Special Presentation cheque... please help at my wits end

jlouise123_2

Hello,

I paid a cheque into my account on Monday via special presentation, well here's Friday and still no money in my account!

Halifax have said that the other bank HSBC have not received the cheque, does it usualy take this long?
What should I do? Im getting very worried now. The bank won't honour it and say I should get another cheque from the company- and they also said I have to wait until Monday before I can get my money back, anyone else had the same experience??

THanks in advance.

ade

opinions4u

jlouise123 wrote: »

I paid a cheque into my account on Monday via special presentation, well here's Friday and still no money in my account!

Halifax have said that the other bank HSBC have not received the cheque, does it usualy take this long?

Special presentation of a cheque uses a high tech system known as first class post. It's as relaible as that. Actually, slightly less reliable. If it's posted to the wrong HSBC address it may go round the houses and take an extra couple of days on top of whatever delay the post office cause!

What should I do? Im getting very worried now. The bank won't honour it and say I should get another cheque from the company

If the cheque hasn't turned up there is nothing to honour. You will need to arrange for the drawer of the cheque to cancel it and issue a replacement - or make a BACS payment directly in to your account if they have the capability. The problem is, if the cheque is cancelled and then turns up the day after you're still waiting for the replacement to clear!

While you should reasonably expect a refund of your fee for the service (around £12) the service offered guaranteed you nothing. Read the receipt and it will tell you this.

Extant

First class post? Come on, Special Delivery at least. Don't be cheap...

Special Presentation is unfortunately not a method to clear the cheque any faster; only to get an answer on the availability of funds. It's also a service provided with the caveat that it can take even longer to do - some drawing banks remit the funds back to the payee's bank by cheque, too.

That said, it sounds like it's gone wrong in this situation, as you should always get the original voucher back - even it's just marked as refer to drawer.

jonesMUFCforever

The bank should not refund the fee. They have done what you asked of them ie send the cheque by post to circumnavigate the clearing system. It is not the bank's fault that the cheque appears lost in the post. This is explained in the terms and conditions of special presentation.

opinions4u

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

The bank should not refund the fee. They have done what you asked of them ie send the cheque by post to circumnavigate the clearing system. It is not the bank's fault that the cheque appears lost in the post. This is explained in the terms and conditions of special presentation.

Meanie! :beer:. I always refunded the fee to the customer where no decision could be obtained within 4 working days.

Probably because I thought £12 for a first class stamp and a phone call was a bit steep!

I always found it amazing that despite signing a paragraph on the form that said (paraphrased) "it's first class post and guarantees nothing" customer still thought they'd get a decision and their funds the next day without fail.

BarclaysManager wrote: »

First class post? Come on, Special Delivery at least. Don't be cheap...

OP said Halifax. First class post!

Special Presentation is unfortunately not a method to clear the cheque any faster; only to get an answer on the availability of funds.

It's a couple of years since I was involved (as a sender), but the fate of the cheque would invariably be "paid" and the account was credited with cleared funds there and then.

It's also a service provided with the caveat that it can take even longer to do

Yup.

some drawing banks remit the funds back to the payee's bank by cheque, too

Never came across that, but it may have been a back office process carried out away from the branch with a reconciliation process to balance against the "same day" fate received credit. I remember many moons ago in the building society days charging the customer £3 extra and taking the cheque round to the local Barclays branch for them to arrange the SP.

That said, it sounds like it's gone wrong in this situation, as you should always get the original voucher back - even it's just marked as refer to drawer.

Difficult if it's gone missing!

Extant

opinions4u wrote: »

Meanie! :beer:. I always refunded the fee to the customer where no decision could be obtained within 4 working days.

I thought this was fairly standard policy - if no answer prior to the regular five days, etc. then no fee. I guess not? Maybe just Halifax and Barclays.

Never came across that, but it may have been a back office process carried out away from the branch with a reconciliation process to balance against the "same day" fate received credit.

I doubt they do it any more, but Isle of Man Bank, Skipton and a few others refused to credit us back by CDI, or even by the bank giro we included - they'd send a cheque for us to credit ourselves.

I remember many moons ago in the building society days charging the customer £3 extra and taking the cheque round to the local Barclays branch for them to arrange the SP.

Halifax still has, and uses, most of the Barclays accounts from the olden days. I've no idea what for, but they've even kept the sort code open that the Halifax stuff was on. 20-35 something?

Difficult if it's gone missing!

Hence special delivery!

opinions4u

Halifax still has, and uses, most of the Barclays accounts from the olden days. I've no idea what for, but they've even kept the sort code open that the Halifax stuff was on. 20-35 something?

20-35-81 rings a bell.

How sad is that? !!

[Deleted User]

jlouise123 wrote: »

special presentation cheque

oops... i thought you were talking about one of these...



nevermind.

jlouise123_2

Thanks, am I right thinking its lost then? Or could it stil turn up?
I just don't get if it was sent first class Tuesday how it could still not be there Friday! Does it go through any other process'?

Cheers people

opinions4u

jlouise123 wrote: »

Thanks, am I right thinking its lost then? Or could it stil turn up?

It might be lost.

It might turn up.

I just don't get if it was sent first class Tuesday how it could still not be there Friday!

You have exceptional faith in first class post!

Does it go through any other process'?

It goes through a range of simple, yet potentially flawed processes. I've done my bit to slander the post office, so now let's look at the banks involved.

You deposited via a Halifax branch.

- Did they post it first class the same night?
- Did they accidentally send it second class?
- Did they forget to post it?
- Did they send it to a central site to benefit from bulk postage cost savings (that would add an extra day on to delivery)?
- Did they post it to the correct HSBC address.
- If it went to the wrong HSBC address, how long will HSBC take to send it to the correct address?
- Did they post it to the correct HSBC address, but that address then sends it on to a different address within HSBC?

It will probably turn up somewhere early next week. But I don't know for sure!

Joe_Bloggs

Perhaps the term 'Special Presentation' draws the consumer into thinking that they will receive something exceptional and distinguished. The reality may be receiving something that is peculiar and arbitrary.

When I get a cheque then it is a tedious exercise to pay the thing in and wait for the money to appear. Similarly for giving someone a cheque. I have to maintain excess money in a current account for over a week.

Roll on faster payments ! The irony is that to receive money by faster payments or BACS you have to give the sender of the money your bank account details. When the sender gives you a cheque you get their bank account details.

If there is mistrust between receiver and the sender or the receiver wishes to hide their details, what faster means of payment exist other than cheque or cash ?
J_B.