Halifax Direct Debit, Will I Be Charged?

Lady_K

My Gas direct debit came out this morning £29. I had about £7 in but they took it out and made my balance 00.00. I thought with direct debits the company tries in the morning and then later in the day if the money isnt in. I have put the monry in just after 9am do you think they will charge me or do you think I should phone them just in case.

I was told by Halifax before thats the way direct debits work so I assumed the gas board might have tried earler today but as the money wasnt couldnt get it so would try again later today giving me time to put the money in for when they tried again later today.

Should Halifax have let it go the first time?

Nickything

Hmmm, usually Halifax don't let my DDs go unless the money is in there.. I've often had to dash down there to put money in so a DD could go out in the afternoon. However, I think as long as you are not overdrawn for a whole day they won't charge you. If the money wasn't in there by the end of business they would charge you, but since you got it in just after 9am you should be ok.

Lady_K

I rang them and they first said oh the moneys been put in so it should be ok but then they said I will more than likely be charged because a payment was made on my behalf and it will be £35 my god I put it in at just after 9am.

He said if its a company that only tries for it once they will charge and they might be one oif those companys its southern electric but from the way he was talking a payment was made on my behalf anyway so its a 95% chance I'll be charged but it wont be on the system till tomorrow so I have to phone back then. I'll be furious if they charge me that its disgusting for £22 for a few hours and I have only been charged once in all the years I've been with them, about 25 years or more. What should I do or say tomorow?

I rang southern elec who were very nice to ask them wjat the procedure is and they said they try that day then try again a few days later not sure if thats good or bad really but I think for my situation prob bad.

Yesterday I had about £7 in. I checked online this morning it just said direct debit £29 to southern elec bal 00.00. I transferred £25 in straight away and its now showing about £3 in credit.

The man at Halifax said if they hadnt have paid it I'd have been charged more

ginger_nuts

can you ask halifax for an authorised overdraft .Then if it happens again you may be charged a few pence rather than £35

Lady_K

I rang Halifax again, I couldnt wait till tomorrow and hoped to speak to a different person. I spoke to a different lady and she said I'd definitely get charged but she looked at my account and said I havent ever had any charges before so they will take it off. I rem the one I had years ago was not my fault it was halifax's, an error on thier part so they arent counting that which they shouldnt. So shes put notes on my account plus I've taken her name and she said the charges will be removed as I've not had any charges before.

I chose not to have an authorised overdraft it wouldnt be there if I had one I'd spend it so no point me having one it defeats the object

I still dont know really if they should slap charges on so fast and think they should wait till the end of the day just in case the company request the direct debit again, so noit really sure if she put the charges back for that too. They may not admit to that though

Mark7799

Lady_K wrote: »

I chose not to have an authorised overdraft it wouldnt be there if I had one I'd spend it so no point me having one it defeats the object

You could always try learning not to spend it:rolleyes:

The purpose of the facility is to stop situations like this occurring.

regularsaver1

Yeah, the money needs to be in there before direct debits are applied for - which could be 5am

Alan_T_2

Lady_K wrote: »

I rang Halifax again, I couldnt wait till tomorrow and hoped to speak to a different person. I spoke to a different lady and she said I'd definitely get charged but she looked at my account and said I havent ever had any charges before so they will take it off. I rem the one I had years ago was not my fault it was halifax's, an error on thier part so they arent counting that which they shouldnt. So shes put notes on my account plus I've taken her name and she said the charges will be removed as I've not had any charges before.

I chose not to have an authorised overdraft it wouldnt be there if I had one I'd spend it so no point me having one it defeats the object

I still dont know really if they should slap charges on so fast and think they should wait till the end of the day just in case the company request the direct debit again, so noit really sure if she put the charges back for that too. They may not admit to that though

I did some work on this sort of thing (automated payment authorisation and timing) for Halifax as part of one of the projects I was involved in a while back. The info below is the procedure as it used to be.

Direct Debits are treated differently to Standing Orders in Halifax. Without going into full detail (primarily because I can't remember all of it) the debit for a Standing Order is somewhere between 2-4am and if the money isn't there, a charge is applied However for Direct Debits a check is made at 2am for the funds, if the money is there ... great, if the funds weren't present another attempt would be made again around 5pm. Assuming the funds were there at 5pm the customer wouldn't be charged. If no funds are available at 2am and 5pm... then a charge is due.

I used the term used to above deliberately as I heard a story the other day that this might be changing (or have changed).

If I remember tomorrow I'll check on the latest position and update accordingly.

Lady_K

Its 3am with Halifax

Lady_K

Alan_T wrote: »

I did some work on this sort of thing (automated payment authorisation and timing) for Halifax as part of one of the projects I was involved in a while back. The info below is the procedure as it used to be.

Direct Debits are treated differently to Standing Orders in Halifax. Without going into full detail (primarily because I can't remember all of it) the debit for a Standing Order is somewhere between 2-4am and if the money isn't there, a charge is applied However for Direct Debits a check is made at 2am for the funds, if the money is there ... great, if the funds weren't present another attempt would be made again around 5pm. Assuming the funds were there at 5pm the customer wouldn't be charged. If no funds are available at 2am and 5pm... then a charge is due.

I used the term used to above deliberately as I heard a story the other day that this might be changing (or have changed).

If I remember tomorrow I'll check on the latest position and update accordingly.

Thanx Alan I'd be interested to know that

regularsaver1

The stance is still that the money should be there in advance of the day the direct debit is applied for