Ensuring debit orders are legitimate is a dual responsibility Although recent actions taken to tighten up debit order rules will undoubtedly reduce the incidence of disputed deductions from accounts, there is still a mutual responsibility for both the service provider and the customer to ensure that debit orders are correctly authorised, says Standard Bank. The key to ensuring that debit orders are correct is by using written mandates that authorise a company to process debit orders on a client account on a regular basis, says Ethel Nyembe, Head of Transactional Products and Services Business Banking at Standard Bank.  “It is important to note that banks fulfil the function of a payment facilitator. A debit order is therefore not a contract between the customer and the bank, but an agreement between the account holder and an external company.” Typically, debit orders are instituted against accounts when a company has agreed on dates and amounts that are to be deducted fr...