Natwest - d/ds coming off on 1st Sept

bathgatebuyer

Dear all - just checked my online account and I have 3 d/ds coming off tomorrow which I've planned for. These total £104 and I have £109 in my account. When I checked today, Paypal fees totalling £6 came off on 28th leaving me short for tomorrow.

So, at what point in the day do direct debits leave an account? I'd hoped to be able to go up to the branch and pay in the few pounds needed to allow these to come off without incurring charges.

Would be grateful if anyone knows the answer - the branch is a bit of a trek away so don't want to make the journey and end up finding that it's too late.

Cheers in advance

Mark7799

The direct debits are earmarked to be leaving tomorrow. The money to cdover should be in your account by the end of the previous working day. Why not call up and ask if you can have an overdraft limit to cover you?

bathgatebuyer

Hi - thanks. It's only a Step account unfortunately so no overdraft at all for me I'm afraid just a Solo card which costs £6.95 a month for the pleasure.

Blasted Paypal! I thought I'd covered everything to make sure I would be ok for this part of the month (I get paid mid-month)

ALIBOBSY

We have a step account, hubby a couple of months ago switched some petrol and forgot to tell me. Because it didn't clear straight away (bizzarrly took 4 days!!!!) I checked the account and thought I could draw some money out for food. This pushed us overdrawn for one day, but a cheque to pay into the account was pending which more than covered it. I expected a charge but didn't get one. Pleasently suprised by natwest. Perhaps because we have never gone overdrawn before on this account (over 2 yrs open) they let us off because the cheque was pending?

Worth a ring in the morning, if they say yes when you go in to pay in mention it again to ensure they check no charges added.

Good luck

ali x

bathgatebuyer

I've checked again and the fees which have come off on the 28th were not Paypal fees but the charge for having the Natwest account - so if it wasn't for this charge, it would all be ok!

I'll try my best at the branch tomorrow morning. Thankfully I work flexi-time so can go in a little bit later once this is sorted.

(Sleepless night ahead - thinking about money all the time has been a real source of panic attacks for me over the yers and even 'little' things like this can drive me crazy).

[Deleted User]

Why are you paying £6.95, do you use the benefits this brings or not?

CG19a

I have had this problem with Natwest before too. As long as you pay the money into your account by 2.30pm on the day that the dd is leaving your account, you won't be charged. Try your best to make it to the bank tomorrow morning and you can hopefully get it sorted.

The overdraft option won't work as Natwest overdrafts always take effect the next working day, so it won't go on in time to stop you getting a charge.

chambta

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

We have a step account, hubby a couple of months ago switched some petrol and forgot to tell me. Because it didn't clear straight away (bizzarrly took 4 days!!!!) I checked the account and thought I could draw some money out for food. This pushed us overdrawn for one day, but a cheque to pay into the account was pending which more than covered it. I expected a charge but didn't get one. Pleasently suprised by natwest. Perhaps because we have never gone overdrawn before on this account (over 2 yrs open) they let us off because the cheque was pending?

Worth a ring in the morning, if they say yes when you go in to pay in mention it again to ensure they check no charges added.

Good luck

ali x

You didn't get charged because in theory the account can't go overdrawn and so the monthly service charge of £28 payable on full current accounts won't apply. The only charges on a Step or RBS Key would be unpaid charges.

chambta

CG19a wrote: »

I have had this problem with Natwest before too. As long as you pay the money into your account by 2.30pm on the day that the dd is leaving your account, you won't be charged. Try your best to make it to the bank tomorrow morning and you can hopefully get it sorted.

The overdraft option won't work as Natwest overdrafts always take effect the next working day, so it won't go on in time to stop you getting a charge.

That's not true. It would prevent charges.

bathgatebuyer

Cheers everyone. Went to the branch just before lunchtime and was told that I should be ok as the money was in on time. To be on the safe sidem they suggested that money should be in the account before 12.30 just to be certain that the d/ds are met.

Looks like I've been lucky this time.

And, the £6.95 a month fee was a surprise to me as I thought the account was free! I do use the Green Flag recovery option through Advantage Blue, but none of the other benefits. I've set up a meeting on Friday with an Advisor to see what he other options are (i.e. they try and sell me financial products!)

[Deleted User]

I would cancel the £6.95 extras that you pay, because if you are only using one of the 'benefits' then you are definately not benefiting!

By all means see what they say on friday, but I would be tempted to cancel the added option anyway and look elsewhere, like you say, they will only try and tell you that you do need it and try and make you fork out for life insurance, travel insurance, etc etc.

Also, by removing the £6.95 option, you don't have to think about it going out each month and you save yourself £83.40/year! I'm sure you can get breakdown for at least half that price! x