Direct Debit To Credit Card

[chanel5]

I am hoping that some ABers can give me the answer to a banking question.
My sister and her partner have a joint current account, and a number of direct debits come out every month. They also have a credit card each, both of which are paid off monthly from the joint account.
My sister is the main wage-earner, and her partner is unemployed.
My sister has recently discovered that her partner has arranged for a direct debit to be taken from the credit card every month. When she asked her partner about it, the partner insisted it was a private matter. Sister feels (justifiably, I think) that she has a right to know what this payment is for, as sister's salary is paid directly into the joint account.
Sister has seen the credit card statement which just says "direct debit" with no indication of where the payment is going. Account statement just says "payment to card number".
Does anyone know how my sister could find out what this payment is for, as it is a fairly substantial amount?
Thank you in advance to anyone who can offer any advice on how to solve this mystery. Would the bank be likely to agree to tell my sister what the payment is for? We thought they probably wouldn't as the credit card is in the partner's sole name, even though it is paid off from the joint account.

[zebo]

I would start putting my salary into a separate account for a start if the partner if unemployed, especially if the partner is being evasive.
I doubt that the bank would be forthcoming about someone else's credit card account, when we're going abroad and we call the bank to flag up the accounts we need to speak separately to them.

[alavahalf]

When you say 'the credit card' .. if that means the partners credit card, then she is unlikely to be able to question the card issuer in relation to the named cardholder's private banking arrangements.
But yes you are right, if your sister is supplying all the funding, she would be well within her rights to question a substantial debit from the joint account.
If the partner is not forthcoming, surely it would cast a question over the whole relationship and the thing that all relationships are based ... trust ?

[chanel5]

Absolutely, I agree with you both. The sensible thing would be for my sister to cease to contribute to a joint account. I believe the partner cannot be trusted, and I have been telling my sister this for some time now, so I am hoping that finding out about the "hidden" direct debit will be the catalyst needed to make her do something about the situation.
Thanks for the opinions on the likely position the bank will take. I thought, too, that they would refuse to give any information.
Many thanks for the answers.

[Jackdaw33]

Strange. I don't pay any DDs from my credit card but those from my bank account show the amount and the payee.

[ummmm]

Sometimes at work DDs go out with no info.

[Jackdaw33]

I wasn't aware that you could pay a DD via a credit card, I thought it had to come from your bank account.

[hc4361]

Unless things have changed very recently, direct debits cannot be set up to be taken from a credit card.
Regular payments from a credit card is a CPA - continuous payment authority - and the credit card statement should show where that money has gone

[ladybirder]

I pay mine every month by DD from my current account jd but all you see is the amount and the name of the credit card. She would have to see the partner's actual credit card statement to see who the amount was going to. If I was her I would be having a nosey around to see his statements or accidentally open the next statement when it arrives.

[Jackdaw33]

I take your point hc. By definition a payment via credit card cannot be 'direct'.

[ladybirder]

Oops I see she has seen the statement. Sorry, I'd better go to bed. Night.

[Jackdaw33]

I'm beginning to understand. The payment is made to the credit card company. I do the same, all that shows on my statement is the amount and the destination, in my case HSBC credit card.

[hc4361]

The payment is FROM his credit card.
His credit card is paid in full each month from their joint current account.

[ummmm]

Sorry, Jack, I meant dds from the normal bank account.

I think what the boss does is set up a dd from his phone and not put the info in so it just comes up 'Direct Debit'

[chanel5]

Just to clarify, folks, my sister pinched the latest credit card statement, and all it said was "Direct Debit". No name or details of where the payment is going.

[Jackdaw33]

Now I AM confused.

[ummmm]

Same...but that isn't hard.

[hc4361]

I think he's tried to hide the transaction by setting it up online and naming it 'direct debit'.

[Jackdaw33]

The plot thickens. Tune in next weeks folks, for a further instalment of Dick Barton and the missing DD (cue music)

[ummmm]

So it could be a regular payment he physically makes and just calls it 'Direct Debit' but it's not actually a DD as you can't make a DD from a CC.

[woofgang]

difficult......Circumstances do alter cases but here’s my “in principle” answer from my own experience.
When My DH was alive and I wasn’t working, he paid me money every month. Most of it was housekeeping in the strict sense but some of it was mine absolutely because we had both decided that I wouldn’t work and needed to have some income. Over the spending of that amount I had absolute control and he would never ask me what I had spent it on. I think that this is right, that everyone is entitled to their own privacy. BUT we had our own bank accounts, not a joint one.
In these circs I am not sure that she is “entitled" to know where the money is going unless its more money than she thinks he should be spending, in which case as the major funder of the bank account, she is perfectly entitled (and would be sensible) to limit the amount of money he has access to. Not to be vengeful or controlling but to ensure that this doesn’t get out of hand as such problems can.