Tell clients in writing before anything changes, from a named person at your firm, and cover what's changing, when the first collection will be, how much it will be, what they need to do and who to ask. Say plainly whether they need to sign anything. Explaining that they'll get notice before every collection and can cancel through their bank at any time answers most objections before they're raised.
In this article
The short version
- Tell clients in writing before anything changes, from a named person.
- Cover what's changing, when, how much, what they do and who to ask.
- Say plainly whether they need to sign anything.
- Clients get notice before each collection and can cancel through their bank at any time.
- With 10 or more mandates moved from another provider, clients don't need to sign again.
When to tell clients
How much you need to tell clients depends on where they're moving from.
If they pay by bank transfer or standing order today, each client signs a direct debit mandate. Write to them a couple of weeks before the first collection you'd like, so there's time to sign, ask questions and set the mandate up before anything is due. A natural moment helps: a renewal, a fee review or a new engagement letter, when they're expecting paperwork anyway. If they pay by standing order, tell them exactly when to cancel it, after the last standing order payment and before the first direct debit, so they don't pay twice or miss a month.
If you're moving existing direct debits from another provider, you may not need signatures at all. With 10 or more mandates, Adfin moves them through the Bacs bulk change process and your clients don't sign again, though they still need to be told in writing before the change. With fewer than 10, each client signs a new mandate.
Either way, tell them before the change, not after. A collection your client wasn't expecting turns a routine change into a phone call, and sometimes into a refund claim through their bank.
What the message should say
Five things, and the whole message fits on one screen:
| Element | What to say |
|---|---|
| What's changing | That you'll collect fees by direct debit from a named date |
| When | The change date, and the first collection date if it's different |
| What they do | Nothing, or sign the mandate using the link |
| Amount and timing | How much, and the date it leaves their account |
| Who to ask | A named person at your firm, with a direct reply address |
A short example:
From 1 November we'll collect your monthly fee of £240 by direct debit, instead of you paying by bank transfer. Please set up the mandate using this link: [link]. It takes a minute. The first collection will be on 1 November, and you'll get notice before every collection. Any questions, reply to me directly.
Send it from your firm and from a person your client knows. A payments notice from a sender they don't recognise tends to be ignored or queried. If they don't need to sign anything, say so in the first line, so nobody goes looking for a form that doesn't exist. You can leave out the detail about how direct debit works behind the scenes, as anyone who wants it can ask.
How to answer the usual worries
Hesitation is often about control, and each worry has a short answer you can put in the message or keep for replies.
- "You could take any amount." Clients get notice of the amount and date before each collection. With Adfin, that notice goes out at least three working days before every collection.
- "What if you take the wrong amount?" Under the Direct Debit Guarantee, if an error is made by you or by a bank, your client is entitled to a full and immediate refund from their own bank.
- "I can't stop it." They can cancel a direct debit at any time through their bank. Ask them to tell you too, so you can agree another way to pay.
- "My invoice changes every month." One mandate covers different amounts, as long as they get notice of each one, so they don't sign again when the fee changes.
It also helps to tell clients what name they'll see on their bank statement. Unless you've paid to show your own business name, it's usually your payment provider's name, with a short form of your business name in the reference.
What to do when a client says no or doesn't sign
Some clients will decline, and it's rarely personal. Ask what's behind it, because the answers differ. A client watching their cash flow may prefer a fixed collection date, or a large annual fee split into monthly collections. A client who had a bad experience with a direct debit years ago may be reassured by the Guarantee. And a business client whose finance policy needs a director's sign-off just needs the mandate sent to the right person.
If they still say no, accept it and leave the door open. A client who pays promptly from a payment link is doing what you need, and the subject tends to be easier to raise again at the next fee review if you didn't push the first time.
A client who agrees but doesn't sign is a different case. That's often a busy inbox rather than reluctance, so treat it as a task to follow up. Adfin chases unsigned mandates by email, SMS or WhatsApp, and if a mandate still isn't in place when an invoice falls due, it can offer the client another way to pay so the invoice can still be settled. Its Customer Agents choose the timing and channel for each reminder within rules you set.
Common questions
How much notice should I give clients before moving them to direct debit? Tell them before anything changes, ideally a couple of weeks before the first collection so there's time to sign and ask questions. After that, each collection comes with advance notice of the amount and date.
Do clients have to sign a new mandate? Clients moving from bank transfer or standing order do. If you're switching provider with 10 or more mandates, Adfin moves them through the Bacs bulk change process and clients don't sign again.
What protects the client if a collection is wrong? The Direct Debit Guarantee. If an error is made by you or a bank, the client is entitled to a full and immediate refund from their own bank.
Can a client cancel a direct debit? Yes, at any time through their bank. It's worth asking them to tell you as well, so you can agree another way to pay.
What do I say to a client who refuses direct debit? Ask what's behind it. A fixed collection date or monthly instalments can ease cash flow worries, and a payment link is a reasonable fallback if they still decline.
Should the message come from us or the payment provider? From you, and from a named person the client recognises. A notice from an unfamiliar sender tends to be ignored or queried.
Sources
- Pay.UK - The Direct Debit Guarantee (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.directdebit.co.uk/direct-debit-explained/direct-debit-guarantee/
- Bacs - Direct Debit (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.bacs.co.uk/bacs-schemes/direct-debit/
- Adfin Help Centre - Bulk-migrate your direct debit mandates to Adfin (10+ mandates) (accurate as of October 2026) https://support.adfin.com/en/articles/12688044-bulk-migrate-your-direct-debit-mandates-to-adfin-10-mandates
- Adfin Help Centre - What does my customer see on their bank statement when paying (accurate as of October 2026) https://support.adfin.com/en/articles/10199976-what-does-my-customer-see-on-their-bank-statement-when-paying
- Adfin - Direct debit (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.adfin.com/direct-debit-payments
