Disgusted with Lloyds TSB

kirkman

I have two first names but have always been called by my middle name. I never use my first given name. Often I get cheques with just my middle name and surname. This has never been a problem with any bank I have used until last month.

I paid a number of cheques into my Lloyds TSB account by post. They sent them back saying that they weren't payable to the account holder. Yet that is ridiculous. Lots of people use their middle names (W. Somerset Maugham, F. Scott Fitzgerald, J. Edgar Hoover, even James Paul McCartney).

So I took the cheques to the branch and paid them in over the counter where they were accepted without query.

When I complained I got a letter back saying that basically I was right, only for them to do exactly the same thing again.

I'm driven to distraction. How can they do that? I'd change bank, but how do I know that the same thing won't happen again. Of course I know I can ask people to make out cheques in my first given name but why should I? And if they forget why shouldn't I be able to pay them in?

oxenryd

On this one, I'd tend to agree with Lloyds TSB.

If your name is John David Smith, then your cheques should be made payable to John Smith, that is your official name, you wouldn't book a holiday abroad under the name David Smith due to your passport being in the name of John David Smith, so why should the bank be any different ? Your official name is your official name, if you don't like it/don't want to use it then deedpole in an option.


Having said that I do feel that they should have a policy and stick to it, they should'nt sometimes says yes then sometimes no, sending you round in circles

chambta

Disgusted is a little OTT. They lacked consistency of policy but in essence they're correct.

Kavanne

For fraud reasons the bank are under no obligation to accept a cheque made out to a name that differs from the one on the account. Sorry. You are just lucky the branch staff have accepted it but I wouldn't be surprised if you kick up a stink and it gets fed back to them not to accept anything not in a name that matches that on the account.

One would assume people would address their cheques to J. Edgar Hoover and not Edgar Hoover.

J. Edgar Hoover is the account holder (for the same reason J E Hoover would be accepted as well), if it was just to Edgar Hoover it would not match.

vaporate

I agree with the bank on this one. Otherwise, you WILL be open to fraudsters.

onlypaddy

i hate Lloyds with a passion, but have to agree with them on this

cheques should be made out in your full name, whether you like it or use it day to day is irrelevant

EarthBoy

They probably accepted them in the branch because they know you and knew the cheques were yours. Sending them by post was different because they wouldn't know you from Adam, so I'm not surprised they sent them back.

I also never used my first name, so I got rid of it by deed poll. This is easily done on the internet. Got the form witnessed and took it into the bank, all done and dusted in about 5 minutes. Cheque name problem solved. I recommend the UK Deed Poll service, which I used:

http://www.ukdps.co.uk/

Joe_Bloggs

Not using your first name and using your middle name is quite common. This wikipedia article mentions a prominent political figure.
J_B.

onlypaddy

Joe_Bloggs wrote: »

Not using your first name and using your middle name is quite common. This wikipedia article mentions a prominent political figure.
J_B.

you can still bet that if he gets cheques they're in his full name...its just common sense really

Shelldean

I guess i've been lucky then???? my m-i-l always send chqs to me addressed to my nickname ( a shortened version of my christian name) and I've never had a problem when paying them in??? I DO keep explaining to her what my corect name is and the last time it happened she said I'l just write Mrs XXXX I said yes that will save me worrying every time.

To OP think the bank is within it's right tho as if the account is in the name of A B Alpha, then chqs should be addressed to either A Alpha or AB ALpha.

Kavanne

Shelldean wrote: »

I guess i've been lucky then???? my m-i-l always send chqs to me addressed to my nickname ( a shortened version of my christian name) and I've never had a problem when paying them in??? I DO keep explaining to her what my corect name is and the last time it happened she said I'l just write Mrs XXXX I said yes that will save me worrying every time.

To OP think the bank is within it's right tho as if the account is in the name of A B Alpha, then chqs should be addressed to either A Alpha or AB ALpha.

Yes, Shelldean, you have been lucky!