unauthorised debit orders

Why do cell_c put d/o through before the authorised dates, taking money which don't belong to them? Following is a pasted copy of the second email correspondence between cell-c and myself, in which all the details of my situation is described:

"Good morning,

It is with extreme frustration that I am writing this email, because I feel that you guys at cell-c are not listening, not fixing the problem and costing me money I can not afford to be losing.

The following is my original email (copied and pasted) to you:

"Dear sir/madam

My name is Dawid Schuch and I have two contracts with Cell-c: ********** 168 and ********** 048.

After calling your customer-care centre and speaking with Sindiswa, I was requested to contact you on this email for assistance.

My account have always been paid with no problems, via debit order which was set for the first day of every month... Until recently, when our payment structure at work changed. Since the end of last month our income will no longer reflect in our accounts on the first day every month, but on the 5th.

These changes, which took place just before the end of last month, meant that there wouldn't be any funds for the regular debit order... So we called in to notify cell-c about the situation and asked if we can change the debit date to the 5th. We were then understandably informed that debit order dates can only be set for the 15th or the last and/or first day of the month.

The initial, main problem was that we wanted to inform about - and change the fact that we wouldn't have the money in the account when the debit order was supposed to go off (trying to avoid a returned order and it's costs, repercussions on my credit score and of course our phone contracts being reflected on negatively)... So the consultant suggested that we change the debit order date to the 15th, stating that we can then pay the money manually, when we get paid around the 5th. She said that the system will automatically pick up the payment and the debit order will then not go off on the 15th.

I just didn't want it to go off on the first day of the month when I knew there would only be money on the 5th. So I agreed with the recommendation and changed the debit order date to the 15th.

So now luckily then we were in time to notify cell-c and the debit order did not go off on the end of last month... and instead we paid the money for last month via EFT on the 4th, as planned and agreed.

Everything seemed fine and sorted, but then on the 15th, the debit order went through?!?! I was under the impression that the system would have picked up the payment we made and cancelled the order on the 15th. So when it went off, there was no money in the account.. I mean.. The whole point was that I only get the money around the 5th, so there won't be any funds in the account on the 15th... I paid on the 4th, now a month has to go by before I'll have the funds available again on the 5th (then I'll pay via EFT again, which should cancel the debit order again) Obviously things did not go as planned.

Then, highly concerned, I called your customer care line on Saturday. That's when I spoke to Sindiswa and she explained to me what went wrong. She explained that it was because we changed the debit order date, while we were still in last month... She said that actually the consultant should have suggested that we wait a day or two and change the date in the new month, so it will only come in effect the next month and not in the same month (that would have avoided this problem). She then changed the debit order date back to the end of the month, per my request. (as that would be the closest to my actual pay date)

Now we have the situation we wanted to avoid by calling cell-c originally, only worse... The debit order went off with no money in the account, this reflects on my credit score, plus I am going to be charged expensive penalties by my bank and it will reflect negatively with you guys too. I can only pay the money on or around the 5th as I've reported.. and I reported it before my usual debit order went off and it became a problem. So I asked Sindiswa if she can just cancel the debit orders completely and that we will simply pay via EFT. That was when she referred me to you.

Please can you help me to cancel the debit order and rectify the situation on my account? I can't afford to have our phones cut off because of this returned debit order... My payment for last month was made on the 4th.. The payment for this month will be on the 4th or 5th next and so on.. Via EFT

Hope this all makes sence, but please contact me asap as I don't know how else to proceed."

That was a pretty detailed and long explanation about my problem. Yet I only received a responce, from Lerato, stating the fact that the debit order can not be cancelled unless I send a letter of unemployment. Nothing was mentioned about rectifying the situation on my account by ensuring the matter was reported and no more debit orders will go through in error.

I have accepted that we can't cancel the debit orders completely and left it at that, expecting the next debit order to go off as arranged, on the last day of the month (also accepting that I will just have to pay the R170 penalty fee for the returned debit order at my bank.)

Then, to my shock, the debit order went off yesterday morning, after I was told it will only go off the end of the month as arranged!!! Once again, it was returned due to no funds and once again, it will cost me another R170 penalties. I immediately phoned your customer service, and again had to explain the whole, long story - All I want is for you guys to stop trying to take the money in the middle of the month. How many times and with how many people do I have to talk, to tell you that there will be no money until then?? This time I spoke with Thabiso.. and he told me that it was sorted and that the next payment will go off on the end of the month.

YET THIS MORNING THE $*#@^ DEBIT ORDER WENT OFF AGAIN!!!??? Again unpaid with ANOTHER R170 penalty from my ban****

Please Please Please rectify this matter.. Will Cell-C cover these penalties I've incurred from my bank?

I need you to stop trying to take the money until the end of the month. We paid last month's bill on the 4th and will pay the next due payment the end of this month. This is all because cell c can't accommodate a debit order matching my actual payment date (when I get paid). I don't know what else to say to get it sorted... This is affecting my credit score, which I have been working hard to keep clear. All because cell c keeps trying to take money after numerous attempts from me, telling them not to.

Extremely unhappy! If another debit order goes off in error, through the fault of cell c, I swear I'm going to throw a very public fit in rage against your poor service and difficulties to communicate the problem to a satisfactory, errorless solution!"

After this, cell-c contacted me and ensured me that the debit order has been changed back to the end of the month and the situation was resolved (even though I still have to pay the penalties from my bank)

But then on the 28th, the debit order went through. Cell-c are only authorised to take payment on the first or last day of the month, which means the d/o on the 28th was unauthorised. The money which they took was meant for other purposes!!!

I am extremely frustrated with cell-c... They don't listen or read properly.. You have to explain long stories to numerous different people to get any form of acceptable solution and they take unauthorised payments when they want... This is not the first time this happened.