Direct Debit Cancelled but British Gas Still Taking Payments.

System

CKhalvashi wrote: »

That's still not cast iron evidence. If they've admitted it, ask them how they wish to resolve the issue. £20 for your time sounds reasonable, as you've lost nothing. Remember to report this to the DWP.

I don't mean to appear blunt here, I seem to be hitting head + brick wall stage. I've tried to offer reasonable and practical advice, and I'm being treated as though I know nothing. Whilst I have not looked over your case in great detail, I am actually good outside the forum of sorting these sorts of problems out.

Now BG have cancelled the Direct Debit, it should remain cancelled. If it doesn't, fire the letter before action off, otherwise, as I mentioned, £20 seems reasonable to me. I've always cancelled over the phone, and never had a problem.

CK

Well I have got this problem and it certainly not my fault. As I told you I have never given my bank details to anyone except the companies I pay my bills to. So what do you mean when you say a third party's got my bank details?

As I have not had this problem before May 2013 when I set up my Direct debit with British Gas. Before that I never had a problem.

So this third party you speak of could that that other customer that British gas told me about. British gas say it's their mistake as the customer service adviser set up a direct debit for another British gas customer with my bank details by mistake.

Yes I am worried that British gas could have given my bank details to this other customer even though they say they haven't. but then if this other person had my bank details there would be a lot more than £60 missing,wouldn't there.

My bank said all those payments were taken from British Gas. So we know it's them. And there is nothing the DSS or DWP can do as this is an error with British gas.

But if I went to CAB, trading standards or a lawyer then they could talk to British gas on my behalf and warn then to stop it.Or threaten to take British gas to court if they continue doing this to me.That could work as a threat of court is as good as a promise they say.

CKhalvashi

So it was a human error, which was rectified within a few weeks.

Call them, get them to confirm it's rectified in writing, ask for £20, report said £20 to DWP (as it's earnings), job done.

BG would be more than reasonable IMO if this was the resolution.

With an account number and sort code, no fraudster could use this for financial gain very easily, as they would need your card details, address, possibly name and date of birth to take any money. All they can do is deposit money into the account.

Threatening to take legal action isn't going to be the best move at the moment, as nothing I can see here can easily be done fraudulently on the account. Check it every few days for the next 6-8 weeks (not ever minute, just whenever you get time), to make sure everything is in check, and I'm sure you'll be fine.

CK

Wywth

annbarbs wrote: »

Hi folks. I have a problems that's been going on for nearly 2 months now. The story is this. I set up a direct debit for the first time with British Gas for my gas and electric. The monthly payment plan was £20 month electric. due on 1st of each month and £40 gas by direct debit on 7th. First DD to be taken in May then once every month there after.

To my horror I found out from my bank that a double or duplicate payment of both my gas and electric had been set up by mistake by British Gas. The bank also told me that I had been set up for 4 direct debits instead of 2 which it should have been. And that B Gas had taken a double payment of £20 on 1st may. So I told my bank and they refunded me the £20. My bank also cancelled the duplicate direct debits.

Then on 7th May I found B gas had taken £ 60 out of my account instead of £40.my bank refunded that as well. So then I decided to stop all direct debits with British gas and told both my bank and British gas on the phone,and in writing that I don't want any more direct debits. I told then to stop my DD on 7th of May.

British gas told me they cancelled my direct debits and told me they put me back on paper billing by cash starting on 10 June and sent me 2 magnetic paypoint cards.

Then today,this morning I find out from my bank that British gas have set up another direct debit on 28th May and have taken out £60,all without my consent or knowledge as I told B Gas no more direct debits.I want to pay by cash only. So I told my bank and they have now refunded me the £60.

The problem is that I have made a complain but B Gas deny they set up or took duplicate payments from my bank account. The situation is this-the bank knows and can see B Gas took double payments but B gas say they didn't when they did.

I have now found out this afternoon that the payment nos for my both my gas and electric are not even mine. so British gas have in fact set up another customers direct debits using my bank details. As my bank gave me the payent or gas and electric account numbers and they are NOT my gas and electric account,they are that of another British gas customer. So I was and am in fact paying someone elses utility bill!

So i phoned B gas back gave them the payment nos and B Gas confirmed that one of their customer services advisers set up another British gas customers direct debit using MY bank account details.

British gas say they have now deleted my bank details from their database but I don't believe them. As they told me on 7th May that they have canceled all my direct debits bit they still took payments despite my confirm in writing and B gas telling me and witing to me that all direct debits from them have been canceled.

Worse still my bank told me that because B gas have got my bank details they can still set up a direct debit again if they want to. Although I have made it clear to both my bank and B gas that I don't want any more direct debits from British Gas.

What do i do now as i feel my bank account is not safe because British Gas told me they cancel my D and I am back on a cash payment plan. Yet they still took £60 direct debit which they in they set up under another customers account by mistake from my bank account. It seems that British Gas say one thing but do another. Now I am worried sick that they are going to steal more money from my account.

How can i make it stop as i told my bank I don't want no more direct debits from British Gas and told British Gas the same thing. Britsh gas say I am not on a direct debit anymore but they still took £60 direct debit on 28th May.Which my bank refunded to me. But now i am worried British Gas will do it again. And my bank say there's no way to stop them because B Gas have my bank details.

So what now?

I've not bothered to read your whole post, but would just remind you that you are fully covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee regarding any incorrect DD collections.

Make a claim direct to your bank for a full and immediate refund of any payments you believe were incorrectly taken

System

Yes my bank has already refunded me the money for all direct debits that were wrongly taken, including the £61 taken on 28th May which is now back in my bank account.

But the problem is that British Gas made this mistake and I have never had any problem with any other company I pay my bills to.

I hope they are telling the truth when they say they have deleted my bank details from their system. As I said before it seems that British Gas say one thing and do another.

I mean, how can British Gas be so stupid, as to set up another customers gas and electric account with my bank details?

It does not happen in any other company I know. Just shows you what idiots they are. I hate them.

undaunted

Have you considered going elsewhere then?

Other than closing your bank account, which you've said you don't want to do I can only agree with the above suggestions of writing to BG & your bank with your instructions to cancel all DDI in favour of BG and ensure no more are set up thereafter.

As was also suggested you could ask for some token gesture of goodwill but beytond that what more do you want to happen?

System

undaunted wrote: »

Have you considered going elsewhere then?

Other than closing your bank account, which you've said you don't want to do I can only agree with the above suggestions of writing to BG & your bank with your instructions to cancel all DDI in favour of BG and ensure no more are set up thereafter.

As was also suggested you could ask for some token gesture of goodwill but beytond that what more do you want to happen?

Yes of course I want to get rid of British Gas as my energy supplier. And yes I have written to the billing dept of British Gas and told them no more direct debits,I don't want. I have also told British Gas as well as write that I don't want any more direct debits.

And I also told my bank no more direct debits from British Gas. I told them all this last month on 7th May. I have been set up on a cash payment plan and British Gas have even sent me conformation I will be paying by cash. They have also sent me my magnetic paypoint card to pay by cash at the pay point.

But despite all of this they still set me up again for a direct debit on 28th May and took £61 out of my account all against my wishes.And all after being told by me,several time that I don't want any more direct debits from British Gas.

But those payments were not even being credited to my gas or electric account. They were going into some else's gas and electric account account and so I was paying someone else's bill. Because British Gas set up a direct debit for another customer using my bank details by mistake.

So now I am worried in case British Gas have not deleted my bank details from their system. As if they have not they can still set up more direct debits and take money out of my account. But I have not consented to any of this.

As though British Gas say they have deleted my bank details. How do I know? What if they have not or maybe they are still on that other customers account?

Wywth

annbarbs wrote: »

Yes my bank has already refunded me the money for all direct debits that were wrongly taken, including the £61 taken on 28th May which is now back in my bank account.

But the problem is that British Gas made this mistake and I have never had any problem with any other company I pay my bills to.

I hope they are telling the truth when they say they have deleted my bank details from their system. As I said before it seems that British Gas say one thing and do another.

I mean, how can British Gas be so stupid, as to set up another customers gas and electric account with my bank details?

It does not happen in any other company I know. Just shows you what idiots they are. I hate them.

The issue is that the whole DD scheme today essentially works on trust (which is why you have the DD Guarantee to keep your mind at rest)

In the early days, your signed application would need to be passed to your bank before the bank would set up the mandate. Nowadays it's all done electronically, but the Originator (in this case British Gas) need to have on their own records an authority to create each mandate; if they don't they will find themselves in deep water and ultimately their bank sponsor can withdraw their ability to use the DD Scheme if they find they repeatedly operate outside of the rules.

The Direct Debit scheme is essentially very safe (despite it working on trust), and even when the odd originator does act in an unathorised way, then it makes headline news!
e.g. the recent story about the company that used to operate the Tiny Computers additional warranty
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22659352

System

Well at least my bank have given me my money back,that's the good news.

But this whole thing is causing me mental stress. As I have to keep watching my bank account, and worrying about what British Gas are going to take out of my account next-without my consent.

Because I have made it clear to them and my bank that I don't want anymore direct debits. But British Gas took set up and took them anyway.Also my bank told me they will keep on refunding me the money but they cannot stop British Gas setting up more direct debits because British gas have got my bank details. So it's a vicious circle.

I keep on telling both my bank and British Gas no more direct debits but British Gas keep on doing it. And when I tell my bank they tell me they can only refund my money an cancel existing direct debits. but they cannot stop British gas setting them up. I have to take it up with them(British Gas.)

Well I already have "taken it up with them" as the bank calls it. I keep on telling British Gas no more direct debits. But they keep on setting them up against my wishes and are taking my money. I think it's disgusting and I need someone to intervene and stop British Gas from doing it. As keep telling them NO, but they are doing it anyway.

Wywth

You keep making claims against your bank, and I'm sure your bank will soon be asking the originators sponsor some questions

Or tell the bank you plan to close your account and take your banking business elsewhere if they can't protect others having unauthorised access to your funds.;)

System

Well I have just got off the phone from British Gas just now. The complaints manager has told me that they have deleted all my bank details from the database at British Gas yesterday.

I asked them yet again has that other customer they set up a direct debit for with my bank details got my bank details? The complaints manager told me again-No we never put a customers bank account details in any of our letters. And we don't even read them out to the customer.

So what she is saying is that with British Gas,when a direct debit is set up,they never put your bank details in the letter of confirmation. So there is no way that customer could have my bank details.

I hope British Gas are telling the truth.The problem is the complaints manager is fed up with me ringing her asking the same question again and again.