Direct Debit still "active" after service termination

Hi,

A few months ago I terminated a service I was paying for via direct debit. I noticed on my online banking that the DD status from this organisation is still "active" though no cash has been taken ever since I terminated the service.

Is this normal that a company doesn't cancel their direct debits on customers that have left? No harm is been done so I'm more curious than anything else.

Yes

It is up to you as the banks customer to cancel the direct debit.

When you sign a DD mandate you are telling the bank that you give a certain originator permission to withdraw money at any time for any amount from your account using the DD system. The bank have no idea what arrangements you are making with the service provider.

If you cancel your contract with a service provider they will just stop taking money from your account. Until you cancel the DD with your bank the service provider can still request money and the bank will honour that request. A service provider cannot actually 'cancel a DD' they can only stop requesting money. It is up to you to tell the bank that you no longer give permission for the provider to withdraw money. The DD arrangement is between you and the bank. If you cancel the DD and at some time later the service provider either accidentally or on purpose tries to take money again the bank will refuse to pay them the money.

That's a complete turn around from a couple of years ago where, the bank would not stop a DD only the service provider could do this.
With all of this confusion, I never agree to DD