Halifax Direct Debit Mistakes?

MaugrimTR

My sister just discovered that Halifax used the direct debit for her credit card (which had a nill balance and is closed) to withdraw over 1000 euros from her current account with permanent TSB. After a long chain of calls to the UK (since they have shut up shop in Ireland), they are now insisting it will take a number of weeks to refund the money they withdrew for absolutely no reason whatsoever. They have also indicated there are similar cases being dealt with over the next few weeks.

Obviously, my sister is pretty upset (she has bills to pay) with this, but there seems to be no other option but to wait for the return of her money in a few weeks (presumably two weeks - or a dozen - who knows).

Anyone know if there's a good way to get Halifax UK to accelerate the return? She could use their complaints procedure, but presumably that would take weeks anyway and we have no idea just how applicable it is to former Irish customers since it's over in the UK outside of Irish jurisdiction. Is there any recourse left in Ireland for former Halifax customers?

NuMarvel

She should also contact PTSB and make a complaint. Under the terms of the direct debit guarantee (which banks are supposed to follow), she would be entitled to an immediate refund once it's been established that it's an unauthorised. From the Irish Payment Services Organisation website here:

A Direct Debit Guarantee is provided by your bank in the following form:

If you authorise payment by direct debit, then

Your direct debit originator will notify you in advance of the amounts to be debited to your account

Your bank will accept and pay such debits, provided that your account has sufficient available funds

If it is established that an unauthorised direct debit was charged to your account, you are guaranteed an immediate refund by your bank of the amount so charged where you notify your bank without undue delay on becoming aware of the unauthorised direct debit, and in any event no later than 13 months after the date of debiting of such direct debit to your account

You are entitled to request a refund of any variable direct debit which exceeded the amount which you could reasonably have expected, subject to you so requesting your bank within a period of 8 weeks from the date of debiting such direct debit to your account; your bank is entitled to ask you to provide factual elements relating to your request for a refund

You can request your bank to refuse a direct debit payment on your account up to close of business the day before the direct debit is due to be paid from your account

You can cancel the Direct Debit Instruction by writing in good time to your bank