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Just to confirm the Martin Lewis article about banks being able to provide Direct Debits and Standing orders lists at the branch; NatWest can provide this and they can also provide the date that the payment was first set up. If this helps you to find out what it is for or when it started then all the better. Still reading the article.
I have not worked for NatWest Bank since February 2009
Totally agree with Martin on the Recurring card payment thing. IT IS EVIL(sorry I mean UGLY). Pain in the backside and cancelling the card will NOT stop the payment.
I have not worked for NatWest Bank since February 2009
Great article Martin and one that I hope a lot of people read. When you sit down and take 10 minutes or so of you day and find out that maybe there is two DD'd to curry's for example for £5.99 and one to Policy Admin Services/allianz cornhill for mobile phone insurance at £5.99 a pop, that is almost £200 a year you are paying out when it could be a waste of money.
I have not worked for NatWest Bank since February 2009
Here is a little secret that should and prevent your new credit or debit card from being charged. Tell the bank that you want the card hot listed or hot carded. This way the merchant can not know the new number. This should work no matter what country your card is issued in. If they refused. Call back and report your card lost. A customer service rep told me that if you report the card lost or stolen. No company (except the bank) can access the new number. Stolen is some countries you will need a police report.
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Hot marked cards do stop the payments - you just have to tell the bank that you lost the card but you're not sure where - anyone could have it. They'll hot mark it and issue another with a new PIN and this will stop the payments.
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Martin said this a.m. on TV that it was adult entertainment etc that these charges were occurring, he was right I have a monthly 'order' with the LOTTERY . I tried to cancel it and save some money and was told I cannot till 2009.
Hi i start a new job in two weeks however i'm a struggling to pay my regular direct debits for energy bills etc as well as standing order for my rent. Is there a way to pay these bills by credit card rather than straight out of my account until i get paid? Martin says this is so in his article but doesn't say how? I know an overdraft would be the obvious answer but mine is small and won't cover my rent payment which goes out just before i start work.
Last edited by Amberowl; 11-03-2008 at 4:05 PM..
Reason: Addition
Hi i start a new job in two weeks however i'm a struggling to pay my regular direct debits for energy bills etc as well as standing order for my rent. Is there a way to pay these bills by credit card rather than straight out of my account until i get paid? Martin says this is so in his article but doesn't say how? I know an overdraft would be the obvious answer but mine is small and won't cover my rent payment which goes out just before i start work.
Hi Amberowl
I won't go into the dangers of using credits cards to pay for energy bills and rent, all I'll say is be careful!
I don't know of any energy suppliers or landlords that will take credit card payments.
However, the Egg Money card allows you to pay cash from the card to your current account, and as long as you pay the card off in full each month there is no charge. This is the only card that allows you to do this. Take a look at Martin's article on 'Stoozing'. I know you aren't doing this - but it will give the the details.
I won't go into the dangers of using credits cards to pay for energy bills and rent, all I'll say is be careful!
I don't know of any energy suppliers or landlords that will take credit card payments.
However, the Egg Money card allows you to pay cash from the card to your current account, and as long as you pay the card off in full each month there is no charge. This is the only card that allows you to do this. Take a look at Martin's article on 'Stoozing'. I know you aren't doing this - but it will give the the details.
I don't know about rent, but I've been paying my gas & electric bills with a credit card (not on direct debit, just as 'one-off' quarterly payments) and had no problems. I'm with EDF energy and on the statement where it says you can pay by debit card (switch, delta, solo) I simply phone the number it says and tell them I want to make a card payment - they don't ask if it's a credit card or a debit card, I just give them the details and voila payment accepted. Don't know if this works with other energy providers, but it certainly does with EDF energy. I use my Goldfish or M&S card, thus collecting Goldfish or M&S points.
With reference to reporting your card lost or stolen, I too have heard that this is a way of stopping the card forever.
I have read it as such on forums about eBay and PayPal, where there's not much comeback for the card holder. Just report it lost or stolen; that should kill it stone dead.
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Just thought I'd add a bit re the quarterly payments of TV license. If you are paying quarterly you pay in arrears. (or at least we are and were told it is the norm) If you then opt to go onto the monthly payment plan where you are paying up to date you will have to find the difference before they will let you transfer. Be sure you query this if you do decide to change, as we asked only to be told it will come off in the initial DD which may cause financial hardship to some people, charges etc. Please check before you change to monthly DD as the small saving might cost you more.
HTH someone,
MrsB.
Came here to say the same thing. When you report the card stolen it cannot be used anymore and you get a brand new credit card number. It's a last resort option if talking to the company doesn't work - I was having trouble cancelling with Lovefilm and found it easier to go down that route. They emailed me a couple of times but they left me alone after that.
Standing orders - when setting up a standing order, you also need to be aware that YOU are responsible for cancelling it, e.g. for rent payments - when you move, make sure you cancel the standing order instruction to the landlord [or set it up just for the fixed period of your lease] or the bank will continue to make payments from your account.
The so-called Direct Debit "guarantee" - when I moved house several years ago, I opted to pay Council Tax by Direct Debit. The council debited my bank account for my Council Tax and then again for someone else's. When I complained to the bank [Lloyds TSB] saying this was a mistake they REFUSED to refund the money. I then had to chase the council directly myself for about six weeks before they would repay me. At first, the council even refused to admit that they had debited my account in error - apparently "it couldn't happen"! Beware that banks may try to evade their responsibilities under the Direct Debit Guarantee.
Hi i start a new job in two weeks however i'm a struggling to pay my regular direct debits for energy bills etc as well as standing order for my rent. Is there a way to pay these bills by credit card rather than straight out of my account until i get paid? Martin says this is so in his article but doesn't say how? I know an overdraft would be the obvious answer but mine is small and won't cover my rent payment which goes out just before i start work.
Why not just change the date these charges are paid?
Contact your fuel companies and change the date to a few days after payday (although it might be too late for this month). Also look at what you're paying - are your fuel bills much in advance? If so, ask for the money back! If just a bit, ask for the DD to be reduced as well.
As for your rent, ask the bank to change the standing order by a few days. Once this payment has been made, you can change it back again. As to whether you're up front with your landlord and say the rent will be a few days late or blame it on a "bank error", is up to you!
I really wish I had read this article two days ago! That's when I set up a 18185 account to reduce the cost of landline to mobile phone calls. The payment mothod was DD from a debit card and I can't remember seeing an option for setting up a DD from a bank account. Does this mean I have set up one of these dreaded recurring payments?
On another note, watch out if you buy 12 month subsription software (i.e. antivirus) . Some of these authomatically renew your subscription, even if you dont want to renew it.
Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps. Take care over copyright. Use excerpts and links rather than copying long text. This site asserts copyright on all comments posted on the board.
Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps.
Direct Debit D-Day Article Discussion
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