Book direct debit back: Here's how
A direct debit can easily be posted back within the period of eight weeks. This period begins the moment your account is debited. It is therefore important that you know about your account activity. We explain what you have to pay attention to.
Let the direct debit be posted back: This is the legal period
You have exactly eight weeks to have a direct debit returned. If the legally stipulated time frame has expired, you will no longer be able to get the money.
- The deadline applies to the direct debits authorized by you. In the banking language, these direct debits are known as authorized direct debits .
- Important: The eight weeks do not apply from the point at which you notice the incorrect booking. The deadline for posting the faulty direct debit begins exactly when the amount has been debited from your account.
- So that you do not miss such deadlines, it is worth checking the bank statements regularly .
Book money back - so it works
To return the withdrawn money to your account, proceed as follows:
- Visit the bank branch and arrange for your money to be posted back. The employees are familiar with such processes, so that the chargeback runs properly.
- If you have a personal advisor in your bank, you can also contact them and commission them with the process.
- Alternatively, you can request that the direct debit be posted back via online banking. The corresponding function can often be found in the service area.
Undo unauthorized direct debits
If you revoked the direct debit before the money was debited, the legislator will grant you a significantly longer revocation period . The same applies, of course, if you had not given the recipient of the money a direct debit mandate in advance.
- The lawmaker justifies the longer period by saying that you could not have known about the wrongly debited . Therefore, you were not obliged to check your bank statements accordingly.
- However, this period is also not infinite: as soon as the money has been debited from your account, you have 13 months to have the amount transferred back to your account.