MSE News: MPs call for return of cheque guarantee cards

EarthBoy

thenudeone wrote: »

A cheque can be used to pay ANYONE..

Only if they are willing to accept it.

thenudeone

NFH wrote: »

Which places? Many shops don't accept cheques any more as payment for goods, let alone giving cash in exchange for an onerous piece of paper.

That state of play has come about in the last 5-10 years, largely through the actions and policies of the banks.

Why does every cheque book still have a printed calendar on the back page (mine does anyway)? Because before debit cards became common you would walk into ANY BANK with a cheque book and CGC and withdraw cash. If you weren't a customer of that bank, there was a fee, although decades ago it was free for everyone.
The cashier would mark the day's date off on the calendar in the back of the cheque book. Once the date was marked you couldn't write another cheque for cash that day. This limited you to one cash withdrawal per day. It wasn't foolproof (you could have several partially used cheque books about) but it did stop a fraudster going through a whole book of cheques in a day.

NFH

thenudeone wrote: »

That state of play has come about in the last 5-10 years, largely through the actions and policies of the banks.

Indeed. The actions and policies of the banks were to introduce cash machines, which most people would agree was a significant improvement over banks offering cash withdrawals only during their opening hours by processing inefficient pieces of paper.

c-m

Seriously, died cheques die.

I've got a load of full cheque books just sitting at home. They are useless. Most places stopped accepting cheques years ago.

They an antiquated system that have no place in a modern 21st century society.

Hopefully we can get rid of coins next. At least 1p and 2p anyway.

vacheron

The last time we paid anyone by cheque was for our wedding just over 2 years ago as lots of small companies were required (photographers, caterers, venue etc.) and they all specifically asked for cheques. I'm sure that alternative payments could have been arranged if required, and none of these payments would have been covered by a £100 guarantee card.

The only other cheques I had written for the previous 5 years were all for paying my car tax at the post office counter before the DVLA online payment service was launched.

However, I'm still amazed at how many utility companies have sent me a cheque when they owed me a refund despite them having my bank details because I pay them by direct debit. I can name Northumbrian Water, Newcastle Council and Scottish Power in the last 12 months alone. I was plesantly surprised last week when NPower sent a letter saying that they were crediting my account directly with their refund as I had expected the same from them.

savagej

I thought at least part of this was issuing small books of cheques already guaranteed and only valid if some othe photographic ID was provided such as a passport or a driving license which would would be more conventient to carry. It would also make a guaranteed cheque easier to bounce as if lost the owner can say well I still have my photo ID one me which would make it very difficult for the bank not to bounce it unless it guaranteed properly.


There much be other ideas better than mine, except for not bringing them back.

NFH

vacheron wrote: »

The only other cheques I had written for the previous 5 years were all for paying my car tax at the post office counter before the DVLA online payment service was launched.

Yes, I believe the DVLA still requires a cheque for £55 in order to register a car for the first time, for example if you buy a new car from a non-UK dealer. One would have expected them to have finally sorted this out, given that they accept cards for road tax etc.

mustrum_ridcully

I wonder how many of the people moaning about cheques would be the first to cry unfair if a service they used was removed and they were told use technologies they don't have instead. One thing I can assure them of is that they'll cry even more loudly if it's a service they'd been using for 40+ years.

Cheque use is in decline but over 1 billion cheques were written last year, that's 15 for every man, woman and child in the UK.

Kyresa

I write one cheque every week to pay for my son's nursery school fees.

Next year I'll need to write a cheque once a term for his music lessons.

I may also have to write a cheque to the school to cover trip fees etc.

Just because "YOU lot' don't use cheques, there IS still a need for them. Look a bit further than just "shops"

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

If the Cheque Guarantee Card comes back everyone that doesnt write many cheques will be able to start again. Especially if retailers accept them.

In fact if people start offering them to retailers and when they decline the shoppers simply walk away leaving trolleys full of groceries for the staff to sort out they will soon change their minds.