Refuse refusing payment

JOSman

Hi all,

Don't know if anybody could advise, but fee for bin collection fell due and I sent a check to the company for payment for the coming year. Unfortunately, they sent my check back, as they insist they will only deal with direct bank payments.

From past experience with previous collector who still took money from my account even though I had canceled the account, trying to get money back was a nightmare.

Anyway, I want to pay for the year up front (they've been trying to collect from a card that was stolen from me and as such had been canceled).

Where do I stand as I'm not refusing to pay? I just don't want to give free access to my account to anybody not just the refuse company.
:mad:

Sparko

Could the company provide you with their bank details so you could make a bank transfer for the amount in question? That way they get the year in advance payment straight to their account, without you giving them access to collect direct debits.

Del2005

Or set up a standing order.

dudara

The costs of processing cheques can be high, plus they're just a lot of extra effort. I understand that you don't want to grant access to your account, so how about making a payment directly to their bank account. You could do this from your online banking. Just make sure to include a reference so they know who is paying.

V.W.L 11

Standing orders are the business,i pay several things that way,direct debits can fcuk off,never again!

JOSman

Thanks guys,

Will let you know how I get on.

J

JOSman

Hi all,

Have been informed that it's direct debit or credit card only.

Thanks to present and previous governments for giving us NO choice on how we manage our personal finance. Please let me know if they have any other fat friends that I can open my accounts for?

Really unhappy and :mad:

cruizer101

Can you get one of them prepay visa cards, 3v or O2 money card or something similar, should do the job

sandin

JOSman wrote: »

Hi all,

Have been informed that it's direct debit or credit card only.

Thanks to present and previous governments for giving us NO choice on how we manage our personal finance. Please let me know if they have any other fat friends that I can open my accounts for?

Really unhappy and :mad:

Didn't know the government was running the refuse service!

Very few places accept cheques these days - its simple progress. You should have a debit card with your bank account, just give them that number - its the same as giving them a cheque, but just not with the paper.

They can only uses it once unless you give permission otherwise.

Also rules for phone / distant debit/credit card puts the onus on the receiver to prove the payment was valid - so if they use it without your consent at a future date you can get immediate refund.

slimjimmc

JOSman wrote: »

Hi all,

Don't know if anybody could advise, but fee for bin collection fell due and I sent a check to the company for payment for the coming year. Unfortunately, they sent my check back, as they insist they will only deal with direct bank payments.

From past experience with previous collector who still took money from my account even though I had canceled the account, trying to get money back was a nightmare.

Anyway, I want to pay for the year up front (they've been trying to collect from a card that was stolen from me and as such had been canceled).

Where do I stand as I'm not refusing to pay? I just don't want to give free access to my account to anybody not just the refuse company.
:mad:

You seem to have paid previously by card so why can't you pay in advance by card this time, did you not get a replacement?

JOSman

I did pay previously by card, my problem was when the annual sub was up the company tried to take a monthly fee from the stolen card without even letting me know.

I like to be informed when somebody tries to charge me and not just take whatever fee they want from my account. Perhaps I would have liked to change companies?

As it turns out I wanted to pay this bill as a once off yearly fee and not a monthly fee.

Sometimes consumers have rights too, maybe we should insist that these rights be respected.

Anyway, as it turns out, between the wife insisting on me paying and the company demanding payment, I just gave up and paid (by credit card).

slimjimmc

Consumers do indeed have rights, but those rights don't include choosing how a business accepts payment. Companies are generally free to specify the forms of payment they accept and reject. The exception to this rule is legal tender (cash) which must be accepted in payment of a debt.

It's normal in service contracts that the contract will auto-renew on a monthly basis and deductions will be charged to the card/Direct Debit on file (check your T&Cs) unless you notify them otherwise and in time. That would explain why they attempted a monthly charge against your old card, and they wouldn't have had any idea the old card was cancelled.

Glad its sorted.

JOSman

Hi slimjimmc,

I was told that I couldn't pay by cheque or cash.

Interesting.

Thanks

slimjimmc

JOSman wrote: »

Hi slimjimmc,

I was told that I couldn't pay by cheque or cash.

Interesting.

Thanks

Basically, if you are in arrears and you owe them money then my understanding is they can't refuse legal tender in settlement of the debt. Since cheques are not legal tender they can indeed refuse them.

It doesn't sound like you were in arrears but even if you were they can choose to accept only electronic payments towards future collections. It may be inconvenient but those are their terms.