Recurring payments to a creditor

[searchlight]

My bank tells me that if I gave my debit card details to a creditor to collect recurring monthly payments from my account then the bank is unable to stop the payments and I have to ask the creditor to cease the arrangement. Even if they issued a new card with a different long number it would make no difference as the existing card number held by the creditor would still link to my account. If I write to the creditor and insist they stop taking the payments do they have to comply? I might have made a rod for my back but surely I can get this sorted without having to open a new bank account. Advice to anyone: DO NOT make payments other than via direct debit or standing order
Thanks

[boxtops]

I had thought that using your debit card details is no different than initiating a standing order. I have cancelled standing orders by writing to the company collecting the money. I am not clear about the difference.

[factor-fiction]

Are you sure it's not a CREDIT CARD payment set up under a continuous payment agreement?

[ABerrant]

Recurring Transactions (aka Continuous Payment Authority) can also apply to Debit Cards.

[Buenchico]

Searchlight seems to have answered his/her own question. As long as the bank account continues to exist (with funds in it) and the creditor declines to cancel the continuous payment authority, his/her bank is obliged to continue making the payments. Closing the account is the only possible option.

However it's possible that, when the bank receives the next call upon funds in the 'closed' account they might still honour the payment and tell Searchlight that they regard the account as still active but overdrawn, resulting in some hefty charges for Searchlight. (That's what they would do if, for example, someone presented a cheque - backed by a cheque guarantee card - drawn on the 'closed' account). So the account should not be closed until Searchlight has sought clarification of the matter from his/her bank.

Reference:
http://www.financial-...utomatic-payments.htm

Chris

[factor-fiction]

Are you looking to stop paying the creditor completely? If not, then this is probably why the creditor wanted a continuous credit authority, bacause with a normal SO or DD the creditor may renege on the payments.
If you do want to continue paying but want to pay from another account you may find the creditor would stop the existent payment if you set up another payment regime that was acceptable to them.

[themas]

Your question says IF you gave details to collect recurring payments. Did you in fact do so - in which case Chris's answer covers the situation - or did you just give them the details to make a one off payment? If the latter, then it seems you have not given a continuous payment authority so subsequent payments should not have been taken. However, proving this could well be difficult unless your phone call with the creditor was recorded & you can get the recording (by a Data Protection Act request).