Rent refund - housing association insisting on refunding via a different payment method

Ralph99

Hi can anyone advise me. 
Until a few months ago we were housing association tenants (Scotland) and always paid our rent in cash via a housing issued rent payment card at our local shop.                        We have now moved out but they have contacted us saying they own us a refund but that it must be repaid into a bank account.                                                                            As we are no long their tenants we are reluctant to give them our bank details.                                                                                                                                                          Can we insist the refund is paid back in another form. ie cheque/ cash ? 

SiliconChip

What, if anything, does the tenancy agreement you had say about payments to you from the HA? And what concerns do have have about giving them your bank details? You might eventually be able to persuade them to pay in another way but I don't see why you wouldn't be happy to get the money in the quickest and easiest way, which is the method they wish to use.

Ralph99

Hi.. the tenancy agreement actually does not mention anything about how any future refunds would be paid back.. and like most people theses day, we would obviously like the refund at the earliest opportunity. ( it isn't a massive amount - Under £100) They have never had our bank details in years that we were tenants so I am just a bit reluctant to give out bank details unless absolutely essential -and as we are no longer their tenants I would rather not provide personal information unless we have to. 

Jonboy_1984

The only payments that can be forced down the route of “must use original payment method” is card payments, and that is the card processors (e.g. Visa and Mastercard) rules rather than a legal requirement.

Don’t forget anyone that you have ever paid by cheque will potentially have your bank details as it’s printed on the bottom…

Ralph99

Hi.. thanks. I suppose it's not a biggie but as i say they've never had our bank details before and I just felt they don't need them now..but if they insist ..so be it !! We've never used cheques and tend to / try to go the shops and use cash when we can. But thanks for your reply. 

unforeseen

You didn't pay the HA cash, you paid the shop cash who then paid the HA electronically. 

user1977

What's the problem with giving them your bank details? They can't realistically do anything with them other than send you money...

propertyrental

I can't see any possible reason not to give them your bank sort code and account number.

Assuming you have a bank account, which seems to be the case.

What are you worried might happen?

Annisele

user1977 said:

What's the problem with giving them your bank details? They can't realistically do anything with them other than send you money...

Actually it is possible for the HA to do something nefarious with the details (extraordinarily unlikely, but possible). Jeremy Clarkson once discovered that if you publish your bank details in a national newspaper, it's possible for other people to set up direct debits to come out of your account. The direct debit guarantee should have got him his money back, but it would still have caused hassle.

I think the OP is being far more cautious than necessary - I'd just give the HA my bank details - but it's not true to say that it's impossible for bank details to be used for anything other than sending money.

Ralph99

Thanks.. As someone correctly stated - yes we have bank accounts - all legal and above board - I am just reluctant to provide bank details to others if I don't need to...as I stated we have always used cash to pay for things and have one C/C for the very rare items we cannot buy locally and have to order online.  We have never used online banking, used C/C's in shops or on holidays... and it probably does seem to some that we are more cautious than necessary but it's just how we've always managed our finances.- It was just a question to ask if they could force us to accept their chosen method of refunding. Thank you

user1977

Annisele said:

user1977 said:

What's the problem with giving them your bank details? They can't realistically do anything with them other than send you money...

Actually it is possible for the HA to do something nefarious with the details (extraordinarily unlikely, but possible). Jeremy Clarkson once discovered that if you publish your bank details in a national newspaper, it's possible for other people to set up direct debits to come out of your account. 

They can only be set up by organisations who have jumped through the hoops required in order to be entitled to create paperless direct debits, it's not something your average fraudster could do.