Virgin Credit Card: balance cleared, direct debit cancelled and charged a default fee

splatt30

This has come up time and time again related to virgin.

They, for want of a better word, order the direct debit on the same day as they issue your statement.
No matter what occurs between your statement date and when the direct debit is due (ie paying off the balance in full) the wheels are already turning to collect the direct debit.
If you cancel it with the bank without telling Virgin they will still be trying to collect the money, the bank will refuse and thus the charges get made.
I'm not saying I agree with it, but it does say on the statement that the direct debit will be collected no matter what.
When you cancel a direct debit with the bank, they also tell you to instruct the collecting organization.