Two companies have not been able to take direct debit payments for September.

agnes_twinkletoes

I have been onto my bank and the companies affected.  Long standing direct debits have been cancelled - not by me or the bank.  Bank says they are 'inactive' but payments have been going out for years - last in August 2025.  I cannot find who cancelled them.  One Company said the bank had told them they didn't hold a direct debit for me/them, despite being paid in August.  Both companies say that they have been advised of my new bank details - I have not changed my bank details.  One letter gave an account number and sort code that was closed years ago!  I cannot get in touch with one company as phone sends me round in circles so waiting for reply to email.  Bank seems unable to sort out what is going on.
Any ideas as to how to get to the bottom of this?  Worrying as I could lose a lot of accumulated benefits on a savings policy.

CliveOfIndia

It always used to be standard practice that a bank would cancel a direct debit mandate after 13 months of inactivity.  During Covid, this was increased to 24 months of inactivity.

Subsequently, some banks left the default inactivity period as 24 months, but some reverted to the original 13 months.  I'm guessing that's what's happened here.

The reasoning (rightly or wrongly) is logical enough - many direct debit are only taken annually, so if it hasn't been used for more than a year then the assumption is that it's no longer needed.

It is perhaps slightly unusual that a company has tried to claim a DD payment after more than a year since it was last used, though of course there could be many valid reasons for this.

Slinky

CliveOfIndia said:

It always used to be standard practice that a bank would cancel a direct debit mandate after 13 months of inactivity.  During Covid, this was increased to 24 months of inactivity.

Subsequently, some banks left the default inactivity period as 24 months, but some reverted to the original 13 months.  I'm guessing that's what's happened here.

The reasoning (rightly or wrongly) is logical enough - many direct debit are only taken annually, so if it hasn't been used for more than a year then the assumption is that it's no longer needed.

It is perhaps slightly unusual that a company has tried to claim a DD payment after more than a year since it was last used, though of course there could be many valid reasons for this.

The OP says they were last paid in August 2025

Bigwheels1111

you are thinking too much about this.

Set up new DD and be done with it.

Email the second company if phone contact is not possible or chat online.

Had this with Barclaycard, they took a payment in March 25, but did not take April 25.

I knew there was an issue on the same day as I check every day.

No one knew who's fault it was, just set up a new one. All done.

SiliconChip

CliveOfIndia said:

It always used to be standard practice that a bank would cancel a direct debit mandate after 13 months of inactivity.  During Covid, this was increased to 24 months of inactivity.

Subsequently, some banks left the default inactivity period as 24 months, but some reverted to the original 13 months.  I'm guessing that's what's happened here.

The reasoning (rightly or wrongly) is logical enough - many direct debit are only taken annually, so if it hasn't been used for more than a year then the assumption is that it's no longer needed.

It is perhaps slightly unusual that a company has tried to claim a DD payment after more than a year since it was last used, though of course there could be many valid reasons for this.

The DDs were active in August 2025 according to the OP, presumably you read that as August 2024, so inactivity is not the issue here.

OP, if you say what bank your account is with perhaps that will help people suggest what the cause could be.

agnes_twinkletoes

The bank is Lloyds.

CliveOfIndia

Slinky said:

The OP says they were last paid in August 2025

SiliconChip said:

The DDs were active in August 2025 according to the OP, presumably you read that as August 2024, so inactivity is not the issue here.

Doh, apologies !  I did indeed misread it at August 2024.  <Hangs head in shame>

agnes_twinkletoes

Thanks for all replies.  Still trying to trace who or what responsible, someone has suggested the bank changed their reference number for the d/d.  

Brie

It could be a simple system hiccough. 

I had a DD from RBS to a MBNA credit card for decades.  It was being paid up until fairly recently but when it approached the no payment for 12 months the bank system changed to say that the last payment was taken in 2009 rather than the correct date of 2023.  RBS insists that I am wrong despite the bank statements showing DDs being paid in 2023.  I noticed this when RBS was migrating its system to NatWest and all sorts of odd things were happening.  It's not a problem for me so I'm not pursuing the issue.   

Banks are forever updating their IT so likely your problem is a side issue of that somewhere and likely they'll never know why it happened.  That said if you get charges for non payment I would certainly raise a complaint to get someone to take some responsibility.