Mysterious Email

[#1]

I have been with Plusnet since 2004. (Broadband Premier Option 1)
I have just received an email Thanking me for choosing Plusnet.
It seems they are about to activate a second direct debit payment.
I have no clue as to why this should be and will not allow it to be taken from my bank.
My account is fully paid as can be seen from my transaction details.
Can anyone from Plusnet shed any light as to why I have received this email?
The contents of the email are as follows: (identification number and reference number removed)
Start of email<<
* Important: Confirmation that your Direct Debit has been submitted to
your bank, pending activation. *
Dear Michael Driscoll,
Thank you for choosing Plusnet as your Internet service provider. As part
of our commitment to giving you total control of your Internet account, we
hope you find Direct Debit to be the simple way to pay for your connection
with Plusnet.
Having accepted your Direct Debit details, we would like you to confirm
that they are correct.  Please check the details at the following URL:
https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=display_dd_details&s=1
If any of the details are incorrect please contact us using the Help
Assistant at our website. However, if your details are correct you need do
nothing and your Direct Debit will be processed as normal. You have the
right to cancel your Direct Debit at any time. A copy of the Direct Debit
guarantee is included below.
For your information, the collections will be made using this reference
number:
* Our Direct Debit identification number: *****
* Reference number: PNET******-*
Please remember that your Direct Debit can take up to five working days to
process before it becomes active. During this time your payments may
continue to be taken from debit or credit cards that you have associated
with your account. Your Direct Debit instruction will take precedence only
after activation is complete.  We will contact you in the unlikely event of
there being a problem with the activation.
We would like to thank you again for choosing Plusnet as your Internet
service provider. If you would like more information about your
subscription payments you can view your transactions online around the
clock at the Member Centre:
https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=view_transactions
>>End of email

[#2]

Hi there,
I've just been informed that this is likely to be due to your bank issuing a new direct debit request to us. Has your bank merged with another?

[#3]

Thanks Chris.
That could well explain it. The notorious Santander takeover.
So could you tell me what the situation is as far as the direct debit is concerned?
Also. As I have received a 'welcome' email. Does this have any affect on my contract status?
Or indeed affect my account in any other way?

[#4]

Hi mickyd,
No need to worry, the notification was sent as the direct debit is being recreated due to the takeover so you won't need to do anything.
With regards to the welcome e-mail, that seems to have been triggered by the new direct debit being set up so please ignore that too. No new contract and nothing to worry about there.
Sorry for any confusion caused by how we've handled this.
Adam

[#5]

Thanks for clearing that up Adam.
I have another question completely unrelated to the above. Although it does relate to Accounts and Billing.
Not sure whether I should create a new topic but I'm sure I will be corrected if so.
I live in a Local Authority house and I have to 'decant' to another property whilst urgent repairs are carried out to my current house.
This involves moving to another property for approximately 6 months and returning to my house when the repairs are completed.
Could you advise as to what steps I need to take as far as my account is concerned?
Thanks for any help.

[#6]

No problem at all,
There's a few options you could take there.
Firstly you could put your account on hold during that time as we do offer that for period of up to 6 months.
Alternatively you are entitled to a free house move every 12 months so we could move your service to the temporarty address, however you would then need to pay to move back, this would be in excess of £40.
There is another option of opening a new account at the temporary premises but we would then charge activation and a fee to reconnect the service at the current address, I wouldn't reccomend that as it would be more costly.
Adam.

[#7]

Are you entitled to claim expenses incurred as consequent of having to move out?

[#8]

Thanks for the info Adam.
Needs some considering.
The first option seems the least inexpensive although I think I might get withdrawal symptoms being without broadband for 6 months.
On the second option. I get a free move to the temporary address. Yes?
Could you be a little more specific when you say in excess of £40?

jelv. Yes. But it gets a little vague over and above removal costs.

[#9]

Quote from: _Adam_Walker_

No need to worry, the notification was sent as the direct debit is being recreated due to the takeover so you won't need to do anything. With regards to the welcome e-mail, that seems to have been triggered by the new direct debit being set up so please ignore that too. No new contract and nothing to worry about there. Sorry for any confusion caused by how we've handled this. Adam

I've just come across this thread after raising a ticket on this matter.  The first agent told me /I/ set up a new direct debit and the second one told me it was a mistake and they have no idea what was causing it.
However now I seem to have two direct debits set up on my account and I've no idea which one is correct.  I wouldn't put it past PN to take my fee twice since they already overcharged me last month. 
Do I need to cancel /both/ direct debits and set up a new one to prevent any future mistakes?

[#10]

I have another question re my move.
So, two outstanding questions (so far).
1. Could you be a little more specific when you say in excess of £40? (Above).
2. Will my move have any affect on my contract?
Please advise.

[#11]

Hi there
Point 1) Broadband reactivation in your original property costs £40. If you need us to reactivate/reinstall your phone line that could incur further costs (it's either free or £49.99 depending on the status of the line). You would also need to pay £25 to cease the broadband at the temporary property.
2) No, not if you do everything on your original account.

[#12]

I have just checked my bank account and there is a second direct debit for Plusnet showing (two in total).
I am presuming that the second direct debit is the one that is being recreated (see above).
I am also assuming that the first direct debit (the original one) will not be taken any more.
In other words only one payment will be taken from my bank account when the payment becomes due.
Can someone from Plusnet confirm this please?
Unless I get a prompt and satisfactory answer I will be cancelling both direct debits until this situation is sorted.

[#13]

As soon as the newer direct debit is activated the old one will cancel. It can take a few days for it to take effect on our side. If there are still 2 showing active this time next week then let me know and I'll sort it out from here.

[#14]

I can now see that the original direct debit has disappeared from my account details, leaving just one again.  However this matter has been handled very clumsily by PN with much wasted time on raising and responding to tickets.  I'm still unclear on why this was necessary as none of my other direct debits have been affected AFAIK.

[#15]

Quote from: Chris

As soon as the newer direct debit is activated the old one will cancel.

When the newer direct debit activates will a payment be taken out sooner than my next payment is due? (23/10/2010).
Or will it automatically take over from the old one (amounts and dates etc)?