Is there anyone else who hates direct debit

Ectophile

jon81uk said:

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.

I have never set up internet banking on my main bank account. But I do have it on my building society account for one off payments.

JohnnyB70

bostonerimus said:

I don't like the idea of having standing orders/direct debit with companies. I think it's a cheek to have to prepay for a service or product or to have someone reach inside my bank account and take the money. I'd far rather get a bill and pay the company myself. Is anyone else with me?

Direct debit doesn’t mean that you pre-pay; you are conflating two different things.

How is it a cheek for Amex (for example) to take the money for my bill directly rather than me having to send it to them each month?

JohnnyB70

bostonerimus said:

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.

Customers like you really must be a pain for companies to deal with. There will generally be an agreed date for payment of bills; one that you signed up for. Why would you think it’s OK to just change your mind and not pay on the agreed date?

condoghost

MattMattMattUK said:

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.

It has happened to me a few times in the past with Halifax insurance insisting payment by DD and yearly auto-renew demanding we telephone them to cancel.
I cancelled the DD online with my bank but Halifax still processed the auto-renew!

These days though it is much easier to cancel the auto-renew online but as a matter of course I now only use DD for utility bills - gas, electricity, water. Everything else requiring a monthly charge I specifically check-out how easy it is to cancel online first and also look for PayPal where it is so much easier to cancel that auto-payment and know PayPal will not process any request from the third party once I have done that whereas Santander for example are notorious in that respect.

I actually enjoy the mental effort involved in checking billing and payments each month, even paying credit card bills manually with online banking each month rather than with DD preferring to clear the balance each month immediately the statement is issued to have the full credit limit available to me month to month.

condoghost

Ectophile said:

I have never set up internet banking on my main bank account. But I do have it on my building society account for one off payments.

Internet banking on my main bank account is a god-send, an absolute 'must':

• no more paper statements, email every month when the statement is available for download
• weekly transaction email allows me to see what is what week to week
• payments and transactions, standing orders, direct debits, credit cards, and so much more at your finger tips

I was 'shocked' when I returned to the UK in 2002 to find 'online banking' was not a regular thing