Recovering payments made by standing order

[jefmcg]

Sounds like DD's are safer??

Standing orders are completely controlled by the customer ie you. I guess it depends on who is more reliable with your money, you or the random companies you owe money to.

More seriously, you usually don't have a choice. Standing orders can be used to pay a fixed amount into any UK bank account, so good for paying rent, or repaying a loan with fixed payments. DD are only used by companies, and can take out a variable amount each month so are more suitable for utility bills etc. Generally, if a company wants DD, that's what you have to use. And if they don't ask for it, then they probably don't offer.

 

[Chris S]

If anybody is still interested I contacted the management company and I've just received a full reimbursement.
I was rather surprised as I had to take legal action against them to replace a roof that had been leaking for none years.

None years? maybe they didn't repair it as it wasn't leaking?

Sorry, nine years.

 

[mjr]

With direct debit the recipient has asked the bank to take the money. You can then tell the bank they shouldn't have taken it and the bank will take it back, leaving the recipient to argue the toss with you if you really did owe them the money. Without this, no one would ever agree to direct debit as a comoany could simply empty your account if they wished.

They still can. I've been overcharged hundreds of pounds more than shown on the bill before and it's happened to my family before. The bank did take it back but it was still gone overnight. Fortunately, it didn't incur other charges as a result but I really dislike DDs because companies can empty your bank account and you have to do work to fix it, which seems the wrong way round.

Paying by bank transfer once the bill arrives seems a much better idea.