a chance to get it converted into LTF by registering bill payments? They usually ask us to register on Smartpay within 90 days of receiving the card (which I didn’t know at that time).

May be they give an exception for cases like these.

Thats some news!! Hoping for the best!

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Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Bro u can easily get more than 5k for regalia without much spends.just complete the offers sent via mail monthly.
Usually u will get 2k,3k,5k on target spends once every 3-4months.

Or you can help fellow dimers during sale time u can complete 3L with ezee

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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not able to do it brother because of corona… only making necessary/important purchases these days..

but yeah can help fellow dimers use the card during sale. (may be the great indian sale again in Jan..)

will keep this in mind. Cheers bro!

Benevolent Benevolent
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@InvestPotato

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Hi guys!

So HDFC is not willing to listen to my genuine plea!!

After visiting the branch, writing emails and constant follow ups, they reversed the renewal fee + GST but isn’t willing to convert my card into LTC.

They are parroting the same thing – “SmartPay should have been registered within 90 days”.

And I am tired of explaining that i did not even know about this condition! (I got to know about it just recent on DD!!) Moreover, the agent on phone registered me for HDFC ERGO instead, saying this will convert my card into lifetime! So I payed 3000+ …WTH!?

This is what they wrote:

_We have noted your comments expressed with regard to reversal of membership fee. We wish to clarify that your credit card was processed basis your request received at our end. We wish to inform that your credit card was processed as priced credit card with first year membership fee waived off. We also wish to inform that card can be converted to Life TIme Free if Smartpay was registered on the card within 90 days of card activation.

Further, we wish to clarify that the renewal membership fee applicable for your card account will be waived off on achieving a spend threshold of Rs.300,000.00 in the previous 12 months. Since the same was not achieved, the applicable membership fee of Rs.2500.00 plus GST has been levied to card account on August 28, 2020.

Having clarified the above, we have reversed the membership fee of Rs.2500.00 and GST Rs.450.00 as service gesture. The GST reversal will reflect only after 45 days. We also wish to informed that the current card can be continued as priced only.

Please feel free to write to us at: [email protected] for any further assistance / clarifications that you may require in this regard.

In line with our focus and commitment to Customer Service, we trust that this Grievance Redressal Cell has addressed your grievance in a fair and equitable manner and the issue has been resolved to your satisfaction. If you are not satisfied with the resolution, you may write to our Principal Nodal Officer Mr.Ripal Kiritkumar Sheth at HDFC Bank Ltd., 5th Floor, tower B, Peninsula Business Park, Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, Lower Parel (West), Mumbai 400013 or E-mail at [email protected] or Fax at 022-30788580. Alternatively you can call at Tel: 022-62841505.__

@caks2006407
@Snikeus bro, they are not listening in my case!

Deal Subedar Deal Subedar
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I don’t think they will make it LTF now.
I got the LTF card offer on mail and also have a salary account with them. Told them if they don’t honour their offer I will switch out my salary account. Maybe that’s why they made my card LTF on registration of smart pay biller.

I guess the best option would to use for one year and close it. You can try applying for another card. Check this thread

https://www.desidime.com/deals/hdfc-get-ltf-cc-...

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Helpful Helpful
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My favorite line:
In line with our focus and commitment to Customer Service, we trust that this Grievance Redressal Cell has addressed your grievance in a fair and equitable manner and the issue has been resolved to your satisfaction.

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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LMAO! :p smile

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Community Angel Community Angel
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Happened with me once they offered regalia first but not lifetime free they said card will become lifetime Free if you pay 3 smartpay bills
I registered a CHILD donation NGO and paid Rs.10 for 3 months I thought card would have become LTF but that was not the case I contacted cc their pathetic cc said ho Gaya hoga agar apne bill pay Kar Diya hai toh , it was 12th month and I got mail spend 2 lakh else annual fee would be charged and after end of the month they deducted 1000 fee and 180 GST contacted mail and twitter they were rudely replied that card is not LTF and fees is just. shooted mails to higher authorities and PGP and got refund of Rs.1000 card became lifetime free GST was also refunded upon request

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Looks like I should push them further.

Which email addresses did you write to?

I am thinking of complaining to RBI as well.

Generous Generous
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Seems hdfc is the 420 bank, they rejected my card application gone to branch and they ask me open fd or aqb account , i wonder if this there strategy for aqb/fd for people with good income desiring cc

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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Did you use your card? If you don’t use it for 3 continuous months, they charge annual fees

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