What can I do?

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Long long story, but basicaly do not get on with the SIL and her 'D'H. They are somewhat crazy.

My DH used to house share with my SIL's DH. SIL's DH set up a direct debit out of my DH's savings account, my DH is not sure if he authorised it or not, but if he did it would have only been a short term thing as BIL is very very very bad with money and has debt problems. So we have just realised we have been paying his bill for 2.5 years.

Since BIL has moved out we have had phone calls / letters from the electric company for bills he has failed to pay there. Plus my stupidly trusting DH len him money about 3 years agao and it never got paid back, and we are talking quite a bit.

I know it looks like we have no control of money, but this is a savings account. we dont take out of it and have opted out of statements.

Anyway, Short of small claims court What can we do to get the £ back?

ask for it politely?

ooops, should have put that, he told us where to go.

reason being? how can anyone defend that attitude? I guess you could ask again in a way that might make it easier, like suggesting a payment plan? to get the negotiations rolling?

When we spoke we were very relaxed, even though we know what he can be like (trust me veeeeery long back story) We asked if a mistake had been made or anything and he kept lying and changing the story so we got confused and he started shouting at us.

Find out exactly what was agreed with the direct debit (ask your bank/BS), so you know where you stand. Its possible they were paying out after the DD ended, or your Dh may have agreed to more than he thought, in which case it might be hard to get the money back. Your BIL sounds like a bit of a prick.

We called about the direct debit - company said due to high volume of calls they don't confirm who the card holder is, they take it on trust. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BT HERE!

You've been paying someone else's bill for 2.5 years and you've only just noticed? Or have I read that wrong?!

Siblingrivalry - you read that right.

Im embarrassed to admit we dont check our savings as we have no DD's and the amount goes up each month so we just haven't noticed.

DH thinks that BIL just assumes we can afford it so it doesnt matter. (he has said words to this effect in the past so thats not a rash judgement)

I thought you couldn't have direct debits on savings accounts?

We use a high interest current account as our savings account

Ah! In that case, I would contact the bank to get them to investigate to see if your DH did authorise it in the first place. If not, it can be challenged by your bank. If he did, there's not a lot you can do, other than go back to SIL's DH.

if your SIL DH set up the direct debit on your DH's account is that not fraud? or did your DH authorise it?

first, stop this.

i don't think you are going to get your money back.

They are actually under a legal obligation to verify that they are speaking to the account holder, or an authorised person, and if they have failed in this, you can shake the Data Protection Act in their face. 'high volume' = BS.

BT reckon if they say - are you the account holder and the answer is yes, that is all they can do.

They must have security questions..though if he set up the account, and was given your DHs bank details by him for this purpose, i don't think you'll have a leg to stand on....

unlss he at some point cancelled the debit?

sorry.