Bank paid cancelled direct debit

nej

I think I'm right on this, can someone confirm?

Last week I cancelled a direct debit (via on-line banking). Today, the money got taken from my account.

I just spoke to the (completely useless) girl who said that I have to pursue the company (the insurance arm of the bank) for the refund. I think it's covered by the direct debit guarantee and that the bank should refund me immediately as it's been paid in error. She claimed not to have heard of the dd guarantee.

Can somebody please tell me I'm right so I can get on the phone and go mad at them?

Bank is Natwest, btw.

thesaint

Call them back and ask to speak to someone who knows about the D.D guarantee. Always get the name of the person you are speaking to so that you can request they undergo further training.

nej

After speaking to a couple of further people, I got a promise to have the money back in 48 hours at the best.

I pushed more saying it's not good enough, why should I be without my funds for this time when it was a bank error? After explaining for the 3rd time that I had cancelled the DD and they let it go they agreed to it being in within 24 hours.

That'll do, I'm not that desperate for the cash.

realaledrinker

Systems may differ but at Co-op/smile, the DD will show up during the day it is attempted but it gets cancelled & disappears off the account altogether that night when they do their end of night updates.

JohalaReewi

nej wrote: »

After speaking to a couple of further people, I got a promise to have the money back in 48 hours at the best...

The DD guarantee says "immediate refund". I asked BACS (the DD people) for a definition of "immediate" and they said within 24 hours.

nej

Yeah, after some continued pointing out to them yesterday that "immediate" does not mean "48 hours at least" they promised to do it within 24 hours. This morning I had a look and it was back in.

Hurrah, but I shouldn't have had to speak to 3 people pointing out the DD Guarantee to get it done.

JohalaReewi

Some banks like to 'pretend' the DD guarantee scheme is nothing to do with them and will go to great lengths to fob you off. In the good old days, you could ring up BACS and report your bank who would then get a rocket. Now it seems that BACS don't care either and the scheme is fast becoming a farce.