mother charged £5 by natwest for cheque presented too early

dzug1

corbyboy wrote: »

But what's the charge actually for? Is it a punishment for post-dating the cheque? Natwest haven't actually suffered any loss and the cheque didn't bounce.

What about the cost of returning it to HMRC and handling it again when represented?

JuicyJesus

bobbyj wrote: »

I just think it's daft that she is charged when the money was available on the day the cheque says it will be.

It wasn't in her account when she wrote the cheque or when it was presented. HMRC actually say on their website that their automated machinery cannot tell if a cheque is postdated unless a letter is included, otherwise they can't/don't check. And this is assuming that she posted the cheque - if it was paid in over the branch counter the date will be similarly ignored unless spotted by the cashier.

I never knew post dating cheques was a big no no nor did she apparently.

It's in the terms and conditions of the account:

"Cheques should bear the date on which you write
the cheque. If you post-date a cheque, there is a
risk that we may pay the cheque prior to the date
you have written on it. Therefore, we recommend
that you do not post-date cheques."

Pretty clear.

Anyhow a nice easy £5 (thought the site does say £6 charge) towards the majority government owned bank on top of the near £35k she was already handing over! Thanks for all the replies.

How dare they charge for something they explicitly said they'd charge for because she did something they explicitly said not to do.

Whether NatWest are government owned is irrelevant.

chambta

She's lucky it's only a fiver; many banks charge much more. Indeed Natwest themselves would have charged £38 for exactly the same thing until relatively recently.

Lesson learnt I'd say.

bobbyj_2

yes chambta and it's no big deal though the post above appears to want her burnt at the stake for this oversight! I think she can afford the penalty.

JuicyJesus

bobbyj wrote: »

yes chambta and it's no big deal though the post above appears to want her burnt at the stake for this oversight! I think she can afford the penalty.

I don't want her burnt at the stake. However you seemed to take the view it was everyone's fault but hers.

[Deleted User]

shame natwest cannot waive it (if it were first offence for example)
many banks do indeed charge more sadly

Mikeyorks

izools wrote: »

To sign a cheque for a given amount, if at the very moment it is signed, that amount is in fact not available, is fraud.

Plain and simple.

As HMRC receive some 10k cheques dated for the 31st Jan - but in advance of that date ....... then there's a lot of fraud about .... in your eyes?

I remember seeing Counsels opinion on related issues many years ago - which was to the effect these are not cheques as they are not immediately processable - they're promissory notes. As such - no fraud. HMRC accept them with relative impunity :

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/commanual/COM93040.htm

Mikeyorks

bobbyj wrote: »

She wrote a cheque to HMRC for her SA dated 31st Jan, HMRC presented it around the 25th to Natwest and Natwest must have said no given the date.

Highly unlikely it was rejected on the date .... as Banks no longer check. In particular as HMRC process up to 100k cheques on a peak day therefore they all go into Clearing overnight. they only tend to get rejected on date if paid in over a counter - which HMRC don't.

They issue clear advice on paying by PD cheque :-

HMRC will only accept a postdated cheque in the following circumstances:

• before your tax is due - where the cheque is for the full amount and it arrives by and is dated on or before the due date
• after your tax is due - where you have a prior arrangement with your HMRC office to settle your liability with post dated cheques

Because of the highly automated operations used for processing postal payments HMRC can only identify a postdated cheque if there is a letter with it.
If you don't send a covering letter HMRC won't recognise that the cheque is postdated and will present it straight away

.

That info is repeated on the flap of the SA envelope in order it's not missed !