How to request a PC with Chase?

[Rikku]

I've never done this before, so I need some help! We've never been big CC users - I didn't use one at all for years, and DH has carried a balance on two CCs since college, which we have recently paid off. He is still skittish about using CCs, but I know that we need to keep using them regularly so DH's score doesn't get the 'No recent use of revolving credit' negative hit that I saw on mine a few years ago. We are definitely financially responsible enough to use them, we just need to make a plan so that each card gets used for something every month.

Hence my question. One of DH's CC's is a Chase Slate. We would like to keep this TD open, as it is the oldest account (1999) on both our CRs (I'm an AU on this card). The problem is that the Slate card doesn't have any rewards, so it seems like a waste to use that card when we have other cards that have rewards programs. I'd like to PC to the Chase Freedom or Sapphire. I assume DH needs to call and request it, as he is the primary cardholder. What exactly do you need to say to get a PC? If he just tells them he wants a PC, will they know what he's talking about? Or does he need to specify that he wants to keep the tradeline, but switch to a card that meets our needs better? We don't want to apply for a new card, because that doesn't solve the problem of having to keep using this old, but essentially useless card. Can someone walk me through the PC process? I also have a couple other general CC questions if anyone is up for answering!

[navyox]

I've read and heard Chase is reluctant to PC Slate to anything else.    You certainly don't want to lose an account that age, though.   It doesn't hurt to ask so I'd recommend he calls and asks if he can convert to Freedom.    If they say no.  I'd apply for something else and sock drawer the Slate and use it for either a small recurring charge like Netflix or something, or just a tank of gas every 3 or 4 months.  

[bichonmom]

My experience w/Chase (and what they told me every time I asked) is that they don't PC. They said you have to app for the card you want and then (if/when approved), you can transfer the CL from your older card to the new one and close the old one.

I suppose you could always transfer the CL from the new card to the old one and cancel the new one, as well. Still you're looking at a new and closed CC on your CRA. I pointed that out to them and they just confirmed that it would report that way, but didn't seem concerned about the negative effect on my CR. That's just their policy.

Of course, on this forum, you'll always hear about an exception, so you never know. You could call and ask CS to PC, or threaten to close your acct if they won't PC, and see what happens. But that's what Chase told me.

[parakleet]

PC is not that complicated. Just have him call chase and say that he'd like to do a product change to another card. Since you've been a long account holder, I doubt that you'll have a problem. 

[09Lexie]

The issues I have heard of are from WAMU to Chase cc's then trying to PC without luck. If you are going from an AF to AF or non AF to non AF, there shouldn't be a problem.
Also be aware of the restrictions due to the CARD Act.

[Rikku]

Thanks for the replies! I think we'll call and see what happens. He didn't actually ever apply for a Slate card, it was just a general Chase Visa for many years, and then switched to Slate a few years back - so maybe that will help. Good idea to use it for Netflix or something if we can't get the PC, though. I will let you know what happens!

My other CC question is about closing another older account, also DH's. This one is a couple years newer, probably 2001 or 2002, and is just a general Visa through a local credit union (local to where he lived at the time, not local to us now!). It also has no rewards or anything, but it's his second-oldest account. After that, he has SLs (both federal and private) from the 2005/2006 period, and car loans every 3-5 years. I know that the car loans and SLs will start aging off once they're repaid, but by the time that happens (still a few more years on the SLs), we'll have a mortgage. His credit was 766 in April, haven't pulled it since. He wants to close the old card from the CU - I'm thinking sock drawer and use periodically. If he closed it, I don't think he'd replace it with another CC, but I can add him to mine (newer, though) so he has more than one CC reporting.

[Kenny]

Why's he want to close the card so badly? If he wants to, no need to fight over it you know.. it will stay on his report for about 10 years so he'll get the benefit for his age of accounts.

Re: chase visa to slate -- I, too, don't think you'll have a problem with PCing your card. The CSR I spoke with previously was very willing to PC my card that I got from Wamu that chase transitioned to something else of which I don't remember to a Freedom card and I already had a Freedom at the time so I really don't think you will have a problem to do it to the Freedom. (The Sapphire probably not though.)

Good luck!

[Rikku]

Sounds good. We'll call this weekend and see if they will PC the Slate card! I will let you all know the outcome.

LOL, we're certainly not going to fight about closing out the old account! He wants to close it because he hasn't used CCs regularly and is skittish about them. He was raised in a family in which having open space on your credit card meant that you had extra money to spend. His parents' cards are all maxed out, and his two cards were for years until we paid them off. (He's always managed to have great credit, even with two CC near their limit, though). He has much better money management skills now, but thinks that the card should be closed so he's not tempted to use it. Would it harm his AAoA much to close it? I don't mind closing it if it isn't going to make a difference, but I don't want his CS to take a hit if we could avoid the hit by keeping the account open and using it for Netflix or something.

[09Lexie]

If OPs card was not originally issued by Chase -that's when they are generally non-eligible to PC

[Rikku]

Pretty sure it was originally issued by Chase, it just didn't have a Slate logo on it until a few years ago. Before that, it just had a Visa logo.