Ebay charge fee for failed d/d which was their fault

howsoonisnow

I'm livid! Just changed banks, new one has changed all my direct debits for me. Ebay ignored their notification and d/d bounced, leading to my account being debited with a £5 "administration charge". New bank has confirmed that they informed Ebay. I've pointed this out to Ebay but they have ignored this key point and insist the £5 charge stands. I've sent them an angry email telling them that I will not let the matter drop.

JohalaReewi

This happens a lot when direct debits get moved by "switching services".

While the new bank may have confirmed that they told Ebay, they don't have confirmation from Ebay that the new DD instruction has been taken on board. So Ebay can quite easily keep using the old DD as long as it isn't cancelled. I guess that the new bank didn't cancel the DD at the old bank so it was still active and available for Ebay to use.

Does your new bank offer to pay for bounced DD charges that arise if you use their switching service?

I would always recommend that you switch DDs yourself just to avoid this kind of situation. The new bank are not going to be as careful as you would be to prevent charges (it's not thier money).

howsoonisnow

JohalaReewi wrote:

I guess that the new bank didn't cancel the DD at the old bank so it was still active and available for Ebay to use.

Does your new bank offer to pay for bounced DD charges that arise if you use their switching service?

Thanks for your comments. I wish the new bank *hadn't* cancelled the old d/d - at least then it would have been paid out by my old bank (I still have funds in than a/c). If I cannot get ebay to see sense I will look into whether I can get the new bank to pay the cost of the bounced d/d.

The latest is that Ebay have admitted that they were contacted by my new bank to change the d/d - but they quote my old a/c no and sort code as the details that they were given. I think that this must be their mistake - I can't see the new bank giving my old account details out as the new d/d details.

JohalaReewi

howsoonisnow wrote:

... I can't see the new bank giving my old account details out as the new d/d details.

You never know. Perhaps the new bank gave both your old bank details and the new bank details to Ebay in the same letter, and Ebay had a touch of selective blindness? At least Ebay are admitting something so perhaps they can waive the fee?