What is an Active Direct Debit? What about Standing Orders (for bank switch bonus)?

Tr33house

I am not clear what an ‘active’ direct debit is.

I have joined FD, and I want to use an old account to make the switch, I can set up 2 new direct debits to that account for the switch.

BUT do they have to have been paid in the period before the transfer? Or can they just be set up and then active on the new account (the paydate is after the switch for example?)

And what about Standing Orders? Can I have standing orders to myself set up? 

And if I have two accounts at one bank… if I close one to do the switch I assume it doesn’t affect the remaining account? 

Thanks.

grumpy_codger

Tr33house said:

I am not clear what an ‘active’ direct debit is.

I have joined FD, and I want to use an old account to make the switch, I can set up 2 new direct debits to that account for the switch.

BUT do they have to have been paid in the period before the transfer? Or can they just be set up and then active on the new account (the paydate is after the switch for example?)

I'm pretty sure it's fine if you can see them set up in you account, but some people prefer to wait until an actual debit to be on the safe side. For a DD, if a payment isn't taken for about a year, a DD becomes 'dormant' - as opposite to 'active', but this isn't the case for a new DD.

And what about Standing Orders? Can I have standing orders to myself set up?

Yes, you can.

And if I have two accounts at one bank… if I close one to do the switch I assume it doesn’t affect the remaining account?

No.

GrumpyDil

Standing orders won't count for any switch bonus if that is what OP is asking about.

grumpy_codger

GrumpyDil said:

Standing orders won't count for any switch bonus if that is what OP is asking about.

You could have spent 30 seconds on checking before making this sweeping statement.

https://www.firstdirect.com/banking/switching-bank-accounts/

...you need to: switch to us using the Current Account Switch Service (including at least 2 Direct Debits or standing orders), ...

eskbanker

grumpy_codger said:

GrumpyDil said:

Standing orders won't count for any switch bonus if that is what OP is asking about.

You could have spent 30 seconds on checking before making this sweeping statement.

Not difficult to spot who's the grumpiest of the two then....

Zanderman

GrumpyDil said:

Standing orders won't count for any switch bonus if that is what OP is asking about.

Just to make it explicitly clear - SOs do count for FirstDirect switching bonuses, and so the conditions are very easy to meet.  No need to worry about DDs at all. Just two SOs to accounts of your own.