Mr. Underwood
I wouldn't give to much though about how it is displayed in their online portal, especially if they haven't properly implemented full SEPA support and acceptance yet.
In any case, if they're using direct debit to debit from customer's accounts, they cannot refuse to do so for you because your bank account is located abroad. Especially in the case of utility companies, they often have specific clauses in their contracts (or T&C) that explicitly stipulate use of direct debit.
