Zombie Direct Debit?

[GeoffF100]

I was a member of EasyGym. Their website says that memberships can be cancelled by cancelling the direct debit. I believe that I did just that. The next payment failed, and I got an email from EasyGym saying that the payment had failed, cancelling my direct debit could be one of the reasons, and that my membership had been suspended.

The next two payments succeeded. I am remiss for not checking my statement closely enough. When I looked, the direct debit instruction was still there online. I cancelled it (again?). I phoned Santander. The gentleman on the phone said that he could not find a record of the direct debit having been cancelled previously. I cannot prove that it was, but think that I have been had nonetheless.

I have emailed EasyGym and told them that I want to cancel my membership. That should not be necessary. I also asked for the last two payments to be refunded. Fat chance. I saw an article in which the founder of PureGym said that he was not eligible for any of the government schemes.

I have made a note of the date and time of the conversation with Santander. If they take another payment, I will claim it back from them. You cannot be too careful.

[Lootman]

I have emailed EasyGym and told them that I want to cancel my membership. That should not be necessary.

The situation is worse if you have a monthly or annual charge on a credit card. In my experience you cannot tell the credit card to no longer pay it. You have to get the vendor to stop asking for payments.

Even if you cancel the credit card altogether, if a subsequent charge is made on that card then the account will be reactivated and you will get a bill. I learned that the hard way.

So as bad as direct debits can be, at least there are some protections in the event of disputes. With credit cards you can be right out of luck.

[genou]

I have emailed EasyGym and told them that I want to cancel my membership. That should not be necessary.

The situation is worse if you have a monthly or annual charge on a credit card. In my experience you cannot tell the credit card to no longer pay it. You have to get the vendor to stop asking for payments.

Even if you cancel the credit card altogether, if a subsequent charge is made on that card then the account will be reactivated and you will get a bill. I learned that the hard way.

So as bad as direct debits can be, at least there are some protections in the event of disputes. With credit cards you can be right out of luck.

That was the case, but is no longer. You can tell your issuer to cancel it and they must do so.

[JuanDB]

You can make an indemnity claim through your bank and they will make a refund which the bank will then claw back from the provider. This is the quid pro quo for allowing a third party to debit directly from your account.

Contact your bank and state an error has been made and that you wish for a refund and the bank should do so immediately.

There is nothing to stop the provider reinstating the dd if you cancel it. The disincentive is that if they do so they will see an increase indemnity claims (as long as you do claim) which will ultimately effect their sponsorship on to the scheme by their bank.

The scheme rules and bank are your friend in this area.

Cheers,

Juan

[uspaul666]

Yes. It’s absolutely the bank that needs to refund you. I cancelled my membership with puregym (a long while ago) by cancelling the DD as specified. I’ve had no further DDs (so far). I looked it to it in case there was an issue and there are rules and template letters here: https://www.directdebit.co.uk/DirectDeb ... ailed.aspx

[Loup321]

Surely your old statements show that one month there was no payment? And you still have the email? If there was a bank error or insufficient funds, the payment would probably have been requested again a day or two later. I'm assuming this is the last few months, and you should be able to get those statements online. Unless the gym can provide a signed credit agreement from you AFTER that date, on what authroity did they reinstate the direct debit? If the terms and conditions do say that cancelling the direct debit alone is sufficient to cancel your membership plan (some do, some don't), then your membership is cancelled (not suspended, cancelled) and they have no right to the money.

[richfool]

Surely your old statements show that one month there was no payment? And you still have the email? If there was a bank error or insufficient funds, the payment would probably have been requested again a day or two later. I'm assuming this is the last few months, and you should be able to get those statements online. Unless the gym can provide a signed credit agreement from you AFTER that date, on what authroity did they reinstate the direct debit? If the terms and conditions do say that cancelling the direct debit alone is sufficient to cancel your membership plan (some do, some don't), then your membership is cancelled (not suspended, cancelled) and they have no right to the money.

If you definitely cancelled your direct debit I can't see how it could be set up again. So yes, I would also pursue Santander again. If as Loup says a previous DD was not paid that would tend to support your assertion that you had cancelled it, (unless it was unpaid due to for example insufficient funds).

The Gym has no right to set it up again if you had cancelled it with your bank. Did you cancel it through online banking or by visiting a branch? That might give Santander some direction as to what to check.

[GeoffF100]

EasyGym has just refunded both the zombie monthly payments. I am impressed. I am glad that I did not offer to eat my hat.