Before you switch direct debit provider, tell clients what's changing, when, what name they'll see on their bank statement and whether they need to do anything. If your mandates move through a Bacs bulk change, clients don't need to do anything and the Direct Debit Guarantee still protects them; if they need to sign a new mandate, tell them a request is coming and what it will look like.
In this article
The short version
- Tell clients the date, whether they need to act and the name on their statement.
- With a Bacs bulk change, clients sign nothing and the Direct Debit Guarantee still applies.
- With Adfin, 10 or more mandates move by bulk change; under 10, clients sign a new mandate online.
- Send your own message a week or two before the change date, or a few days before mandate requests.
- Say bank details only go into a secure page, never into an email reply.
What clients need to hear, and when
Clients tend to notice a change of provider in two places: a new name on their bank statement and an email they weren't expecting. A short message from you before either happens means they're less likely to query the payment, or cancel the debit at their bank because they don't recognise it.
Your message needs to cover:
- that you're changing the provider that collects your direct debits, and the date
- whether they need to do anything
- the name they'll see on their bank statement from that date
- that their amounts, dates and protections stay the same, or what's changing if they don't
- who to contact with questions
Which version you send depends on the route. With a Bacs bulk change, existing instructions move from your old provider to your new one and clients sign nothing. With Adfin, 10 or more mandates move this way. The change date is set at least five weeks ahead, and on that date Adfin emails your clients about the switch on your behalf, in your branding, because the scheme requires them to be told. With fewer than 10 mandates, clients sign a new Adfin mandate online, which avoids weeks of bank approvals for a handful of clients.
Timing works best when your own message arrives a week or two before anything else does. For a bulk change, that's a week or two before the change date. For new mandates, send it a few days before the mandate requests go out, so the request lands with someone who knows to expect it.
Template for a bulk change, when clients do nothing
Adapt the details in square brackets:
Subject: A change to how we collect your direct debit
Hi [name],
From [change date], [new provider] will collect your direct debit payments to [business name] in place of [old provider]. You don't need to do anything. Your existing direct debit moves across automatically, and your payment amounts and dates aren't changing.
From that date, the payment will appear on your bank statement as [name on statement]. You'll still get notice of the amount and date before each collection, and you're still covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee.
You'll also receive a short email confirming the change on [change date]. If you have any questions, reply to this email or call me on [number].
Thanks,[your name]
Fill in the statement name carefully, because it's the line most likely to prevent a cancelled debit. On Adfin, statements show Adfin with a short form of your business name in the reference, unless you've chosen Adfin Custom, which shows your own name for £36 a month and is set up when you join.
If a client's collection falls in the days around the change date and you need to move it, tell that client separately, with the new date, before it's taken.
Template for clients signing a new mandate
Subject: Please set up your direct debit with [business name] by [date]
Hi [name],
We're changing the provider we use to collect direct debits. In the next few days you'll receive an email asking you to set up a new direct debit with [business name]. It takes a couple of minutes, and you'll enter your bank details on a secure page, not by email.
Once it's set up, we'll cancel your old direct debit so you're only ever charged once. Your payment amounts aren't changing, you'll get notice of the amount and date before each collection, and you're covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee.
The payment will show on your bank statement as [name on statement]. Please set it up by [date]. If the email doesn't arrive or you have questions, call me on [number].
Thanks,[your name]
In Adfin you send mandate requests from the customer list, one at a time or in bulk, and can add a shortened version of this text as your own message. The client's bank then confirms the new mandate, which usually takes two to three working days. Only cancel the old mandate once the new one shows as active, so nobody is left without a way to pay.
If a client hasn't signed by your date, Adfin's collection agents can chase them, within rules you approve, and offer another way to pay that month's invoice while the mandate is outstanding.
How clients can tell a genuine request from a scam
An unexpected email asking for bank details is exactly what clients are trained to distrust. Your message makes the real request expected, so give clients enough to recognise it:
- it will name your business and arrive around the date you gave
- bank details go into a secure page, never into a reply
- you'll never ask for bank details over the phone or by text
- they can call you on a number they already have if anything looks off
For a bulk change, the confirmation email on the change date shouldn't ask for anything at all, and you can say so. If a client is unsure, it's better they ring you than ignore the email or cancel the debit.
Related guides
- Do your customers have to re-sign direct debit if you leave GoCardless?
- Switching direct debit provider: what actually happens to your mandates
- How to migrate GoCardless direct debit mandates without asking clients to re-sign
- Switching payment provider: a complete guide
Common questions
Do I have to tell clients if I change direct debit provider? Yes. In a bulk change the scheme requires clients to be told in writing, and with Adfin that email goes to them on the change date. A personal message from you beforehand is optional but recommended.
Do clients need to sign a new mandate when I switch? Not if your mandates move by Bacs bulk change. With Adfin that applies to 10 or more mandates; with fewer, clients sign a new mandate online.
Does the Direct Debit Guarantee still apply after a switch? Yes. Clients keep the right to advance notice of changes, a full and immediate refund if a payment is taken in error, and to cancel through their bank.
How far in advance should I tell clients? A week or two before the change date for a bulk change, or a few days before mandate requests go out if clients need to sign again.
What name will clients see on their bank statement after the switch? It depends on the new provider. On Adfin it's Adfin, with a short form of your business name in the reference, unless you've chosen Adfin Custom to show your own name.
Should I mention a price rise in the same message? It's better not to. Send it separately with its own notice, so clients don't confuse the two changes.
Sources
- Bacs - The little Bacs guide to switching FM providers (accurate as of November 2026) https://www.bacs.co.uk/media/xglbtzor/little_bacs_guide_to_switching_fm_providers.pdf
- Direct Debit - The Direct Debit Guarantee (accurate as of November 2026) https://directdebit.co.uk/direct-debit-explained/direct-debit-guarantee/
- Adfin - Bulk-migrate your direct debit mandates to Adfin (10+ mandates) (accurate as of November 2026) https://support.adfin.com/en/articles/12688044-bulk-migrate-your-direct-debit-mandates-to-adfin-10-mandates
- Adfin - Switch to Adfin direct debit, self-serve (under 10 mandates) (accurate as of November 2026) https://support.adfin.com/en/articles/10199769-switch-to-adfin-direct-debit-self-serve-under-10-mandates
