American Express Membership Rewards - Attention all UK Centurion Users

Hi,

1. I received the titanium card a couple of days ago (Member since 2007) and activated it today. I also said that I wasn't prepared to pay an increased fee. It's negotiable.

2. Would anyone be interested in helping me by organising a centurion network that promoted positive change in the world? Together we are probably quite influential - certainly more than we are on our own. Just a thought :)

Cheers, Mark

How negotiable?

How negotiable?

Down to £650 immediately. Further negotiation in May next year (when my fee is due).

From a friend, I know that the fee is negotiable if your renewal date is 45 (?) days or less from the day you get the new card, as they legally have to give you 45 days notice under the terms of your credit agreement.

I can understand the negotiable fee within the 45 day term, but I doubt it very much they will negotiate on the fee next time round.

Mine arrived this week, and my renewal isn't until November, so well well outside of 45 days, and I suspect zero chance of any negotiation with them.

They're still a business, and I still thing the fee hike is to clear out the people that really cannot afford it so they can retain the level of holders that they intended the card for.

Its actually amazing the number of people I come across who have these cards. I work in IT and was a contractor for many years, hence a fairly healthy income.. most of the fellow contractors I work with who are on similar levels of income have either got, or have been offered one in the past, so I assume one of their target markets was the higher paid IT set.

I received my tit card a few weeks ago. I finally got round to phoning Amex up yesterday and telling them that I was not interested in it and I would be carrying on with my plastic card. This seems to confuse them as it appeared to fall outside their pre-rehearsed scripts. They did not seem to be able to understand that having my SPG membership downgraded from platinum to gold, being left on hold for over half an hour the last two times I phoned the Concierge - sorry; 'Lifestyle' service and having the companion air fares reduced to a rump of third-rate and near-bankrupt (read American and Italian) airlines did not seem to me to amount to a significant enhancement of the Centurion product.

I was told that someone will call me in a few months. Presumably it will take them that long to write their script.

I exactly was wondering what happens, if you do not activate the new titanium card, but use your plastic centurion, which you might have just received ("normal renewal after 3 years in March 09, valid until 03/12).
They are claiming, that you have a 3 months trial period to experience your new tit card, but
- from when ?
-from when they sent it ? or
- from 03 / 12
They say, that they discontinue the "plastic" version.
From when ?
- From now in 3 months? or
- from 03 / 12 ?
Can they cancel your card in 06 or 07/09 (after they have charged you the annual fee) after they issued you a card just 3 months ago, valid for the next 3 years ?
hok

I exactly was wondering what happens, if you do not activate the new titanium card, but use your plastic centurion, which you might have just received ("normal renewal after 3 years in March 09, valid until 03/12).

I was told that the existing £ 650.00 product was simply ceasing to exist and that tit card is an entirely new, entirely separate product. They said that option of renewing membership with the existing Centurion product was not open to me. As I wrote previously, they said that someone would call me in a few months (my renewal date is in February and it was clear by now that they had lost the plot - I suspect literally as well as metaphorically as they seemed not to have a relevant script to hand) and at that time my options would be discussed. They mentioned Platinum to which I retorted what made them think I would stay with Amex at all if I was priced out of Centurion membership?

In truth, I am certainly not one of the high-rollers but my expenditure on the card is in five figures a year, even since I have stopped using Amex overseas because of its rip-off forex charges. That ought to have some value to them

This is interesting. In the same week I got my renewal in at £650 the TIT arrived saying £1,850. Like most people the loss of *wood Platinum made me deliberately stop using my card. I justified the fee based on the emergency service when travelling which in the past was stunning but most recently meant me hanging on a call for over 30 minutes from Ecuador to someone somewhere in the States who had no idea what to do.

I am almost slightly irked by how out of date the TIT "invitation" is.

If they hold for a year at £650 I will stay...............going to make that call. I will report back.

I could not bring myself to call before my holiday and did so today. After 4 attempts (the first three I went through to an office where I held and listened to people laughing in the background for over a minute each time) and not dialling the new "0" option (which I think is the new option to complain about the card price hike) and instead going to "2" they immediately told me the Titanium was on trial for me until next June 2010 and they would call me in May to see if I wanted to keep it.

I took the opportunity to give my feedback on the poor customer service that day, loss of *wood Plat, appalling travel concierge services and catastrophic decline in the insurance service in light of recent experiences. I also pointed out that I had drastically reduced my spend in favour of other cards.

I can't see them doing anything special to keep me here but, as ever, I remain an optimist. Maybe there is something they just have not told us yet.........

I was told that the existing £ 650.00 product was simply ceasing to exist and that tit card is an entirely new, entirely separate product. They said that option of renewing membership with the existing Centurion product was not open to me. As I wrote previously, they said that someone would call me in a few months (my renewal date is in February and it was clear by now that they had lost the plot - I suspect literally as well as metaphorically as they seemed not to have a relevant script to hand) and at that time my options would be discussed. They mentioned Platinum to which I retorted what made them think I would stay with Amex at all if I was priced out of Centurion membership?

In truth, I am certainly not one of the high-rollers but my expenditure on the card is in five figures a year, even since I have stopped using Amex overseas because of its rip-off forex charges. That ought to have some value to them

Therefore, if you want to stay with Amex you can "downgrade" to Platinum which if you have a Centurion now you get anyway. Difference is minimal I think, except for the cheaper fee. Is there anybody who is a long term user of Amex (I´ve been with them for nearly 30 years) who´s been able to use this as a means to get the Tit card at the Centurion fee?