Recurring Payments Warning! discussion

Optimist

cepheus wrote: »

A serious problem with these card payments is they don't show up on your on-line banking so you are probably unaware until the merchant contacts you again (or if they do).

Would it be reasonable to include the scheduled debit card payments on-line or would the bank say it is nothing to do with us?

I have just realised my debit card details such as the number has changed since the last payment, does this mean the continuous authority will not work without my permission? This of course causes problems for the ones you do wish to continue.

I do not believe the bank will know about your arrangement with the retailer until they get the demand from them for money.

The bank will still process the payment even if you have changed your number.

charlysays85

cepheus wrote: »

They inform me that the Nat-West cancellation number for continuous payment authorities (debit card) is 0845 3660391

This is true, that's the number I've got on speed-dial as I am going through the CPA complaint/refund process at the moment but Natwest are making it VERY difficult!

As I was getting nowhere at all, I have gone through the Ombudsman, who confirmed I have been right (since Feb 27th when I first asked for the recurring payments to be cancelled).

I just got off the phone to yet another customer services representative who says they can't cancel the payments as they are not recurring, thye are just card payments.

Can someone help please as I am pretty sure they are talking rubbish!! I argued it's my bank account, my money and I should be allowed to cancel (quoting FSA guidleines).

Huge thanks in advance for any hel/replies.

Laura

savagej

The bank does know that payments are CPA's

It is good to see at least one is now issuing a cancellation phone number, although i imagine some people will probably still disagree with it.

I would if I worked in a bank and had previously been doing something manually now done by automation, possibly putting me out of a job would not be happening.

They should be re-deployed given this has been in place since Nov 2009 and they only choose to do something now because a few people caught onto the law.

jamesd

charlysays85 if you're getting nowhere via the phone it's time for a letter. Be sure to include the date of your first cancellation request to NatWest and ask for a refund of all payments made since that date as well as a cancellation using your rights under the Payment Services Regulations. Ask them, if they decline, to include a statement that it is a final result and details of your right to take the matter to the FOS, which you will do because the law and the precedents are clear on this matter.

zombieslayer25

I have a question please.

I have a bad credit history so wanted to check my credit rating. I tried Experian, but as I checked with them a few years ago they still had my details and I had to log in. I have no idea what these were so I looked around at other credit report companies. I have just moved and most of them said that there were difficulties finding me, but a company called Give Me Credit managed to show me a credit report. This report says I have never had credit ever, when I know I have and it isnt a good sight. Anyway they are due to take their first payment on 17 June, but I dont want them to. I have contacted them over a week ago through their website telling them I wanted to deactivate my account. I have not heard anything yet. I am worried that they are going to ignore any requests to cancel my account and try to take my money. I have said I will try to sort this again towards the end of this week (give them time with the bank holiday), but I would like a plan just in case.

Firstly as they have not taken payment from me as yet, is this classed as a CPA? ie if I cancelled my card saying it was lost will the bank be able to put this first payment through as none have gone through as yet
Secondly, as I previously mentioned I do have a bad credit history which has led to me having a basic account. There is no overdraft facility and it is impossible for me to go overdrawn, so what if I dont have any money in that account when Give Me Credit try to take money off me?

thriftyspender

Here's a company using recurring payments for it's vehicle breakdown service. If you want to avoid this obnoxious tactic, they will charge an additional £5 admin fee. Cheeky B******s!!:mad:

olay47

Marks and Spencer say that the FSA info giving a customer the right to cancel directly with them (and not the company taking the payment) does not apply to them as they are not a bank. Is this correct?

Dr_Cuckoo3

olay47 wrote: »

Marks and Spencer say that the FSA info giving a customer the right to cancel directly with them (and not the company taking the payment) does not apply to them as they are not a bank. Is this correct?

Marks and Spencer Financial Services plc is a bank :think:

Mooseman999

I'm currently in an email argument with first direct about CPAs, as I was having trouble getting through to equifax to cancel a CPA.

I've told First Direct the law, and even sent them a weblink to the BBC website pointing out that they have a legal responsibility to cancel CPAs upon request, but they are still arguing.

They have cancelled a particular payment, but seem to deny they have to do this.

Looks like the banks still haven't learned their legal duties.

BucksBass

Argh! I discovered some strange debits on my account (Yeah I know I should check more often). I looked through my emails to see where any signup details might be and tried to log into various sites that looked like they might be the culprits but to no avail. I called my bank and they agreed this might be fraud so cancelled the payment. Well done The Co-operative bank! I finally tracked down who it was www . forces-war-records.co.uk and it turned out that I'd somehow managed to mangle my email address when signing up so they never sent me written confirmation as required under the DSR. They keep pointing to their web site T&C's but I keep refering them to the DSR requirement for the informnation to be provided in a durable medium and the OFTs interpretation that a web site is not a durable medium but an email is.

I was doing some research on my fathers war history around November/December 2011 and I recall buying one piece of information but I wouldn't have signed up to a continuous payment.

I've disputed with them that they have a duty of care to ensure that they gather correct information but they have decided to ignore this and are now pursuing me for fraud in cancelling the payment without telling them!

Any advice?

Forgot to mention: Their web site only has a single box for email address on signup and doesn't verify the address. I've pointed this out to them but they haven't fixed it and maintain that it's my fault for not entering the details correctly :-( I've pointed out that this doesn't follow industry best practice of asking the user to repeat information and verifying via a link in an email. They've conveniently not commented on this aspect. They refuse to communicate via email preferring to use a web based chat system which means they have all the records of the conversations and I have none.

Update: Their web site doesn't have an email address and they give a PO Box address. Both of these are in contravention of The Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 regulation 6. I requested that they provide me with an email address to communicate with them as per the regulations. Lets see what happens.