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help - standing orders and Direct Debits

FAQs about standing orders and Direct Debits
Information available
Viewing standing order or Direct Debit details
Setting up a standing order
Amending a standing order
Transferring a standing order or Direct Debit
Cancelling a standing order or Direct Debit
Viewing an old standing order or Direct Debit that is no longer active

 

FAQs about standing orders and Direct Debits

What is a standing order?

A standing order is an agreement between you and first direct to send a fixed sum of money on a fixed regular date to a person/company.

What is a Direct Debit and how do I set one up?

A Direct Debit is an agreement between you and the company who is to be paid. You sign a Direct Debit mandate (an instruction) which gives permission for first direct to allow the company to claim payments from your 1st Account. The mandate will usually be for an unspecified amount on an unspecified date and is useful for payments to companies which may vary each time e.g. quarterly payment of utility bills.

Once the agreement is in place, the company will collect the payments from your account.

Companies are carefully vetted before they are allowed to join the Direct Debit scheme. In addition you are protected under the 'Direct Debit Guarantee' (details provided below) against payments claimed incorrectly.

The Direct Debit Guarantee

• The Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instruction to pay Direct Debits
• If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit the organisation will notify you (normally 10 working days) in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request the organisation to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request
• If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by the organisation or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society
• If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when the organisation asks you to
• You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify the organisation.

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Information available

Information provided is as follows:

• Destination name - this is the name of the person/company to whom the payment is made
• Type - DD = Direct Debit; SO = standing order
• Reference - this identifies you to the person/company receiving the payment
• Last paid - this is the date the last payment left your account.
• Amount - this is the amount of the payment
• Set up date - this is the date that the instruction was set up
• Next payment date (standing orders only) - this is the date the next payment will leave your account
• Last payment date - this is the date the last payment left your account.

Please note - first direct has no control over Direct Debit payments with regard to the date, frequency or amount. The company initiating the Direct Debit must give you advance notice of any change to the agreement.

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Viewing standing order or Direct Debit details

You can view the details of each standing order or Direct Debit by accessing the standing order and Direct Debit screen under 'payments & transfers' from the main menu then selecting the 'View/Cancel' option.

This will also show you the last six months' payment history.

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Setting up a standing order

You can set up a standing order by accessing the standing order and Direct Debit screen under 'payments & transfers' from the main menu then selecting the 'Create a new standing order' option.

To set up a standing order you will need to provide the following details:

• Destination sort code (6 digits)
• Destination account number (usually 8 digits)
• Destination account name
• Payment reference
• Payment amount
• First payment date
• Payment frequency
• Payment duration i.e. number of payments needed, final payment date or until further notice.

If you are unsure about any of the above information, we recommend you contact the person/company who you are making the payment to. Details quoted on bank giro credits are often not the correct banking details for paying a standing order.

Once you have successfully set up the destination details, the destination will show in your list of standing orders and Direct Debits immediately.

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Amending a standing order

You can change the payment amount of a standing order by accessing the standing order and Direct Debit screen under 'payments & transfers' from the main menu then selecting the 'Amend' option. The next time you view this standing order, the new amount will be displayed in the 'Next payment amount' field.

If you wish to amend anything else online i.e. destination account number, you will need to set up a new standing order. You may also want to cancel the old one if this is no longer required.

Alternatively you can call first direct anytime on 03 456 100 100 to make any changes.

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Transferring a standing order or Direct Debit

You can transfer a standing order or Direct Debit to another of your first direct 1st Accounts by accessing the standing order and Direct Debit screen under 'payments & transfers' from the main menu then selecting the 'Transfer standing orders and Direct Debits' option.

Alternatively you can call first direct anytime on 03 456 100 100 to do this.

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Cancelling a standing order or Direct Debit

You can cancel a standing order or Direct Debit by accessing the standing order and Direct Debit screen under 'payments & transfers' from the main menu then selecting the 'View/Cancel' option.

Alternatively you can call first direct anytime on 03 456 100 100 to do this.

For Direct Debits, in order to prevent the payment being honoured, you must cancel your agreement for the payment to be made before 4.30pm on the working day before the payment due date. You should also advise the cancellation to the company who is claiming the payments.

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Viewing an old standing order or Direct Debit that is no longer active

You can view an old standing order or Direct Debit that is no longer active by accessing the standing order and Direct Debit screen under 'payments & transfers' from the main menu then selecting the 'View old standing orders and Direct Debits' option.

You will be able to see old standing orders and Direct Debits which have expired or been cancelled for a further six months and those which have been transferred for four months following this event.

Alternatively you can call first direct anytime on 03 456 100 100 to do this.

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