Direct Debit - set up in 2015 and first payment just taken

Willing2Learn

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

When did it change from 13 months to 23 months?

It is still 13 months I believe...

All banks hold details of Direct Debit Instructions on file for a minimum period of 13 months from lodgement of the Direct Debit Instruction, in the event of no collections, or from the date of the last payment. After the dormancy period has passed, the bank will remove details of the Instruction from their system. Before claiming further Direct Debit payments the organisation must obtain a new Direct Debit Instruction or your authority to continue collecting. If this is not done your Direct Debit payment may be returned by your bank.

soulsaver

Sounds like an insurance trick to me:
In the event of a claim: 'Oh, such a shame you didn't pay the premium, sorry, but...nothing we can do.'

In the event of no claim: Direct debit at the end & '..tough we provided the coverage...'

I'll hazard a guess... D&G?

soulsaver

PS Bit of a faff but:

To get the £ symbol typed on the screen, try the following:

Place the cursor where you want the £ sign; hold down the ALT key and type 0163;
let go the alt key...et voila!

This may only work using the number pad keys with num lock on, but it works on mine anyhow...

born_again

soulsaver wrote: »

PS Bit of a faff but:

To get the £ symbol typed on the screen, try the following:

Place the cursor where you want the £ sign; hold down the ALT key and type 0163;
let go the alt key...et voila!

This may only work using the number pad keys with num lock on, but it works on mine anyhow...

Or change the keyboard to UK English if laptop/PC.

Ben8282

Very strange situation.
Did you not notice that the direct debit payments were not being taken and call the insurance company to ask why?
OK. Guess that could be explained by you hoping that you could get away without paying.
Did this direct debit really sit there on your online banking for over 4 years with no payment being taken. Really? Did you not get fed up with seeing it there and cancel it at some point? Did whatever bank you use not cancel it for dormancy?
I suppose one explanation could be was that the direct debit mandate did not sit there unused for all this time but the insurance company set up a brand new direct debit to take the money. That would actually make some sense.

As the OP changed address and failed to notify the insurance company then they may well have tried to contact the OP about the situation.

Considering the customer unfriendly attitude of the company, inform the bank that you have not authorised this direct debit. Tell the bank you were a customer of the company several years ago but have had no dealings with them since. Ask for a refund under the direct debit guarantee. At the same time ask the bank why they allowed a direct debit to remain active for over 4 years with no payment ever taken.

eskbanker

Ben8282 wrote: »

As the OP changed address and failed to notify the insurance company then they may well have tried to contact the OP about the situation.

Not sure where you're getting that from?

LivingbytheSeaside wrote: »

they won't have written to a previous address because i was living at the same address at the time.

Ben8282

eskbanker wrote: »

Not sure where you're getting that from?

Thanks for pointing that out. Misread what OP had said.
In that case the insurance company are clearly at fault by failing to notify the OP of their intentions.

I am really surprised though at the apparent customer unfriendly attitude of both the insurance company and especially the bank

LivingbytheSeaside wrote: »

the bank have flatly refused to refund my money or to help me in any way shape or form to get my money back.

OP. You must make a formal complaint to the bank.

eskbanker

Ben8282 wrote: »

I am really surprised though at the apparent customer unfriendly attitude of both the insurance company and especially the bank

LivingbytheSeaside wrote: »

the bank have flatly refused to refund my money or to help me in any way shape or form to get my money back.

OP. You must make a formal complaint to the bank.

I could be wrong but, reading between the lines a bit, it does come across as if OP (apparently without knowledge of the DD guarantee at that stage) formed the view that they'd been wronged and so probably approached the bank indignantly demanding (and expecting) a refund, so there may be a bit more to the tone of the discussion than meets the eye....

LivingbytheSeaside

what does OP mean?

If you are referring to me, i came on here asking for help/support and it feels like i have been attacked and critizised. pardon me for believing this to be a friendly place.

so just to clarify, the bank claim the direct debit was set up on 22 november 2019. the insurance company claim that this was an insurance that i purchased in 2015. to confirm, i sent off my DD mandate and never heard again, assumed (obviously i now know never to assume) that it had not reached the destination as I never heard from the insurance company again.

it was just before christmas, lots going on, a family member was ill and sadly passed just after christmas and it completely went out of my mind.

i have since purchased a new appliance for which I took out insurance only to find the DD was not set up correctly by the insurance company and by my taking out a new insurance policy, has made the old/previous policy active and nine pounds has been taken nine times. The nine pounds should have been taken over a period of nine months, not all in one go.

when challenged, the insurance company said there was nothing they could do as it was a DD that had not been set up correctly and the money had been taken now. bank said they can't help me as i am not covered by the DD guarantee.

my question was how long could a DD be held onto be before it was used (for want of a better word)

i am at a loss to know who is right - why does the insurance company have the right to hold onto the DD mandate for 4 years before processing it and then fail to take the nine pounds over nine months and 81 pounds all in one go - why are they allowed to do that? I can't speak to a supervisor, they won't give me a contact number for their complaints department. the bank will not assist

thanks to those who have been genuinely helpful, i very much appreciate it.

Ben8282

LivingbytheSeaside wrote: »

what does OP mean?

If you are referring to me, i came on here asking for help/support and it feels like i have been attacked and critizised. pardon me for believing this to be a friendly place.

so just to clarify, the bank claim the direct debit was set up on 22 november 2019. Is this the direct debit for the first or secnd policy? the insurance company claim that this was an insurance that i purchased in 2015. So what about the second policy? to confirm, i sent off my DD mandate and never heard again, assumed (obviously i now know never to assume) that it had not reached the destination as I never heard from the insurance company again.

it was just before christmas, lots going on, a family member was ill and sadly passed just after christmas and it completely went out of my mind. Christmas 2015? .

i have since purchased a new appliance for which I took out insurance When? only to find the DD was not set up correctly by the insurance company In what way was the direct debit for this second policy not set up correctly by the insurance company? Please be specific as to what ocurred. and by my taking out a new insurance policy, has made the old/previous policy active Why should it? and nine pounds has been taken nine times. The nine pounds should have been taken over a period of nine months, not all in one go. Yes 4 years ago. Have any payments ever been taken in respect of the second policy?

when challenged, the insurance company said there was nothing they could do as it was a DD that had not been set up correctly But it was the dd for the second policy that you say was not set up correctly; the dd mandate for the first plicy was apparently lost in the post was it not? and the money had been taken now. Not a satisfactory response bank said they can't help me as i am not covered by the DD guarantee. Why are you not covered by the direct debit guarantee - it applies to all. What reason did they give for this claim?

my question was how long could a DD be held onto be before it was used (for want of a better word)

i am at a loss to know who is right - why does the insurance company have the right to hold onto the DD mandate for 4 years before processing it and then fail to take the nine pounds over nine months and 81 pounds all in one go - why are they allowed to do that? They aren't I can't speak to a supervisor, they won't give me a contact number for their complaints department.Why do you think they are displaying this bad customer service attitude? the bank will not assist Same question. Why?

thanks to those who have been genuinely helpful, i very much appreciate it.

Seecomments above.