Duff info from MSE weekly email cost me £13

Geoggy

I am so please I took Martin's advice to change my Setanta subscription from Credit Card to Direct Debit. (http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips/10-06-2009/ )

Having read a weekly email that DD would offer more protection than Credit Card, I called Setanta to change to DD.

Lo and behold they take my first DD 22nd June (of £12.99 - should have been £3.33 as that's the discount they offerred me not to cancel), they then went bust the next day.

Their website now states;

Customer Payment Queries

Will I receive a refund for what I have already paid?

Payments by credit card:
Where the payments were for amounts less than the Consumer Credit Act s75 threshold (£100), chargebacks may still be possible and it may be worth contacting your card issuer to establish your position.

For payments made by Direct Debit:
Unfortunately those who have paid by Direct Debit will be unsecured creditors of Setanta, and Setanta is unable to make any refunds. The Direct Debit Indemnity scheme exists to protect consumers against errors in the collection system, and does not provide the same protection as credit cards.


Well thanks a lot Martin!

Just goes to show that even money Saving experts can be wrong.

:mad:

System

advice is just that , advice, it was up to you to act on it or not . its no different than everyone blaming martin for the icelandic bank fiasco no one held a gun to your head.

custardy

its says chargebacks may still be possible
so how do you know it would?

dmg24

CHRISSYG wrote: »

advice is just that , advice, it was up to you to act on it or not . its no different than everyone blaming martin for the icelandic bank fiasco no one held a gun to your head.

Subscribers who have payments automatically taken by credit or debit card should immediately call the broadcaster and switch to direct debit payments if they still want the service.

To be fair to the OP, the 'news' story does come across as pretty authoritative, and those that do not have experience of what tripe these stories can sometimes be could be easily misled.

It is difficult to reconcile the phrases 'moneysaving expert' and the site disclaimer.

This website is based on journalistic research. It does not constitute financial advice. Any information should be considered in regard to specific circumstances. All tips are followed at your own risk and should be followed up with your own research.

Dave101t

i dont have a single direct debit, never have, never will. you loosen your grip on your finances and it all spiralls

staffie1

Dave101t wrote: »

i dont have a single direct debit, never have, never will. you loosen your grip on your finances and it all spiralls

Seriously, Dave? How do you go on with utilities, mortgage, etc? Don't they insist you pay by DD?

MothballsWallet

Dave probably pays those with cakes and biccies...

Kit603

To be fair, my dad is actually having problem with Setanta even having paid by Credit Card. They took a payment from him AFTER they stopped showing the channels, and will not refund it. Credit Card issuer (major bank) have said there's nothing they can do.

hollydays

Dave101t wrote: »

i dont have a single direct debit, never have, never will. you loosen your grip on your finances and it all spiralls

The only other person I know who says this keeps their money under the mattress-seriously!!

BFG_2

Dave101t wrote: »

i dont have a single direct debit, never have, never will. you loosen your grip on your finances and it all spiralls

This is possibly because you don't understand direct debits??????

They are much more convenient than other options.

There is a DD guarantee as well, so no issues with errors.

As an example - I have a DD set-up to take the full amount on my credit cards every month; this way I never forget 'to send the cheque' or 'be too busy to sort it out' or 'was away on hols' - so I never pay any interest.

Similarly I don't have to write 15 cheques every month, and post them.

I'm puzzled as to how anyhone could think that DDs were in some way the wrok of the devil or the start of a slippery slope to complete financial melt-down....lol

oldone_2

staffie1 wrote: »

Seriously, Dave? How do you go on with utilities, mortgage, etc? Don't they insist you pay by DD?

There are such things as standing orders. I use these where there is a fixed amount to pay.Where the amount is variable, I use internet banking to transfer amounts as and when.

I once had a monthly mortgage direct debit taken out four times in one month. All sorted out eventually, but I have better things to do than worry about things like this.

On the last day of the month, I log on to my bank account, and schedule all the payments for the coming month, for the days they are due (making allowances for delay in transfering the money). Once you get into the routine it is easy, and you are in complete control of your money.