Direct debits

tadalafil

I set up two direct debits two weeks ago (Sunday 07/04/13) which are still not showing on my bank account. They are both with charities and I set them up for the sole purpose of transferring my account to First Direct (before 30th April to get the £125 switching bonus).
From the confirmation page of the direct debits it showed that the first payment dates would be 15/05/13 and 05/06/13. Will the direct debits not show up in my bank account until the first payment has been taken? It's just that I was expecting them to be shown a little sooner and would hate to miss the 30th April deadline of switching to First Direct...

dzug1

It could depend on how the charity handles it - I've experienced both on my (admittedly not FD) bank account - the DD appearing fairly quickly and not appearing until a payment was claimed months later

alanq

From personal experience, Direct Debits only show up with NatWest once the first payment has been taken. I have been told that Barclay's does likewise.

On the other hand I found that First Direct online banking displays Direct Debits before any payment has been taken.

tadalafil

alanq wrote: »

From personal experience, Direct Debits only show up with NatWest once the first payment has been taken. I have been told that Barclay's does likewise.

On the other hand I found that First Direct online banking displays Direct Debits before any payment has been taken.

My current account is with Natwest.

Do I go ahead with the switch to First Direct now and risk having no current "active" direct debits to switch?

YorkshireBoy

Why are you messing around with direct debits when standing orders will do?

Just set up a couple of standing orders (to your own accounts or, if you haven't any savings accounts or other current accounts, to those of your family).

Hominu

tadalafil wrote: »

Do I go ahead with the switch to First Direct now and risk having no current "active" direct debits to switch?

I think you misread the T&Cs:

(transferring at least two Direct Debits and/or standing orders)

I'd cancel those DDs, setup some SOs and transfer.

mulronie

Bear in mind charities will be paying up to 40p to process a Direct Debit, so make sure it's worth their while if you insist on using a charity to "get around" the terms and conditions of any particular bank.