Direct debit

[Pamm1]

For the third time in three months EE have failed to collect my direct debit and have suspended my service.   This started when a direct debit failed some months ago- I only found this out when my service was suspended.  I paid the bill and asked the adviser to reset the direct debit for a certain date after salary payment.  Since then, and despite a live direct debit for EE on my bank account, EE have consistently failed to collect it and I have had to contact them to pay the bill.  I have just checked my bank account as the direct debit was due out last Friday.  They have not collected it, my service has been suspended and my account is showing as unpaid.  EE have also added £37 to the bill, and I have no idea what this is for.  Can someone explain to me how to actually get EE to take the payments !!

[Chris_B]

@Pamm1  I think you need to call customer services and explain to them what’s been happening so it can get corrected.  

[mikeliuk]

Hi @Pamm1 ,

In addition to the above good advice, I would recommend you inform your bank of the situation and ask what they see at their end for the months in question. This should double check whether the service provider failed to take payment or whether some other reason prevented payment.

If the bank was responsible for failures, you would be entitled to refunds of charges incurred, and your position would be improved with verbal evidence and confirmation of what has been going on.

Presumably the service provider is not failing to take payments and then heaping on additional charges as that would be absurd.

[Pamm1]

They not only failed to take the DD but charged me £5 for the missed payment !! Bank confirmed the direct debit was not requested.  Contacting EE now because the same thing has happened twice.

[mikeliuk]

I recommend that you together with the service provider should double check the details used to establish the Direct Debit to understand why the service provider did not take payment.

I would recommend that you review online advice regarding the Direct Debit Guarantee, check whether there has been any fault on your part, and request a full and immediate refund under the Direct Debit Guarantee from whichever party is at fault. (You may want to discuss with the bank whether they agree the service provider is at fault, and to get advice from the bank on determining which party is at fault.)

If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by the organisation or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society

https://www.directdebit.co.uk/DirectDebitExplained/Pages/DirectDebitGuarantee.aspx