Direct Debit vs credit balance on utility a/c - what happens?
Posted: May 21st, 2018, 1:54 pm
For reasons I won't go into here it's possible I will soon be without a UK bank account for a period of perhaps two months. A major concern is that the various direct debits that draw against the present account will default when that account is closed. I expect it's going to start impacting my otherwise very good credit record.
I was wondering whether it's possible to effectively pre-pay the direct debits? For example if my council tax, currently drawn by DD, is say £100 a month, what happens if make a manual payment of say £300 against the council tax account? Will the council try and return the funds to me, or will it sit as a credit on the account? If it sits as a credit does that mean the council would stop trying to draw the DD while my a/c with them remains in credit?
Previously I've set up DDs and just let them run, so have never had to think about it too deeply. I know a standing order draws a fixed sum, but does a DD stop trying to draw if the a/c is in credit, and just leaves the credit sitting there until it's depleted?
This probably sounds like a pretty simple problem, but if I can 'pre-pay' say 3 months of council tax/mortgage/utils on my UK home it would avert the ensuing chaos before my new a/c is activated, credited, and set up to pay them.
I'd appreciate any thoughts!
I was wondering whether it's possible to effectively pre-pay the direct debits? For example if my council tax, currently drawn by DD, is say £100 a month, what happens if make a manual payment of say £300 against the council tax account? Will the council try and return the funds to me, or will it sit as a credit on the account? If it sits as a credit does that mean the council would stop trying to draw the DD while my a/c with them remains in credit?
Previously I've set up DDs and just let them run, so have never had to think about it too deeply. I know a standing order draws a fixed sum, but does a DD stop trying to draw if the a/c is in credit, and just leaves the credit sitting there until it's depleted?
This probably sounds like a pretty simple problem, but if I can 'pre-pay' say 3 months of council tax/mortgage/utils on my UK home it would avert the ensuing chaos before my new a/c is activated, credited, and set up to pay them.
I'd appreciate any thoughts!