Changing Direct Debit Costs £1.50?

[#1]

I submitted a change of direct debit details a few days back and all seemed ok.  Then in the middle of the night I got an e-mail saying that "the card details saved on your account still aren't valid, or may have expired" and that my service may be restricted as a result!
So I log in and it says "You currently pay by direct debit" and shows my new details with "Instruction Submitted" and then below this saying I can add a credit/debit card for use if the DD can't be taken.  So, putting two and two together I do this thinking that, because the banking system in this country is decrepit, they probably want my card details so they can take the payment because it takes "days" to send an electronic message to my bank requesting a DD to be set up and for the bank to send an electronic message back saying "yeah, ok".
Once I put my debit details into the system it thanks me with the message:

Quote

You are currently paying your subscription by credit/debit card. Subscription payments by credit/debit card are subject to a £1.50 monthly charge.

Harsh and unreasonable.

[#2]

When did you submit the changed DD details and when is your next billing date?

[#3]

Hi there,
It takes around 10 days for a new direct debit to be set up, and unfortunately we're only 3 days away from your next billing date so that'll be taken by card and the £1.50 fee added to the bill. As there's a new DD being set up though we'll refund that back to the card as soon as it's been taken.

[#4]

Hiya,
Sorry about this, I've popped a £1.50 discount on to your account so you're not penalised for something that isn't your fault.

[#5]

It seems this is still a problem. My normal DD payment date was 9 days away when I made the change. I've just fallen into the same trap.
Why is there not a warning that customers risk a £1.50 if they change their bank details too close to their payment date? Why can Plusnet not continue to use the original mandate until the new one is active?
This time CS is initially refusing to refund the surcharge...

[#6]

Hi masonic,
I'm very sorry for any inconvenience caused.
I have escalated Ticket: 83547540 back to you regarding this and added a £1.50 discount on your next bill.
Please note that should you need to change your DD instructions in the future that you allow up to 10 working days before your bill is due to avoid this.

[#7]

Thanks. Much appreciated.

Quote from: Linn

Please note that should you need to change your DD instructions in the future that you allow up to 10 working days before your bill is due to avoid this.

I really think a warning such as this should be displayed before customers commit their changes. I could easily have waited until after my bill was due if I had known.

[#8]

Thanks for your feedback, masonic.
For visibility this is stipulated here:
http://www.plus.net/support/customer_service/billing/billing_guide.shtml

Quote

6. I've got card and Direct Debit details stored on my account, which will you use? Monthly payments: If there's an active Direct Debit instruction set up on your account, we'll use that. Direct Debit instructions can take up to a week to set up so bear this in mind if you've only just added or updated one. If you want to pay your monthly bills with a card you'd need to cancel your active Direct Debit instruction first

[#9]

Thanks for pointing that out Lynn, but as I hinted earlier, my DD payment normally falls on the 7th and that was more than a week from when I requested the change. Your quoted text is incorrect and needs to be updated to state 10 working days. It would also be worth pointing out that when you make a change, the existing DD is immediately voided and that other methods of payment incur a fee.

[#10]

Thank you, I'll ensure your feedback is passed on masonic.

[#11]

Quote from: Linn

Thanks for your feedback, masonic. For visibility this is stipulated here: http://www.plus.net/support/customer_service/billing/billing_guide.shtml Quote 6. I've got card and Direct Debit details stored on my account, which will you use? Monthly payments: If there's an active Direct Debit instruction set up on your account, we'll use that. Direct Debit instructions can take up to a week to set up so bear this in mind if you've only just added or updated one. If you want to pay your monthly bills with a card you'd need to cancel your active Direct Debit instruction first

1. It's all well and good pointing to that - even if that is updated the majority of people changing bank accounts still won't see it. You need to give the same information here: https://portal.plus.net/apps/paymentdetails/manage/directdebit
2. Why do you automatically delete the old DD before the new DD has been activated? You should ask the user how they want payment taken before the new DD becomes active (old DD or card) and point out that if payment has to be taken by card because that's what the user chooses or the old DD fails there will be a £1.50 fee.
PS Don't say that this will change in the new billing system and so won't be addressed now because we all know about Plusnet's ability to deliver projects on time! People keep getting caught out by it so it needs addressing NOW - at least by putting information on the page linked in point1.

[#12]

Quote from: Linn

Quote Direct Debit instructions can take up to a week to set up so bear this in mind if you've only just added or updated one.

As I noted in my Feedback thread recently (and many others have observed) the "up to" is actually more like "at least". The DD system is NOT operating to the speed your published statements assume.  
My recent DD reinstatement took OVER 6 WORKING DAYS, so well over a week, to set up.
And, as it stands, I'm waiting (fingers crossed) to see if it works correctly in the next few days to pay the latest bill.  

[#13]

We have to cancel an existing DD instruction when a new one is submitted - this is part of the regulations that apply to us from BACS / Direct Debit.

[#14]

Now that is a new one on me Ben. Please could post a link to the regulations that state this.

[#15]

Sorry, I don't have them to hand, I'm going on information given to me by the manager in charge of that area.