Santandar getting worst!!

[Merchant UK]

Jesus i just couldn't believe what i heard at the bank today, Last month i cancelled 2 direct debits as i no longer require them so my account had up until now less than a fiver in it. I only opened it to do these direct debits as it gave me greater control over my main bank account.

Anyway i recieved a letter saying that the direct debits where unpaid and they were going to charge me £70 (2 x £35). ha ha!! I told them that i had indeed cancelled the direct debits with the bank and the companies early last month so no direct debits should of gone out as they were cancelled.

You know what the girl behind the counter told me, "Even though you've cancelled the Direct Debits, and the company try to take it, we'll continue to charge you"??

Can you believe that?? What ever happened to the Direct Debit Guarantee?? Can the banks actually charge you for a direct debit that has not been authorised by you???

Flaming Crazy if you ask me

Ideas for a letter please

 

[MrTanner]

Jesus i just couldn't believe what i heard at the bank today, Last month i cancelled 2 direct debits as i no longer require them so my account had up until now less than a fiver in it. I only opened it to do these direct debits as it gave me greater control over my main bank account.

Anyway i recieved a letter saying that the direct debits where unpaid and they were going to charge me £70 (2 x £35). ha ha!! I told them that i had indeed cancelled the direct debits with the bank and the companies early last month so no direct debits should of gone out as they were cancelled.

You know what the girl behind the counter told me, "Even though you've cancelled the Direct Debits, and the company try to take it, we'll continue to charge you"??

Can you believe that?? What ever happened to the Direct Debit Guarantee?? Can the banks actually charge you for a direct debit that has not been authorised by you???

Flaming Crazy if you ask me

Ideas for a letter please

Fundamentally it matters whether the company claimed under an existing direct debit mandate, or set up a new one. If they used the existing direct debit which was cancelled then Santander are wrong. If the company set up a new direct debit (with different details on the same account) then there is no way for the bank to block them, as the direct debit agreements sit with the company not the banks, so they do not verify these.

I would suggest finding that out first, although regardless Santander are the ones applying the charges, so could refund them if they wanted. Has the direct debit funds left your account, the charges left your account or both?

If the company have set up a new direct debit without your consent, then I suggest speaking to the company, as I am not sure legally where they stand setting up a direct debit without permission. Maybe one of the legal bods on here could answer that??

Hope that helps in some way.

Ian

 

[Merchant UK]

Thanks Ian,

My thoughts exactly mate.

I think they are trying it on, any which way to make a few quid more

If i have cancelled a direct debit, both with the bank and the business involved, then if any attempt to extract money from my account beyond that is eitheir theft or fraud.

God i wish i had some sort or recording device when i went to that bank, that would of been on You Tube tonight.

Just waiting for my statements to come in the post, They wouldn't give them to me in the bank ???? Then i'll see.

 

[Williams lester]

Thanks Ian,

My thoughts exactly mate.

I think they are trying it on, any which way to make a few quid more

If i have cancelled a direct debit, both with the bank and the business involved, then if any attempt to extract money from my account beyond that is eitheir theft or fraud.

God i wish i had some sort or recording device when i went to that bank, that would of been on You Tube tonight.

Just waiting for my statements to come in the post, They wouldn't give them to me in the bank ???? Then i'll see.

Surely your grievance is with the companies who have tried to take funds from you? If you cancelled why are they attempting to collect?

 

[kulture]

I would say that if you have cancelled a direct debit agreement with both the bank and the company then you have not authorised any money to be taken from your account.

If the company then tries to take money from your account either via the old agreement or via a new one they set up without your authorisation, then they have caused you a loss and as such should return your money and pay any charges that occurred due to their taking the money without authorisation.

If the company used the old mandate then Santandar should not have processed it and should not have charged you.

In either case Santandar should really refund you, but I can see why (in terms of greedy bank logic) they would not refund you if a new mandate was used.

Either way I would close my account with them and move to a bank that cares about its customers.

 

[Merchant UK]

I would say that if you have cancelled a direct debit agreement with both the bank and the company then you have not authorised any money to be taken from your account.

If the company then tries to take money from your account either via the old agreement or via a new one they set up without your authorisation, then they have caused you a loss and as such should return your money and pay any charges that occurred due to their taking the money without authorisation.

If the company used the old mandate then Santandar should not have processed it and should not have charged you.

In either case Santandar should really refund you, but I can see why (in terms of greedy bank logic) they would not refund you if a new mandate was used.

Either way I would close my account with them and move to a bank that cares about its customers.

Just what i think i may do

 

[Geoff T]

Just what i think i may do

Think they'll survive without your £5...

Point is - get vocal... don't just drop 'em and leave on principle, hang around and get them to cancel the charges...lose them more than £5...

 

[retailworld]

Did you also inform Santander that you'd stopped the 2 Direct Debits? If not, and the company hasn't done anything about not stopping them, then how are Santander to know?

Just playing devils advocate - I had a run-in with them last month (and they eventally agreed to knock of most of their charges).

 

[Merchant UK]

Did you also inform Santander that you'd stopped the 2 Direct Debits? If not, and the company hasn't done anything about not stopping them, then how are Santander to know?

Just playing devils advocate - I had a run-in with them last month (and they eventally agreed to knock of most of their charges).

I wrote to both of the companies involved and told santander to cancel the direct debits. They said they had???

problem with direct debits nowdays is the banks have no control on how or when companies take them out. But they'll jump at the chance to slap a £35 charge should a company not be able to take money out

 

[Jenni384]

I had a company that I didn't need so I dissolved it. Santander said once they received notification from Co House they would freeze and close the bank account. I'm still getting bank statements and the company has been closed a few months.......

 

[Merchant UK]

I had a company that I didn't need so I dissolved it. Santander said once they received notification from Co House they would freeze and close the bank account. I'm still getting bank statements and the company has been closed a few months.......

Thats just plain crazy Jenni

They just seem to be very slack nowdays, almost upto a point that if its not going to make them money then don't bother.