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The direct debit
system in Portugal is basically the same as the UK but the
Portuguese banks now use a system which is known a SEPA
which stands for Single Euro Payments Area.
SEPA is basically a system which allows payments to be made
in the Euro currency between 32 different countries. A
simple mandate has to be filled in by the customer and any
direct debits can be carried out in a simple and straight
forward manner.
This benefits of this system may not be initially apparent
but if you have bills to pay in other countries, which is a
common occurrence for many of the expats living in Portugal,
it can be a great time saver and the system can eliminate a
great deal of stress with regard to sending money.
The direct debit system in Portugal obviously also enables
you to pay all of your other local payments such as utility
bills etc and it works in pretty much the same as the UK in
that a direct debit form need s to be filled in or you can
simply set one up over the phone.
I know it is common sense but always insure that you have
the funds available in your bank to cover any direct
payments, it can cause quite a few problems if your bills
are not paid and it saves so much time and hassle if the
direct debits are paid in full and on time.
If you do not want to use the the direct debit system in
Portugal and wish to pay the bills when they arrive you have
the option of using the Multibanco system. This is a system
where you pay your bills through a machine which is very
similar to an ATM machine that you would find in the UK. You
simply key in the reference number on the bill and make the
payment. You are given a receipt as proof of payment.
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