Direct Debit not moved across to new bank

CBar1

Hi all,
My husband is just about to transfer our dental care to another dentist from one we’ve been with for a few years. It seems that during a bank switch from Halifax to First Direct two years ago using their switch service, that the DD for his dental plan/insurance was not transferred and therefore not paid. It was a reflectively small amount each month so we didn’t spot it. He has continued to visit the dentist for check ups, cleaning and a couple of X-rays, but the Dentist has not flagged any issues with the payments. Now we’re worried that we will be sent a bill by the dentist for all the checkups etc if we leave. What’s also worrying is that should my husband have needed emergency treatment etc, we would not have been covered. Who is liable in this scenario?

Many thanks

eskbanker

It's the new bank's responsibility to resolve issues relating to a switch, but that's not the same thing as them automatically being legally liable as such for any and all consequences, as the account holder clearly has some responsibility too, to monitor statements and so on.

You could just let sleeping dogs lie and see if a bill turns up, but it would probably be more ethical and honest to come clean, point out the recently-unearthed error to the dentist and offer to pay the arrears (from all the surplus money that you weren't spending) as they've continued to provide the service that was being paid for, albeit potentially without the insurance aspect.

EssexExile

When we moved banks the paperwork said they'd move all the direct debits etc but that we should check also in case they missed any. I suspect it is you who is liable.