Recurring transactions are a convenient way for you to collect regular payments, such as membership subscriptions and monthly insurance premiums, from customers. To avoid any disputes, it’s very important to ensure that you carry out your customers’ instructions properly and make it easy for them to get in touch to change or cancel payments.
12.1
The basics
To set up a recurring transaction, you must:
Have an agreement with Worldpay that allows you to take recurring transactions.
Use the Customer Number from this agreement, not your normal Customer Number.
Have the cardholder’s written authority.
Check the card is one of these: MasterCard, Visa Credit, Visa Debit, Visa Electron, JCB, Debit MasterCard, Diners/Discover
Recurring transactions cannot be completed with a Maestro card.
Obtain authorisation for the first payment in the recurring transaction string using a secure method:
o Chip and PIN for card present transactions, or
o Card Security Code (CSC) for Mail Order Telephone Order (MOTO) transactions, or
o Verified By Visa/MasterCard SecureCode for eCommerce transactions
Never process a transaction that is declined.
Supply a telephone contact number that will appear on the cardholder’s statement (and let us know if this number changes).
12.2
Obtaining written authority
You must have a written authority form signed by your customer allowing you to take payments from their card account. This form must show the cardholder’s:
Name
Full address
Postcode
Telephone number
Card account number
Card expiry date
Agreed payment pattern (Find out more in Recurring Transaction options below.)
Authority and understanding the authority will remain in force until such time as it is cancelled in writing
Never ask for a customer’s PIN nor store your cardholder’s Card Security Code (CSC). The CSC may be used for the first transaction but is not required for subsequent transactions.
See an example of a written authority in Section 12.5.
The Data Protection Act 1998: Please remember that if you are collecting personal data such as the above, you need to register as a data controller. Your failure to do this and any subsequent action that may be taken against you will not be the responsibility of Worldpay.
See Keeping Records, section 2.7, for details of how receipts, paper vouchers and other high security items must be securely stored.
Customer Operating Instructions (2015.3) UK & ROI
Page 43 of 77 © Worldpay 2015. All rights reserved
12.3
Recurring transaction options
You have two options for collecting payments:
12.3.1
Option 1 – A fixed amount on a fixed day: no notice needed
The payment period could be weekly, monthly, three-monthly, six-monthly or yearly.
The cardholder should agree this on the written authority form.
When you have this authority, you don’t need to let the customer know when you will be taking payments, unless:
o The amount and/or dates change after the initial agreement – then you must write to the cardholder giving 14 days notice before the first new payment.
o The payment period is more than a year – then you must write to the cardholder giving 14 days notice before each payment is due.
12.3.2
Option 2 – Variable amounts or days: giving notice
If the amount to be paid and/or the payment dates are variable, this should be stated on the written authority form.
You must write to the cardholder giving 14 days notice before collecting each payment, telling them the amount due and the date on which the money will be collected.
When you have written to let the cardholder know that a payment is due, or about a change in dates/amounts, there is no need for them to respond.
12.4
Cancellation
It’s important to understand that a cardholder may cancel their authority to debit their card account at any time. You must act on their instructions and collect no further payments. If any payment is returned unpaid – for example, if the account has been closed – you must contact the cardholder and ask them to pay in another way. Never re-debit the card as this may lead to chargebacks and ultimately suspension or termination of your Worldpay facility.
12.5
Important information for eCommerce customers
If you offer recurring transactions for eCommerce sales, you must:
Notify cardholders clearly at the outset that subsequent payments will be taken from their account.
Offer an online cancellation facility.
State clearly if you are offering a fee-free period and give the cardholder at least seven days notice of the expiry of any fee-free period.
Customer Operating Instructions (2015.3) UK & ROI
Page 44 of 77 © Worldpay 2015. All rights reserved
Example – written authority form
Recurring
Transaction authority
Please complete parts 1 to 7 to authorise us to claim payments directly from your Account.
To: Customer & Co. Ltd Customer Reference
I understand that [insert company name] will advise me of the amount to be paid and the dates on which payment is due and that [insert company name] may only change these after giving me prior notice.
1. Name of Cardholder 2. Full Address 3. Postcode 4. Telephone Number 5. Account number 6. Expiry Date
7. I authorise you to charge my account an
unspecified amount in respect of ________________* as and when they become due.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS AUTHORITY IN FAVOUR OF [insert company name] WILL REMAIN IN FORCE UNTIL SUCH TIMES AS I CANCEL IT IN WRITING TO [insert company name].
Signature___________________________ Date_______________________________
* Please insert details of the goods/ services being purchased.
Customer Operating Instructions (2015.3) UK & ROI
Page 45 of 77 © Worldpay 2015. All rights reserved