Advice needed direct debit

[BadgerBadgerMushroom]

We have a monthly direct debit set up for dentist company. We pay £28 a month for this and all is usually fine and dandy. On Wednesday they took £320. DP was shocked but said maybe it was that the policy had renewed and they had taken an annual subscription and not a monthly one. The next day...same again! So £640 down! DP is now in his overdraft. Rings the company who massively apologise and say it was their error and they will fix it by Monday. Just received a voice mail saying it may now take 1-2 weeks! He phoned them straight back and they said their accountancy department isn't open on a Saturday and he will have to wait till Monday! Is this allowed? What if it was a little old lady who had no money to live on! So cross! Any advice massively appreciated!

There's no real law against an error like this, it was probably a computer error rather than an actual human having input the figures for your direct debit. Debit refunds do take some time but I've honestly never heard of 1-2 weeks, I think that is a piss take. I do debit and credit refunds in my line of work and they usually only take up to 3 working days. I'd ring back on Monday again when the correct department is open and ask to speak to the manager of accounting/finance.

Contact your bank and ask for a Direct Debit indemnity. They will do an immediate refund to your account. Just make sure you let the dentist practice know so they don't refund again in error

I'd say they are covering themselves by saying 1-2 weeks. Doubt it will take that long. However definitely ring them and tell them you also want any resulting fees refunded, as your overdraft was used because of their error.

You should be able to claim this back through telephone banking quoting the direct debit guarantee

Ring your bank and they should refund the payments back to your account under the Direct Debit Guarantee.

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

@nogod oh yeah completely understand these things happen. It was just the time scale of how long they said it would take. Seemed a bit of a kick in the teeth.

Didn't know about the direct debit thing that's a really great tip! I wonder if they will still be open 🤔

Just hope it hasn't happened to anyone else!

They could refund your account in 24 hours!!

@cheddar the company or the bank?

Try calling your bank, I'd imagine customer service may still be open? They should refund immediately