A replacement for cheques?

rb10

Extant wrote: »

According to the MSE forums, the world will indeed end in 2012 - not due to some sort of Mayan calendar nonsense, but due to the closing of cheque clearings.

2012?

Have they brought it forward?

Or is that just a rare slip-up on your part?

tabby_cats_mum

I run a small lottery for a charity where there are 4 prizes a month, winners cheques are signed by 2 people ( from a possible 4 signatees) and sent out the next day. It's a charity account so there is no card for withdrawals. Some members pay by SO, some by cheque but the majority, especially older people, pay weekly using preprinted envelopes, so I have no access to their banking details. I'm racking my brains to think how we are going to get around having no cheques to use for prizes. People work and have other commitments and it isn't always possible for 2 people to go to the bank to draw the money out. I'm a total internet user when it comes to my personal banking so losing cheques wouldn't be too bad for me but that isn't an option in this case. I really hope the banking industry can come up with a viable option in cases like this.

tabby_cats_mum

Forgot to add I also don't have account details for people who pay by SO as they fill in the slip and send it off to the bank. I really don't want the responsibility of having 200 peoples bank account details in my possesion so I can transfer money to them online if they win, I'm just hoping the banks will back down somehow.

rb10

tabby_cats_mum wrote: »

I run a small lottery for a charity where there are 4 prizes a month, winners cheques are signed by 2 people ( from a possible 4 signatees) and sent out the next day. It's a charity account so there is no card for withdrawals. [...] I'm racking my brains to think how we are going to get around having no cheques to use for prizes.

It's simple ... instead of sending the winners a cheque, you send them a note asking for their bank account details. You then pay them using online banking.

(At the moment, I only know of CAF and Unity Trust that offer dual-authorisation online banking, but presumably others will follow. Otherwise, you can just switch your account to one of these banks, as they offer the facilities that you need.)

tabby_cats_mum

rb10 wrote: »

It's simple ... instead of sending the winners a cheque, you send them a note asking for their bank account details. You then pay them using online banking.

(At the moment, I only know of HSBC, CAF and Unity Trust that offer dual-authorisation online banking, but presumably others will follow. Otherwise, you can just switch your account to one of these banks, as they offer the facilities that you need.)

Reasonable to some exent but some people won't want me to have their details and I really don't want to have them. I'm not a banker just a volunteer trying to do some good in the world I really do not want the responsibility of people handing over their bank details to me. It'll only take one coincidental fraud on an account around the same time as someone gives me their details for all hell to break loose. Yes I may sound pessimistic and difficult but it isn't my money I'm dealing with it's a charitys.

rb10

tabby_cats_mum wrote: »

Reasonable to some exent but some people won't want me to have their details and I really don't want to have them. I'm not a banker just a volunteer trying to do some good in the world I really do not want the responsibility of people handing over their bank details to me. It'll only take one coincidental fraud on an account around the same time as someone gives me their details for all hell to break loose. Yes I may sound pessimistic and difficult but it isn't my money I'm dealing with it's a charitys.

I guess the problem here is that the people who you are dealing with need to be educated into realising that you can't actually do anything with someone else's sort code and account number.

I appreciate that many people feel that way, but it is irrational, and a view that is held because they don't know any better.

There should be no reason for anyone not to give you their sort code and account number.

CLAPTON

rb10 wrote: »

I guess the problem here is that the people who you are dealing with need to be educated into realising that you can't actually do anything with someone else's sort code and account number.

I appreciate that many people feel that way, but it is irrational, and a view that is held because they don't know any better.

There should be no reason for anyone not to give you their sort code and account number.

with some-one's sort code and account number you can have a direct debit set up
yes there is the DD guarentee but that's all a lot of hassle and depends upon the person noticing the DD

rb10

CLAPTON wrote: »

with some-one's sort code and account number you can have a direct debit set up
yes there is the DD guarentee but that's all a lot of hassle and depends upon the person noticing the DD

It's still irrational - they would have no problems with paying for their lottery ticket by cheque (sort code & account number & signature) but wouldn't just hand over their sort code and account number.

glider3560

rb10 wrote: »

It's still irrational - they would have no problems with paying for their lottery ticket by cheque (sort code & account number & signature) but wouldn't just hand over their sort code and account number.

I've tried making my mother believe this. She won't have it.

She won't pay for something over the phone, 'cos she doesn't want to give them her card number. Instead, she'll write a cheque and will write her card number on the back to guarantee it. So now they don't just have her card number, but her account number, sort code and specimen of her signature

tabby_cats_mum

rb10 wrote: »

It's still irrational - they would have no problems with paying for their lottery ticket by cheque (sort code & account number & signature) but wouldn't just hand over their sort code and account number.

True enough but a cheque is paid straight into the bank and I don't note peoples account numbers. Without cheques I'm going to have numerous bank account details in my possesion which I don't want. Ultimately I'll have to hand the lottery over to someone who is prepared to retain this information. Having been the victim of fraud from my bank account (and I'm an obsessive shredder, always check websites are secure etc) I just do not want to keep anyone else's details in my home.