Missing direct debit after current account switch

benshort

Hi,

I recently switched my current account from the co-op to Nationwide and used the 7 day switching service. The switch completed on the 27th of January.

Today I checked my Halifax credit card account to find that I have a unpaid direct debit on the 19th January and also a £12 Late payment charge.

I phoned the Halifax and explained. They wouldn't refund the £12 Late payment charge but did allow me to go back on to the 0% interest rate.

I phoned Nationwide and they read the list of direct debits that the co-op gave me which didn't include the Halifax one. They said that they can only set up the direct debits that the co-op gave me. So I should the co-op.

I've spoken to someone via the co-op webchat and they said...

"The switch guarantee states that the bank you are switching to will take responsibility. They would have to investigate it for you. I'm sorry, there is nothing we can do at our end."

and...

"You can call our call centre, however there isn't anything that we can do as you would need to take it up with who your switched to..."

Does anyone have any advice on how I can reclaim the £12?

Thanks

Ben

Hazzanet

I'd definitely put a formal complaint into Nationwide.

Their guarantee is very clear:

"If anything goes wrong with the switch, as soon as we are told, we will refund any interest (paid or lost) and charges made on either your old or new current accounts as a result of this failure."

Something has gone wrong with the switch; this is their problem, and if the underlying problem lies with Co-op, it is up to them to negotiate with the Co-op to rectify the problem.

YorkshireBoy

Wasn't it Co-op's responsibility to pay the direct debit on 19th Jan, being as that was well before your switch date?

Had the Co-op previously paid the Halifax DD? Or was it a new DDI?

Is the Halifax card a new one, or were you given an existing customer BT offer on an old card that you had with them?

benshort

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

Wasn't it Co-op's responsibility to pay the direct debit on 19th Jan, being as that was well before your switch date?

Had the Co-op previously paid the Halifax DD? Or was it a new DDI?

Is the Halifax card a new one, or were you given an existing customer BT offer on an old card that you had with them?

the switch takes 7 days and started on the 19th. I just spoke to the co-op and they said that the dd was closed and transferred on the 19th. and that I should speak to the Nationwide.

The Halifax card is old and direct debits have been being paid since at least September 2014. I took it out with a 36 months 0% interest on balance transfers. If I remember correctly if I miss a payment then it goes back to the full rate of interest. But as I said they have not done that because I spoke to them.

grumbler

The 'guarantee' was from Nationwide, hence it's their responsibility to sort everything out with Coop or simply to reimburse £12.

YorkshireBoy

grumbler wrote: »

The 'guarantee' was from Nationwide, hence it's their responsibility to sort everything out with Coop or simply to reimburse £12.

Whose responsibility is it to sort the removal of any late/missed payments marker? And, more importantly, how would they do it?...bearing in mind as far as Halifax are concerned the payment was missed (for whatever reason).

benshort

The Nationwide are saying that its the co-ops fault because they cancelled the direct debit rather than leaving it open so the transfer worked correctly. And that the current account switch guarantee does not over that.

Hazzanet

benshort wrote: »

The Nationwide are saying that its the co-ops fault because they cancelled the direct debit rather than leaving it open so the transfer worked correctly. And that the current account switch guarantee does not over that.

"If anything goes wrong with the switch, as soon as we are told, we will refund any interest (paid or lost) and charges made on either your old or new current accounts as a result of this failure."

benshort

OK after speaking the the co-op again it turns out that I cancelled the direct debit via internet banking. I certainly remember checking the amount that the direct debit was for, but don't remember cancelling it. I must have done it by mistake.

Sorry to have wasted the time of anyone that replied with help.

msallen

All credit to you for coming back to admit that benshort. Many people would have just gone quiet and left this thread dangling.