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As a creditor, a SEPA direct debit allows you to debit one-off or recurrent amounts from your clients. You are only permitted to do this once your clients have given their consent in the form of a mandate. This page tells you all you need to know about direct debits and what to do in the event of changes.
SEPA direct debit contract
Successfully using SEPA direct debits in 6 steps
From requesting a SEPA direct debit contract to sending direct debits. Get started with SEPA direct debits in six steps.
All about direct debits
Mandates
Before you can debit amounts from your clients, your clients must first issue a mandate to you. You can have them do this using a paper mandate form or an eMandate.
Timescales
Timescales have been agreed for direct debits, such as when you need to let the client know that you are going to debit, or the last day on which your client can have the direct debit refunded.
Submitting a direct debit
There are various ways of submitting a direct debit. If you already know when you want to debit from the client, see below for when you need to submit the instruction to us.
Submit SEPA direct debit batches in the pain.008 (xml) file format.
Refusal, revocation or refund
SEPA direct debits can be refused, revoked or refunded. This can be initiated by your client or by you.
Direct debit countries
You can make direct debits from clients in all SEPA countries. These are the countries of the European Union, plus some others.
Please note that you must accept direct debits from all IBANs. You can’t refuse a mandate or a direct debit because the IBAN is from another country. Your systems must be able to process direct debits with IBANs from all SEPA countries.
SEPA direct debits are always in euros. Some SEPA countries have a currency other than the euro. Banks in those countries may only be able to process SEPA direct debits from a euro account and not from an account in the local currency. This may vary from one bank to another.
Changing a direct debit contract
If you want to start using eMandates, change the limits of your direct debit contract or add an additional direct debit type, please contact us to change your direct debit contract.
Changing a mandate
If you or your client want to change an existing mandate, you will to get approval again. Bear in mind the rules for that.
Fees
For a SEPA direct debit contract, you pay a monthly subscription fee and a fee per executed direct debit instruction and direct debit batch. You also pay a fee for refused or refunded direct debit transactions and correction entries. The fees do not differentiate between SEPA core direct debits and SEPA business-to-business direct debits.
As well as the costs for your direct debit contract and the processing of direct debit transactions, you pay a subscription fee for using eMandates and a fee for each new or changed mandate.
The costs you incur for linking eMandates to your website are at your own expense.
Questions and advice
Please get in touch with us for more information about direct debits.