GoCardless · Troubleshooting
GoCardless: troubleshooting
Fixes for common problems with GoCardless in COHO, then a table of error messages. For how it works, see GoCardless; for step-by-step instructions, see GoCardless: how-to.
Rent Collection only offers Off or Manual, and Automatic says “Coming soon”
Section titled “Rent Collection only offers Off or Manual, and Automatic says “Coming soon””Why it happens: Rent Collection’s Automatic mode isn’t available yet. It isn’t needed for GoCardless.
How to fix it: choose Manual. Manual is full Rent Collection, and GoCardless works with it: exports, mandates, payment links and automatic recording of payments. Then connect GoCardless.
If the tenant moves in within a few days, don’t rely on Direct Debit for the first payment: a new mandate takes a few working days to become active, and then the payment takes a few more to collect. Use move-in monies through GoCardless or Request Instant Payment (a one-off bank payment, usually much quicker), or take a bank transfer, and set up the Direct Debit for later rent. A brand-new GoCardless account also has to be verified by GoCardless first. See Collect a first payment quickly. Exact GoCardless timings can’t be checked from COHO.
I can’t see the GoCardless section or the Collect With GoCardless? question
Section titled “I can’t see the GoCardless section or the Collect With GoCardless? question”Why it happens: one of these:
- No GoCardless account is connected yet.
- The account is connected but GoCardless Integration is switched off.
- Your role doesn’t include Rent collection (read).
- On a room: the tenancy’s rent schedule is managed outside COHO.
How to fix it: check GoCardless Settings (Rent Collection panel > settings cog). Connect an account, or switch it on. For permissions, ask an admin; see Users and roles.
The panel says I can only manage GoCardless
Section titled “The panel says I can only manage GoCardless”Why it happens: your role has Integrations but not Rent collection. The panel says “You do not have access to rent collection, but you can still manage your GoCardless connection via settings (cog icon).”
How to fix it: you can connect or disconnect accounts from the settings cog. To export, request payments or see statuses, ask an admin for Rent collection permission.
I connected GoCardless but my account isn’t listed
Section titled “I connected GoCardless but my account isn’t listed”Why it happens: the list doesn’t update by itself when the GoCardless window closes.
How to fix it: click the refresh button beside Connect an account in GoCardless Settings. If the GoCardless window showed an error, try connecting again.
“GoCardless account’s creditor is not verified yet”
Section titled ““GoCardless account’s creditor is not verified yet””Why it happens: GoCardless hasn’t finished checking your new account. Until it has, COHO can’t create mandates, payments or payment links.
How to fix it: follow the link in the message to finish GoCardless’s onboarding, or contact GoCardless support with the creditor number shown. Meanwhile, take payments by bank transfer: for a holding deposit, use Cancel GoCardless or choose No for Collect With GoCardless?.
None of my tenants have been charged
Section titled “None of my tenants have been charged”Why it happens: COHO doesn’t collect rent on its own each month. Payments are only created when you run an export, send a payment link, or an applicant pays through onboarding. A mandate on its own doesn’t charge anything.
How to fix it: run an export for the rent due. Do it a few working days ahead so the charge dates can be met.
A rent record isn’t listed in the export
Section titled “A rent record isn’t listed in the export”Why it happens: one of these:
- Its due date is outside the From and To dates.
- It’s already paid, or already has a GoCardless payment in progress.
- The property’s Rent Collection is Off, or the tenancy’s rent isn’t tracked in COHO.
- It’s written off as bad debt, refunded, reversed or deleted.
- The room or property is disabled.
How to fix it: widen the dates, cancel the earlier GoCardless payment if it should be replaced, or turn Rent Collection on (Manual).
The export finished with errors
Section titled “The export finished with errors”Why it happens: COHO couldn’t create some payments. Each error names the tenant and the reason, for example the account isn’t verified, a mandate was used up, or GoCardless rejected the details.
How to fix it: fix the cause shown, then run a new export for those records. Records that worked aren’t offered again.
A tenant was charged twice
Section titled “A tenant was charged twice”Why it happens: usually the tenant has a subscription in GoCardless that keeps collecting, and the same rent was also exported or requested from COHO. It can also happen if a tenant paid by bank transfer and a Direct Debit was taken as well.
How to fix it: refund the extra payment in GoCardless. Then, in Match Existing Mandates or the tenancy’s GoCardless details, check the subscription. Either cancel it (Cancel Subscription) and use exports, or keep it and don’t export that tenancy’s rent. If a tenant pays another way, cancel the GoCardless payment before it’s submitted.
A tenant set up a mandate but it isn’t linked
Section titled “A tenant set up a mandate but it isn’t linked”Why it happens: the mandate was set up outside COHO’s link (for example in GoCardless directly, or by someone else for the tenant), so COHO doesn’t know which tenancy it’s for. A new mandate also shows as pending for a few working days.
How to fix it: open the room’s Rent Collection panel, click Edit in the GoCardless details, and choose the customer and mandate. Or use Match Existing Mandates. If the mandate doesn’t appear there, check in GoCardless that it hasn’t been cancelled or failed.
The mandate keeps disappearing from the tenancy
Section titled “The mandate keeps disappearing from the tenancy”Why it happens: COHO checks mandates daily. It archives a mandate that has ended in GoCardless (cancelled, failed, expired, blocked or used up), and switches to another active mandate for the same customer if there is one.
How to fix it: check the mandate’s status in GoCardless. If it has ended, ask the tenant to set up a new one (Request Mandate). A mandate that’s still being set up isn’t archived.
I got a “Tenancy without mandate” Action
Section titled “I got a “Tenancy without mandate” Action”Why it happens: all of the tenancy’s mandates have ended. COHO also emails the tenant, “No Active Rent Payment Mandate”, asking them to contact you.
How to fix it: send the tenant a new mandate request, or collect the next payment with a one-off link. Then dismiss the Action.
I got a “GoCardless Billing Request Expired” Action
Section titled “I got a “GoCardless Billing Request Expired” Action”Why it happens: a payment link was sent more than 7 days ago and the rent still isn’t fully paid. “The link is now expired. Please cancel and take action.”
How to fix it:
- Open the rent record and click Cancel on the GoCardless payment.
- Talk to the tenant, then send a new link (Request Instant Payment) or include the rent in your next export.
- If they paid another way, log the payment in Rent Collection.
- Dismiss the Action.
The tenant’s link doesn’t work
Section titled “The tenant’s link doesn’t work”Why it happens: the link has expired or been cancelled, or was replaced by a newer one.
How to fix it: cancel the old request and send a new one. Tenants can’t get a new link from COHO support; it has to come from you.
A payment failed
Section titled “A payment failed”Why it happens: usually there wasn’t enough money in the tenant’s account. The rent record shows Failed; COHO doesn’t record a payment.
How to fix it: retry it (up to 3 times), on a date that suits the tenant, or send a one-off payment link.
I got a “GoCardless Rent Payment … to delete” Action
Section titled “I got a “GoCardless Rent Payment … to delete” Action”Why it happens: a payment that was collected and paid out to you later failed or was charged back, and GoCardless took the money back from a payout. COHO had already recorded it as paid.
How to fix it: delete that payment in the tenancy’s Rent Collection panel, as the Action says, so the rent shows as owed. See Remove a payment that GoCardless reversed.
The tenant paid, but COHO still shows the rent as owed
Section titled “The tenant paid, but COHO still shows the rent as owed”Why it happens: one of these:
- GoCardless hasn’t confirmed it yet. “Payment successful” on GoCardless’s page can still be processing at the bank; COHO waits for confirmation.
- It came from a GoCardless subscription, so it’s waiting in Reconcile transactions to be matched.
- COHO didn’t receive GoCardless’s update.
How to fix it: wait for the status to reach Confirmed. For 2, match it in Transactions. For 3, click Import latest GoCardless payments in Transactions. See Bring in missing GoCardless payments.
I can’t confirm receipt of a holding deposit or move-in monies
Section titled “I can’t confirm receipt of a holding deposit or move-in monies”Why it happens: it’s set to be collected with GoCardless, so COHO only allows it once GoCardless confirms the payment.
How to fix it: if the payment is still on its way, wait. If the applicant paid another way instead:
- Holding deposit: click Cancel GoCardless, enter your payment details, and save. Then confirm receipt as usual.
- Move-in monies: open the rent record and Cancel the GoCardless payment (only possible before GoCardless starts processing it). Then Edit the move-in monies, set Collect With GoCardless? to No, and confirm receipt.
If GoCardless has already started processing the payment, it can’t be cancelled; contact COHO support.
The applicant gets an error when they click Pay
Section titled “The applicant gets an error when they click Pay”Why it happens: usually your GoCardless account isn’t fully set up: it isn’t verified yet, or one-off bank payments aren’t switched on for it. “Failed to create instant payment” or “This endpoint is disabled for your creditor” come from GoCardless.
How to fix it: finish verification, and ask GoCardless support to enable instant bank payments (billing requests) for your account. Meanwhile, use Cancel GoCardless and take the payment by bank transfer.
The amount in the GoCardless request is different from the move-in monies
Section titled “The amount in the GoCardless request is different from the move-in monies”Why it happens: the request is built from the rent records included in the move-in monies when the applicant clicked Pay. If those records changed, or the move-in monies were set up again, the amounts can differ.
How to fix it: cancel the GoCardless payment on the rent record before it’s collected, check the move-in monies, and ask the applicant to pay again.
I can’t edit or delete a rent record
Section titled “I can’t edit or delete a rent record”Why it happens: it has a GoCardless payment in progress. Editing is blocked while any GoCardless payment exists; deleting is allowed again if the payment failed.
How to fix it: cancel the GoCardless payment first if it hasn’t been submitted, then edit.
GoCardless fees and payouts aren’t in COHO
Section titled “GoCardless fees and payouts aren’t in COHO”Why it happens: COHO records each tenant’s payment at the full amount. It doesn’t bring in GoCardless’s payouts or fees.
How to fix it: see payouts and fees in your GoCardless account, and add fees to your accounts yourself. In Transactions, exclude the payout line from your bank so the rent isn’t counted twice.
Payments stopped after I disconnected
Section titled “Payments stopped after I disconnected”Why it happens: without a connection, COHO can’t create payments or receive GoCardless’s updates.
How to fix it: reconnect the same GoCardless account. Check GoCardless for anything collected while disconnected, and log those payments in Rent Collection.
Error messages
Section titled “Error messages”| Message | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “GoCardless account’s creditor is not verified yet. Follow [link], or contact GoCardless support…” | GoCardless hasn’t verified your account | Finish verification; take payments another way meanwhile |
| “Failed to create instant payment” / “Failed to create billing request” | GoCardless refused the request | Check verification and that instant bank payments are enabled; read the detail after the colon |
| “No rent due records found.” / “No rent due records selected.” | Nothing in the dates, or nothing ticked | Widen the dates or tick records |
| “Some selected rent due records are no longer eligible.” | Something changed, for example a record was paid | Click Reload records and try again |
| “A charge date is required for every selected rent due record.” | A selected line has no charge date | Set the date |
| “GoCardless account is required for tenancies without a GoCardless setup.” | You have several accounts and some tenancies aren’t linked to one | Choose the GoCardless Account |
| “No tenancies found.” / “Some selected tenancies are no longer eligible.” | Mandate requests only cover active and future tenancies without a mandate | Check the tenancy’s status and mandate |
| “Error generating mandate request for tenancy of [name].” | GoCardless couldn’t create that tenant’s request; COHO says how many were sent | Check the tenant’s details, for example their email |
| “Lead tenant email is required” | The lead tenant has no email address | Add one to the tenant |
| “The tenancy mandate was consumed so we archived it. Please set an active mandate and try again” | The mandate can’t be used again | Request a new mandate, or attach an active one |
| “GoCardless integration is disabled for this account” / “GoCardless account is not enabled” | The account is switched off | Switch on GoCardless Integration |
| “Can’t collect holding fee with GoCardless if the Rent Schedule is disabled.” | The tenancy’s rent is managed externally | Track rent in COHO, or choose No |
| “Tenancy has a different GC account set” / “GoCardless account mismatch for tenancy” | The tenancy is linked to another GoCardless account | Use the account the tenancy is linked to |
| “GoCardless is already processing or has collected this payment, so it can no longer be cancelled” | Too late to cancel | Refund in GoCardless if needed |
| “Cancelling can only be done on payment in pending submission status.” | The payment has been submitted | It can’t be cancelled from COHO |
| “Charge day of month must be between 1 and 31.” | Invalid charge day | Enter 1–31 |
| “Changes cannot be made because this tenancy has been cancelled or deleted.” | No GoCardless payments on a cancelled or deleted tenancy | Check the tenancy |
| “You do not have permission to manage integrations for this organisation” | You need Integrations (write) | Ask an admin |
| “You do not have permission to manage rent collection for this organisation” | You need Rent collection (write) | Ask an admin |