Paying in Cheques at Halifax ATMs

Ex-Spendaholic

Can anyone advise on this please? I put 2 cheques into the Halifax today. I used the ATM - the standard one where it gives you an envelope and you feed that in as this particular branch didn't have one of the machines where you just feed cheques in.

The machine had no paper and stated that it wasn't issuing receipts. I have checked online and there is no record of these cheques whatsoever. I phoned the Halifax and they said it takes a few days for staff to check the cheques before the credit them to the account.

Having had an account with the Halifax for years, I know that usually the amount is shown straightaway but obviously not part of the available balance.

Has something changed? I'm getting a bit concerned as we are talking £800 worth of cheques. :eek:

opinions4u

Personally I'd use the deposit machines inside the branch.

No envelopes and the receipt prints a copy of the cheque on it!!

I'm not aware of any change to the procedures for accepting cheques via an ATM. Another poster, rb10, may be able to provide more up-to-date Halifax knowledge than me on this one though.

Like you, I would have expected the amount to show same day via online banking. I would ring the branch first thing in the morning to ask them to keep you informed on this one. They should have the envelopes in a staff member's hands mid-morning for checking. Hopefully yours will be there.

Worst scenario is that you will end up need to request replacement cheques. But that's more a nuisance than a loss of funds.

MrsManda

When does the branch close?
When my friend worked at a bank, once the branch had shut they checked for posted cheques and inputted them into the system so they'd show up overnight.
If you use an electronic ATM to put the cheque in it shows up immediately because the cheque is scanned and inputted automatically.

Ex-Spendaholic

Thanks for the help. :beer:

Usually I would use one of the machines which scan the cheque but this branch (even though its a big branch) doesn't have one.

Still not showing online so will chase in the morning.

JacksterD

I used to do this, I found that they seem to take the cheques out of the machine sometime in the afternoon and if you put it in the machine afterwards then it won't appear on your account until they empty it the next day.

Why time did you put it in? If it's not showing by the end of business tomorrow I'd go into the branch and ask them.

rb10

opinions4u wrote: »

Another poster, rb10, may be able to provide more up-to-date Halifax knowledge than me on this one though.

He sure can

To the OP:

Don't worry about it, this is perfectly normal.

When you use the machines in the branch, the machine reads the value of the cheque and you just confirm it, so it'll show up on internet banking straight away.

When you use an ATM, the machine only has what you claimed you put in - for all the ATM knows, you could have put in an empty envelope (this happens more frequently than you might think...).

Cash and cheque deposits made through an ATM will never show up on your account until they have been keyed by branch staff. I would expect this to happen between 8.30 and 10.00 tomorrow morning (Tuesday).

If it's still not showing by tomorrow lunchtime, then you have a problem, and the best thing to do would be to phone the branch (their local number is on the Halifax website).

Ex-Spendaholic

Just an update. Nothing showing by noon today. Phoned the branch who promised to look into it and ring me back. Cheque deposit then appeared by magic 15 minutes later. Never did receive a call but that doesng matter now.

Thanks for all the responses.