topic Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up in Plusnet Feedback

Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

sigma359 — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:01:34 GMT

I am somewhat frustrated in that Plusnet state they cannot set up direct debit from my bank account. I gave them the correct details and checked it. I phoned them to confirm the details. I then got an email response from Plusnet that said it was fixed.
However it isn't. I now get the same message my account is restricted. I said they can take the payment from my credit card (details of which they have) until its fixed but this was not done. The account is still restricted.
I would set up the direct debit directly with my bank myself if they would give me their account details and whatever else is required but they haven't done so. All we seem to do is go around in circles that they can't debit my account and I can't get them to tell me what I need to do precisely. As I said, they have my correct account details for direct debit and my credit card details. What else can I do?

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

Spider — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:20:16 GMT

Direct Debits can not be set up by the bank on direct instructions from their customer. The request as to go in via the company who is the beneficiary of the DD. Their are two possible methods that this can be set up. One is directly by the company, the other is by the bank physically setting up the DD from a paper request. Normally their is a minimum time from when a DD is set up on an account to when it becomes active. The best way to check if a DD is live on your account is to contact the bank. They should also be able to advise if their is a start date that as been applied to the DD.
If the DD is live on the account then the usual problem is that the company is claiming under a different Originator's Identification Number (OIN) than the one the DD was set up under. The bank should be able to advise what the OIN on the DD is.
I may be able to make other suggestion if you post what the actual problem was with regard to the DD submission.
[Edit: corrected error in terminology used on DDs]

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

Anotherone — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:02:50 GMT

Did you enter and set up the DD details yourself at the member centre? If not, go there and check it's what it should be (also check your CC details). Are you taking just Broadband or Broadband and Phone? If the latter you need to get your DD sorted quickly. Ring your bank and see what they've received if anything. If nothing, then go to the member centre and delete and then re-enter the details. If you are only taking Broadband, delete the DD details and tell PN via a phone call to accounts to take the current payment from your card.
If you want to pay by DD later add the details again after this payment has gone through on the CC.
HTH. If not post back here, I sure someone from PN can sort it.

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

prichardson — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:05:39 GMT

Have you enquired with your bank as to why they are declining the transactions?
Inspection shows we submitted the Direct Debit mandate, the bank responded around 7 days later (normally) that the mandate had been accepted.
However three attempts to issues transactions against the mandate have all been returned by your own bank as "No mandate exists".
Ideally, I would recomend at the least setting up the mandate online again on our portal under account details. However I even more strongly suggest contact with the bank to investigate why they have declined the three payments on the valid mandate they authorised.
Otherwise no matter what steps we take, this only risks continuing.

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

Spider — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:48:22 GMT

If what P Richardson says is correct then the most likely cause I have encountered is that the DD is set up under a different Originator's Identification Number (OIN) than the one that is being claimed under. Although the reference field is used on a DD and DD claim it is very rare that a DD claim will be rejected because the reference is different, although possible.
Was the DD set up by the Bank through 'paper' notification or electronically by Plusnet?
From my own experience this may go round in circles for a while as both the company and bank claim that both sides of the DD are in order. When you speak to the bank ask them for the following information which you should then relay to Plusnet:
Is the DD to Plusnet set up?
What Originator's Identification Number (OIN) as been used on the DD?
When was it set up?
Is their a start date?
What reference as been used?
and last but not least, which account as it been set up on? (most important if you have more than one account that accepts DDs)
Note a company can have more than one OIN and if one digit is incorrectly entered in the OIN field then the DD will show a completely different company name. This latter error is more associated with the bank inputting the DD details manually. The former is what leads to the company claiming under the wrong OIN.
[Edit: corrected error in terminology used on DDs]

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

sigma359 — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:27:39 GMT

Thanks Spider and the other helpful contributors. Much appreciated.
Being armed with this information I feel I can now make some progress. At the very least I can challenge my bank regarding the OIN and whether it matches the details for Plusnet.
Thanks for the suggestion to resubmit the DD via my account details. I did do that a number of days ago before posting on this forum but it seems not to have worked (admittedly less slightly less than 7 days ago).
It would have been helpful to have a FAQ page on this issue but I am grateful for the assistance on this forum. Perhaps something for Plusnet to consider in the future or, does the problem not occur very frequently?
I will do what has been suggested and hopefully this can be resolved fairly quickly.

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

sigma359 — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:01:57 GMT

Just to update you:
My bank claim they have never received any DD instruction from Plusnet.
Just to be sure I have again entered my bank account details in the DD section of My Account and will wait to see what happens.

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

pjmarsh — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:09:53 GMT

Hmm, exactly the same response as in the other thread. Out of interest, what bank is it?
Phil

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

James — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:41:24 GMT

Hmm.
Unless I'm looking at the wrong account, you've had an active DDI since January 28th and there's no record of subsequent requests of you trying to add a new one.

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

Anotherone — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:29:03 GMT

@sigma359
I'd PM James with you PN account info. to be sure he's looking at the right account.

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

Anotherone — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:52:33 GMT

@Spider
Thanks for the insight into DD terminology & operation.
I've made use of it already {/paranoia mode]

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

Spider — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:50:20 GMT

Quote from: sigma359
.....My bank claim they have never received any DD instruction from Plusnet. ....

It may be worth asking your bank exactly what direct debits are set up on your account to see if there are any that you don't recognise
[quote=P Richardson ]Inspection shows we submitted the Direct Debit mandate, the bank responded around 7 days later (normally) that the mandate had been accepted.
because normally the notification of the beneficiary that a mandate is set up is automatic. Plusnet trade under several different names, but your bank won't normally recognise the other names Plusnet uses unless you advise them of what to look for. Even if the DD was canceled by mistake it would still show up on your account unless it is purged and the beneficiary would be notified of the cancellation. It is unusual for a DD to be purged unless the mandate is a duplicate.

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

techguy — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:09:24 GMT

Has something changed recently as I've just input new details myself but not so worried at this stage as I know it can take a few days for status to change to activated.

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

sigma359 — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:57:43 GMT

Quote from: Jameseh
Hmm.
Unless I'm looking at the wrong account, you've had an active DDI since January 28th and there's no record of subsequent requests of you trying to add a new one.

Jamesh, Thanks for looking into this for me. and thanks to the other contributors.
I have now updated but the DDI (with the same account details) is still being reported by Plusnet as failed. My account details work for me when I pay into the account - which indicates the details are correct.
I use e-Banking and have not seen on my account on the bank web-site or having telephoned the bank been advised by them that any instruction has been received from Plusnet (or anyone else) recently. So the problem isn't going away yet....

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

Anotherone — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:45:35 GMT

I hope your account isn't still restricted having instructed PN to take payment from your CC until this is resolved.
If it is still restricted I'd be making some pretty strong demands.

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

Spider — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:20:34 GMT

Quote from: sigma359
.....
I have now updated but the DDI (with the same account details) is still being reported by Plusnet as failed. My account details work for me when I pay into the account - which indicates the details are correct.
...

One thought, can the account accept DD's as not all accounts can?

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

James — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:43:32 GMT

@sigma359
Could you possibly PM me your username?

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

sigma359 — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:07:57 GMT

Quote from: Jameseh
@sigma359
Could you possibly PM me your username?

Hi everyone and Jameseh,
I received a phone call from PN regarding one of the failed payments. It is such a pleasure to have someone 'phone me rather than me phone a machine and wait on average 25 minutes before talking to someone and still fail to resolve the issue but I digress.
It would 'seem' the problem has now been solved. I would point out that it appears none of the problems were my doing - I gave the correct DD details from the very beginning.
I hope this does not recurr next month otherwise I'll be looking elsewhere for my phone and BB hookup (I admit to have already started looking).
Jameseh - My username is twbasing
Thanks to all for your contributions and help. Having just re-read this email it appears I'm more irritated and less tolerant that I really feel I am. Put it down to other pressures at work.....

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

sigma359 — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:38:53 GMT

Hmm,
I wrote too soon on my previous e-mail.
Still getting failed payment notification.
I've updated my direct debit account details (again) but the last few digits are no different from the ones already recorded by Plusnet so it 'seems' they were okay.Though I did update my record after clicking on 'Pay'. I guess, given the previous month's failed payment then my clicking on 'Pay' will fail again since it uses the 'old' (though identical) bank details?
user account name is twbasing.
What other options are there to try and resolve this issue?

Re: Failed Direct Debit payment set-up

James — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:45:10 GMT

Hi,
I don't think the payment will fail, given that the payment will be taken by the card that you have on your account because the direct debit failed.
The information we get is that it has failed because the instruction is not held within your bank. Whether that's true or a system issue at this end (I haven't seen any others) I'm afraid I'm not sure.
I do wonder whether this has happened because of the way that you entered your name last time round, although given that the DDI was accepted, I'm surprised if that is the reason for this to fail.
In short, I'm not really sure why this has happened, but I'll happily check things out again once the new DDI has gone active.