How do direct debits work?

How do direct debits work?

Paying by direct debit means choosing convenience. Your invoices are collected directly without you having to think about their due dates.

What are direct debits?

Direct debits are a way to pay regular bills from your current account. You effectively let third parties take money from your account with us to pay recurring bills like your monthly phone bill.*

* We only carry out the transaction and don’t check how much has been taken off your account.
 

Benefits

  • Automatic and on time: you give your approval to the creditor just once, and from then on everything happens automatically. This lets you avoid reminder fees for forgotten invoices.
  • International payments: your subscription to that foreign magazine, your gas bill for your house in Spain... these things can all be easily paid for via direct debit as well. Direct debits are possible for all countries within SEPA*.
  • Refuse or block payment: you can revoke, block or request a refund for a payment within a specific period of time.
  • Specify a maximum amount or frequency: as a consumer, you have a number of rights. This allows you to specify a maximum amount or frequency to your bank.

*The European Union is working on a harmonised European market for payments (the Single Euro Payments Area, or SEPA). SEPA consists of the European Union and Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, Andorra and Vatican City State.

In detail

How do I set up, change or cancel a direct debit?

Direct debits are managed by the creditor. That means you can't set up, change or cancel direct debits via your bank. To do these things, you must contact the creditor directly. 

How do I refuse a direct debit?

Consumers can revoke payments or ask for them to be refunded:

  • Revoke: the day before they’re paid, direct debits are shown in the internet banking service you use with us (KBC Touch or KBC Mobile), when you can still revoke the payment so it isn’t carried out. Of course, you still have an outstanding debt to the creditor.
  • Get a refund: the day before they’re paid, direct debits are shown in the internet banking service you use with us (KBC Touch or KBC Mobile), when you can still revoke the payment so it isn’t carried out. Of course, you still have an outstanding debt to the creditor.

How do I block a direct debit?

Direct debits can be blocked by:

  • Account (through your KBC branch)
    If you want to have full control over who can withdraw amounts from your account, this method means no money can be withdrawn from your account by direct debit as standard, except by creditors you specify.
  • Creditor (through your KBC branch)
    This lets you prevent one or more creditors from making withdrawals from your account.
  • Mandate (online using KBC Touch and KBC Mobile or through your branch)
    Individual creditors can have several mandates (individual agreements you conclude with creditors). You can allow creditors to withdraw money from your account or prevent them from doing so using special mandates.

Blocks can be lifted at any time.

Where can I find an overview of my direct debits?

Our internet banking services (KBC Touch and KBC Mobile) show you all your current direct debits, their amounts and the last time they were taken from your account.

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