torn banknote?

tripled

Paul_Herring wrote: »

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_legal_tender_be_refused

That was an incomplete answer. They can also refuse legal tender because they don't like the colour of your t-shirt, they only take payment in beads, or they simply don't feel like it. Legal tender is only relevant to paying a debt, nothing more.

In answer to the OP, it doesn't seem like the shop worker was being awkward, they saw it was damaged and didn't think they could accept it. I've worked in numerous shops, bars and restaurant, and not once do I remember being given any training on "how much of a note can be missing before it is refused". I would generally accept a note as long as it has both serial numbers (even if in two parts) and enough of it I was happy it was genuine, however not everyone may have the confidence to do that.

If you really feel strongly about it, complain to the shop and they may give the staff member some guidance. But "how much of a £5 note can be missing before it can be deemed too damaged to be spent?" is entirely up to the discretion of the person accepting the payment.

mgdavid

food for thought; if you are on the receiving end of banknotes it is far nicer to see them pulled clean and flat from a wallet or purse.....

Paul_Herring

tripled wrote: »

That was an incomplete answer. They can also refuse legal tender because they don't like the colour of your t-shirt, they only take payment in beads, or they simply don't feel like it. Legal tender is only relevant to paying a debt, nothing more.

You're conflating it with an offer to tender. If the shopkeeper won't sell you anything (for example, they've seen what you're trying to pay with) then there isn't a debt. They can refuse to sell you something (subject to certain regulations[1]) which is different from taking what you're trying to pay with once they've sold it to you.

A classic example would be a child trying to buy alcohol - doesn't matter if they have the correct change in the correct denominations - the fact they walk up to the till with the bottle of vodka still doesn't constitute a debt that must be paid in legal tender.

A child trying to pay a 'tab' off for previously supplied booze, however, would be different. (How much, I'm not sure...)


[1] Recent case of a couple being refused a B&B room with a double bed because the owners didn't want customers who weren't married sharing a double bed being one example.

I'm sure a discussion on the intricacies of mixing gay marriage (not in place at the time) and freedom of worship would be better served on a different thread rather than on this one, should anyone wish to bother.