Is there anyone else who hates direct debit

hangryconsumer

Yes! Me! I hate direct debits too. I pay quite a few bills manually, especially things like Council Tax, because it's easier to sort out things in case you leave the property. Don't have to try and cancel a direct debit only to have the !!!!!!!!!! re-instate it. I tried to set up a DD with the council once, but they were trying to force me to provide an email address, and I cannot see how under GDPR they could reasonably expect that to be a necessary piece of data. A DD can very easily be set up without one, but they choose to impose restrictions. If they want people to pay by DD they should make it easier for them to do so.

DCFC79

hangryconsumer said:

Yes! Me! I hate direct debits too. I pay quite a few bills manually, especially things like Council Tax, because it's easier to sort out things in case you leave the property. Don't have to try and cancel a direct debit only to have the basstardes re-instate it. I tried to set up a DD with the council once, but they were trying to force me to provide an email address, and I cannot see how under GDPR they could reasonably expect that to be a necessary piece of data. A DD can very easily be set up without one, but they choose to impose restrictions. If they want people to pay by DD they should make it easier for them to do so.

Just use a Gmail account for the council.

DCFC79

No issues with DD for me, used them for years, using them means I dont have to worry about sending the money.

MattMattMattUK

hangryconsumer said:

Yes! Me! I hate direct debits too. I pay quite a few bills manually, especially things like Council Tax, because it's easier to sort out things in case you leave the property.

How often do you need to move home to make the hassle of dealing with Council Tax more hassle than completing individual payments every month?

hangryconsumer said:

Don't have to try and cancel a direct debit only to have the basstardes re-instate it.

It seems you deal with some weird companies, I have never had this happen and have everything that can be on Direct Debit.

hangryconsumer said:

I tried to set up a DD with the council once, but they were trying to force me to provide an email address, and I cannot see how under GDPR they could reasonably expect that to be a necessary piece of data. A DD can very easily be set up without one, but they choose to impose restrictions. If they want people to pay by DD they should make it easier for them to do so.

It is easy, you just provide them with an email so that they can send you confirmation electronically. I think you would find that the ICO would have no problem with them insisting on an email address, it is just about the lowest risk category of data there is and can even be stored in plain text databases, in terms of data protection your name and address actually rank higher. 

giraffe69

• Don't like DDs
• They are a prepayment(no they aren't!)
• They get paid twice
• Firms are in breach of GDPR asking for an email address(no they aren't)

This sort of thread brings them all out of the woodwork but if you don't want to use direct debits then don't but stop imagining them to be the same as standing orders, stop putting up barriers which can trivially be overcome e.g. the matter of setting up a separate email address, switch to companies who don't insist on them.

bostonerimus

hangryconsumer said:

Yes! Me! I hate direct debits too. I pay quite a few bills manually, especially things like Council Tax, because it's easier to sort out things in case you leave the property. Don't have to try and cancel a direct debit only to have the basstardes re-instate it. I tried to set up a DD with the council once, but they were trying to force me to provide an email address, and I cannot see how under GDPR they could reasonably expect that to be a necessary piece of data. A DD can very easily be set up without one, but they choose to impose restrictions. If they want people to pay by DD they should make it easier for them to do so.

At last I have a compatriot in DD loathing. Maybe I'm just cynical and controlling, but I want to have the power to pay a bill when I want, not on some pre arranged schedule. I pay most of my bills electronically from my bank account and I also agree that it makes changing providers and closing accounts easy as you don't have to cancel any DDs as well. I feel that the convenience of DD is not worth giving up the control you get from paying the bills as they arrive. I certainly wouldn't want to carry a credit with a company for services yet to be delivered.

Ectophile

Standing orders and direct debits are completely different things.  With a standing order, you tell the bank how much to pay every month.  With a direct debit, you have to trust the other party to take the right amount every time.

At one time, I avoided direct debits.  I used standing orders when I could, and paid manually otherwise.

But in the end, that's a hassle.  You have to go to the bank and change a standing order every time the charge changes.  Or else you forget to make payments.  I used to pay my council tax in cash at the Post Office.  Every now and then I would forget.  The council would send me a snotty letter, and I would have to go to the Post Office with twice as much cash the next month.  In the end, I gave up and filled in the direct debit form.

Energy companies will even give you a discount for paying by DD.  It's a lot less hassle for them too.

Jenni_D

Ectophile said:

You have to go to the bank and change a standing order every time the charge changes.

Do you? I'm sure I can update my standing orders online (bank's website or app).

jon81uk

Jenni_D said:

Ectophile said:

You have to go to the bank and change a standing order every time the charge changes.

Do you? I'm sure I can update my standing orders online (bank's website or app).

I assumed he meant metaphorically go to the banks website or phone them. As in it is you telling the bank to make the change with standing orders, whereas with direct debits the recipient can set the amount.

Carlsdad

Whenever possible, try for a variable direct debit, particularly suitable for utilities payments, electricity, gas, water for instance. This means that you only pay for what you have used each month.