Can a company take a Direct debit form my bank on any date they wish?

Question

UK answer required.
Basically I have a Direct debit set up wit a company which i thought was usually paid at the end of the month, they have took the payment today 23rd. this has cause me to go overdrawn and to be charged for the overdraft.

Answer 1

You can change that date if you want to, to be the end of the month, or the company takes the direct debit out on the day you sorted it out.
So if you called a company today and arranged a direct debit with them and didn't specify a date, the money would go our the 23rd of each month.
However if the company normally takes the money out of your account at the end of the month i would call the company to fing out why, and expain that it is unacceptable, if the 23rd is not the date, as you have gone overdrawn and now are being charged.
If they have taken the money out today when it isn't suppose to it's wrong. Call Them.

Answer 2

No they are not suppose to do it whenever they want. There is to be a certain date the same each month. Then you know to have the funds there. I just paid off a 25 year mortgage with direct debit from my checking on the 25th of every month. I never had a problem.

Answer 3

I dont know about the UK, but in the US it is only with your approval. The only time this may be different is if the specified date falls on a Sat, Sun, or holiday, in which case it would probably be taken out the previous Thurs or Fri.

Answer 4

some companies do not take payments on the same day every month. my citibank card, for example, takes payment on alternating 27th or 30th days or something like that (the date is different every month.) my discover card, however, is always the 5th.

Answer 5

As far as l know they have to take it on the day you tell them, this would be to accommodate for example your wages being paid into your account. But there again most banks do as they please.