Direct debits are an agreement between you and the receiving organisation; your bank/building society are the 'middle man', paying automatically to the receiving organisation on demand. When you want to cancel, you must first speak to the receiving company to prevent them requesting payment from your bank/building society. That said, direct debits can be cancelled on the Nationwide system but only AFTER the first payment has been collected because the direct debit details do not appear on the Nationwide computer system until that payment has been demanded. With standing orders, you have more control as the arrangement is between you and your bank/building society and therefore you can cancel or amend much more easily! This explains why utilities et. prefer direct debit payments rather than standing orders! Hope this helps a bit but sorry, you will have to go back to the receiving organisation to obtain a refund if your contract with that organisation was no longer required and you had notified them of such.