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As above, I have received a letter from amex that this will take effect from February next year, the fee will be paid from the second year in 2026, probably to soften the blow of the increase from £50 to £195.
I have had the card since 1998 and it is all I need for my small business, I might decide to cancel and transfer the points to my platinum card unless some kind of retention bonus is added to the my MR account.
Is Amex moving Green cardholders directly to the Gold card? (£195 is the fee for the Gold business card (which is free in the first year, which you also describe here))
Yes, this is the text from first page.
Important Changes to the Green Business Charge Card – Notice of Variation We’re writing to let you know about important changes to your card agreement and the benefits you receive that will take effect from 17 February 2025. Following a review of our charge cards, we have taken a decision to discontinue your existing card and switch you to our UK American Express®
Business Gold Charge Card. We understand this change is unexpected, however we’re moving you to a card with enhanced features which we hope you will benefit from, and you will still be rewarded on your spending through
Membership Rewards® points, more information is below. The switch will be automatic, so you will not need to take any action. The card agreement applicable to your new card will be the same as the agreement associated with your existing card except for the
changes set out in this letter.
Change to your annual cardmembership fee
Your annual cardmembership fee will increase from £50 to £195 in your second year with the new UK American Express® Business Gold Charge Card, with the first year free. The new fee will take effect on the statement following 17 February 2026, and will be charged to your card account
annually. Your monthly card statements display the “Next Cardmembership Fee Date”. If your existing card has a cardmembership fee that has been paid, this will be refunded to your account on a pro-rata basis on the date we switch you to your new card. This means you will get a refund for any days which you have already paid for, but for which you no longer have the previous
card.
Supplementary cardmembers
Your new card product allows up to 20 supplementary cards, all of which are complimentary.As above, I have received a letter from amex that this will take effect from February next year, the fee will be paid from the second year in 2026, probably to soften the blow of the increase from £50 to £195.
I have had the card since 1998 and it is all I need for my small business, I might decide to cancel and transfer the points to my platinum card unless some kind of retention bonus is added to the my MR account.
Then the ‘free first year’ bit is not to soften the blow – that’s just how gold card works.
Try it in the first year, see how you like it, hopefully get a retention as you say, stay with Amex and pay the £195 if you want or maybe leave and have a look at a card like Capital on Tap – or fully downgrade to the Amex blue card (but no points or other benefits).
Personally, I don’t know how Amex can promote “Nominate/Champion small business” on the one hand, and take away entry level cards like the green card that small businesses owners like yourself can utilise – but that’s big-business, I guess!
Makes one wonder if they’ll do the same with the personal Green charge card too. Hopefully not.
@Skywalker – if you are an actual, even very small business owner rather than someone who has sold a couple of things on eBay, Amex reps will cut you all sorts of incredibly generous deals on cards, merchant fees, point of sale kit etc.
@Skywalker – if you are an actual, even very small business owner rather than someone who has sold a couple of things on eBay, Amex reps will cut you all sorts of incredibly generous deals on cards, merchant fees, point of sale kit etc.
That’s cool – generous deals on cards like what – do you have any examples?
@Skywalker – It obviously wouldn’t be appropriate to provide details, but if you have a genuine interest, call them and you might be pleasantly surprised what they offer after meeting you.
In the last financial year we put trough the card just under £25000, I will try it for one year and I might try for a retention bonus before I decide to cancel or not and see how I get on.
As above, I have received a letter from amex that this will take effect from February next year, the fee will be paid from the second year in 2026, probably to soften the blow of the increase from £50 to £195.
I have had the card since 1998 and it is all I need for my small business, I might decide to cancel and transfer the points to my platinum card unless some kind of retention bonus is added to the my MR account.
Then the ‘free first year’ bit is not to soften the blow – that’s just how gold card works.
Try it in the first year, see how you like it, hopefully get a retention as you say, stay with Amex and pay the £195 if you want or maybe leave and have a look at a card like Capital on Tap – or fully downgrade to the Amex blue card (but no points or other benefits).
Personally, I don’t know how Amex can promote “Nominate/Champion small business” on the one hand, and take away entry level cards like the green card that small businesses owners like yourself can utilise – but that’s big-business, I guess!
Makes one wonder if they’ll do the same with the personal Green charge card too. Hopefully not.
Without the extended warranty, I’m not sure it is worth keeping …
@Skywalker – It obviously wouldn’t be appropriate to provide details, but if you have a genuine interest, call them and you might be pleasantly surprised what they offer after meeting you.
I see – thanks for the tip! 🙂
@Viaggiare – maybe contact Amex as per @JDB’s comments – maybe they will offer some decent deals.Makes one wonder if they’ll do the same with the personal Green charge card too. Hopefully not.
Without the extended warranty, I’m not sure it is worth keeping …
Yes, but when they announced the extended warranty was going I contacted them via chat and I’m currently enjoying double MR points for 3 months to offset the £60 annual fee. Get that every year then it still makes the card worth keeping.
I wish Amex would bring back the ICC for new applicants – when I spoke with them, they said they were reviewing the product a couple of years ago, but nothing, sadly.
I understand the Platinum version of the ICC card is available via private banking, but nothing about it’s other products except to overseas customers.
@Skywalker – if you are an actual, even very small business owner rather than someone who has sold a couple of things on eBay, Amex reps will cut you all sorts of incredibly generous deals on cards, merchant fees, point of sale kit etc.
That’s cool – generous deals on cards like what – do you have any examples?
It obviously wouldn’t be appropriate to provide details, but if you have a genuine interest, call them and you might be pleasantly surprised what they offer after meeting you.
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