Cancelled the Direct Debit - Can they still take money?

oceanscape

I paid my O2 bill for this month by credit card. When I called them up to ask them not to take the amount by direct debit, they said that I needed to call my bank to cancel the Direct Debit because they would still attempt to take the payment.

I called my bank (NatWest) and had the Direct Debit cancelled. However, the woman said they might try to take the money anyway????

Can they do this? I don't want to get hit with NatWest's £38 charge for going overdrawn......which is what will happen if O2 take the DD for this month....

Thanks!

RayWolfe

The remedy is with O2. They can, of course cancel the DD if there is time. They seem not to want to. So that's who you need to persuade.

dunstonh

Can they do this?

yes they can. The request for payment can be submitted as much as 3 weeks before its due and be in the system causing it to appear in your statement as a debit and then removed by the bank as a contra entry.

I don't want to get hit with NatWest's £38 charge for going overdrawn

You wont be. You were just being warned that you may see the entry coming off if its already submitted. However, the system does check for cancellations and will bounce it as mandate cancelled and not refer to debtor which would incur the charge.

willo65

You need to cancel it at least 2 working days before it goes out so if it's due out this wednesday then cancelling today should be fine but if it's due tomorrow then today would be too late and if it bounced you would still get charged.

stclair

You have up until 15.30 on the day the DD leaves your account to cancel and recall the payment. Some people are not aware of this especially in telephone banking. Either speak to your branch or ask to be put through to lending who will cancel and recall the payment for you and you wont get charged.

The same thing happened to me the other month paid my phone bill to orange via debit card then 10 days later they still took my DD for the same amount.