changing a Direct Debit payment date

[CB-Dave]

I'm calling on the collective brains of PH here - basically my car insurance company (well, their finance company) have stiffed me on a direct debit. Apparently the payments are due on the 29th of every month, despite me telling them that I wasn't paid until the final banking day of the month and as such it would have to be taken out on the first day of the month rather than the last day of the preceeding one.

Is there any way to change the payment date of the direct debit? The finance company say no - and they're threatening to submit a cancellation to the insurance company.

It's pretty urgent too so any information will be appreciated

Thanks in advance

[anonymous-user]

AFAIK DDs are controlled completely by the company that sets them up and you have no control other than to cancel them.

As an alternative, how about getting a 0% credit card and paying it off in one lump sum then pay what you'd be paying each month off the credit card.

[CB-Dave]

that's an idea... I could try that.

it's stupid that some companies are perfectly fine with changing payment dates and some can be utter utter arseholes about it

[julianhj]

Direct Debits are controlled extremely tightly. You have the right to cancel them at any time. You have the right to dispute them at any time and your bank/BS MUST refund you the same day the complaint is made. There is no time limit on how far back you can dispute DDs. The charging company MUST refund the bank/BS and take the matter up with you. The charging co. MUST give you five working days notice of any change to the date, amount or frequency of your DD. A copy of the DD guarentee MUST be sent out with each new agreement.

It is possible that the finance co., as part of their contract with you, have specified a certain date and method for repayment (i.e. 28th/29th day of each month by DD). you might therefore be breaching that contract in their eyes, but this would be separate from the AUDDIS rules for DDs AFAIK.

HTH

edited to say:
As the process for DD collection is largely automated to keep costs for the charging co. to a minimum, the finance co. might have specified the 28th of each month as it is both regular and does not need adjusting. If speaking nicely and asking them to change '28' to '01' on their computer screens is not working, perhaps a complaint to the ins. co. would work?



>> Edited by julianhj on Friday 8th April 18:05

[minimax]

or even a change to paying by standing order. that way you can control when the payments are given