Plusnet claims it cannot set up my direct debit

[#1]

Plusnet keeps telling me it is unable to set up a direct debit with my bank. I had to make a manual payment this month. I keep getting emails saying "Your bank/building society didn't approve your Direct Debit instruction at this time.".

I went online and re-entered the very same bank details but got another email this morning with this message.

My bank is RBS and the current account is in my name and I am the sole account holder. The details I entered are correct. I have many other direct debits successfully working on the account. I cannot understand why Plusnet is having these issues and no other utility or company is having a problem. I have a direct debit working with EE which is part of the same company as Plusnet.

Does anyone have any ideas what I can do?

Thank you.

[#2]

Contact your bank.

[#3]

Thank you for your suggestion @jab1  I have never, ever, in all my 45 or more years of banking needed to contact my bank about a direct debit, unless it was to cancel it - which I can always do online. I really don't want to be in a phone queue for an hour when I am pretty certain the problem is with Plusnet. If its sister company, EE can successfully set up a direct debit on my account I can't see why Plusnet is the only organisation unable to do this.

[#4]

Well, as there are two parties to the transaction, and one says it cannot do something - and makes bald statements such as this - then to me, the logical thing to do is ask the other party why they are unable to do something. I appreciate there are very few bank branches these days, but can you not actually visit one, or ask them via email/chat? I don't bank with RBS, so don't know their systems, but if I have a query, I find it useful to explore all avenues.

How do you know the problem is with PN?

[#5]

@jab1 I managed to contact my bank through their chat service and am being told I need to talk to the originator as the bank merely lodges the direct debit instruction on the account as an authority.

[#6]

Well, there you have your answer - although it isn't exactly helpful.

[#7]

@jab1 Yes, it's exactly as I thought. Unfortunately NatWest/RBS only shows direct debits in online banking once the first payment has been made. I would put money on it that the direct debit is lodged successfully but something in Plusnet's systems is causing a problem making that connection.

[#8]

@jab1 This is what my bank has come back with:

"I can see there is no issue at our end and also we never decline any Direct debit setup mandate which the merchant setup on your account."

[#9]

Can you not ask the bank if a DD is lodged with them? If it is, then you can ask PN why they are unable to execute the transaction. A pain, I know, but it needs sorting.

EDIT: Following your post above, it is clear you will have to ask PN.

[#10]

Yes, I'm in a chat session right now and have asked that very question! 

The answer I got is:

"Yes I can see the Direct debit is active and is setup today.

PNET52216XX-X PNET52216XX-X NIL 28JUN23

The Direct debit will be visible to you when the first payment is claimed by them."

[#11]

So - it has only been set up today? Strange - they only usually take around a week.

[#12]

Plusnet told be a couple of days ago that the direct debit I originally set up didn't work, so I went in a entered exactly the same details yesterday.

It really shouldn't be this difficult! EVERY other company and utility has set up direct debits without a hiccup.

[#13]

It shouldn't, but these things happen.

[#14]

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@scgf wrote:

@jab1 This is what my bank has come back with:

"I can see there is no issue at our end and also we never decline any Direct debit setup mandate which the merchant setup on your account."

---

That is also not true, or at least wasn't a few years ago.  I've had a couple of issues with Direct Debits at RBS, which I went in to branch about (that's how long it's been, as our local branch has been a pizzeria for about 4 years now).  Both times they made some changes on my account and then asked me to request for it to be set up again.

It may not be the same for you, but RBS will certainly decline Direct Debit setups.

[#15]

I sometimes had problems with setting up Direct Debit and card payments because my name on my bank card contains my middle initial, and if the company concerned don't include that when setting up the DD or payment then it sometimes failed.

It has become less of a problem for me in the past few years because now I know what the issue is, I always make a point of advising them to include the initial.