SIR – I wonder if I could use your letters page to warn people who are looking after elderly and/or vulnerable relatives to check, with their permission, their bank statements.

When mum moved out of her house, her utility bills were finalised and direct debits cancelled. Nine months later, when I was checking her bank statement, I noticed a sizeable direct debit had been paid to the energy provider of whom mum used to be a customer.

I rang the bank to query this and was told the energy company had submitted a direct debit mandate. This was done without mum’s authority, permission or even knowledge.

The bank acknowledged their error, repaid the amount into her account and claimed the money back from the energy company.

Had I not checked mum’s statement, who is to say how much she would have lost in rogue direct debits?

Incidentally, when I asked the bank on whose authority they had reinstituted the direct debit, the official told me: “we just assumed the customer had agreed”.

We all make mistakes – they wouldn’t put rubbers on the end of pencils if we didn’t. But let’s check that the mistakes of others do no harm to our loved ones.

D A Pearce, Nab Wood Drive, Shipley