Procedure for cancelling Direct Debit?

JohnCleary

I have O2 broadband, and when my 12 month contract is up, I do NOT want to renew. I'm paying by direct debit.

Could anyone enlighten me as to the procedure for this? Do I just ring O2 and tell them i'm not renewing? Write them a letter to tell them? Do I also contact my bank to let them know and tell them not to authorise any Direct Debit payments to O2 after a certain date? (O2 are the only DD i've set up on my account)


Thanks folks

Random

Contact O2 30 days before the end of your contract and ask them to terminate in 30 days. This should really be all that's required.

They'll send out your final bill shortly afterwardss - check it for any credits or debits. Then that's pretty much it.

You could contact the bank if you wanted to cancel the DD at that point too but I wouldn't bother.

jor el

Random wrote: »

You could contact the bank if you wanted to cancel the DD at that point too but I wouldn't bother.

I would. Write to the bank and ask them to cancel the O2 DD. Many companies, though I've never heard of O2 doing it, keep taking your money, even though you've canceled the service.

dotsman

As a rule, I always contact my bank (in writing) ever since NTL ignored 2 phone calls, an email and a written letter sent by registered post. They then had the audacity to charge me a fee to handle the refund!

Under the Direct Debit scheme the onus is on you to notify both the company (O2) and your bank. Typically, you only need to contact the company, but to play it safe (and especially if the company is as useless as NTL)

JohnCleary

Excellent advise guys, thanks very much, it'll be:

Phone call to O2 30 days before contact ends
Letter to bank stating that I wish to cancel the DD after XX date (And that I contacted O2 to cancel the DD so i'm not breaking any contracts)

dudara

Moved to Banking & Insurance & Pensions

dudara

broker2008

To add to the previous posts, I seem to recall boardsies recommending sending them a registered letter if they don't confirm receipt of letter. As a matter of interest how come you seem so adamant that you are cancelling, a better deal (which one?) or bad service ?

JohnCleary

broker2008 wrote: »

To add to the previous posts, I seem to recall boardsies recommending sending them a registered letter if they don't confirm receipt of letter. As a matter of interest how come you seem so adamant that you are cancelling, a better deal (which one?) or bad service ?

The only location that I use the 3G dongle doesn't have 3g network with O2, but it does with Vodafone. I'll hapily sacrifice the 10GB cap to 5GB cap for higher speeds (I use a tiny amount of bandwidth, maybe 50MB a month)


-Edit- I presume I send a letter to the branch which my account is with, yeah?

Pinkster

If you use internet banking you can probably cancel the Direct Debit yourself but make sure you also cancel it with O2.

JohnCleary

Pinkster wrote: »

If you use internet banking you can probably cancel the Direct Debit yourself but make sure you also cancel it with O2.

Just checked this out - your right! Thank you Will of course ring O2 when the contract comes up to finishing

JohnCleary

Sorry to be a total 'tard here, but just to be totally certain....

I took the contract out on 3/5/2008 with 1 month free
I was billed for the first time on 22/6/2008 and billed on the 22nd each month.

So I should be billed 11 times, which brings us back around 22/4/2009

So 30 days before the end of my contract will be say the 1s/2nd/3rd April 2009 - So this is when I should ring O2 to cancel?

And finally, after I see i've been billed for the 11th time, which will be on 22/4/2009 I *then* cancel my DD online?


Thanks guys

Pinkster

Direct Debits are presented about 5 days before they are taken from your accout. As soon as the payment goes through then you can cancel the Direct Debit. I would also cancel it with O2 at the same time so that they don't present it again.

JohnCleary

Pinkster wrote: »

Direct Debits are presented about 5 days before they are taken from your accout. As soon as the payment goes through then you can cancel the Direct Debit. I would also cancel it with O2 at the same time so that they don't present it again.

So on the 3/5/2009 I will be with O2 12 months, which is the contract. I want to cancel ASAP after the 12 months.

So when should I ring them to cancel? Or 'not renew' more-so than cancel

IsThatSo?

If you are unsure if the "one month free" is included in the 12 months, hence unsure when the actual 12 months is ending - ring O2 and ask them. They will have an absolute on the end date and you can work back your 30 days then:) I would be inclined to double check the date anyway, just in case