Custom Cheques

mpeel68

Hi,

I know this is not really an MSE niche... but I figure there are a lot of knowledgeable people here so it's worth asking!

I administrate a small charity and currently we give out charity grants by writing cheques from an actual chequebook. We would like to move to printing our own cheques on a laser printer.

I spoke to NatWest who said they can't help with this as they stopped offering this recently... but since other companies do it it must be possible.

What we really need is A4 sheets of paper with the "lower third" being a cheque, preprinted with a MICR strip etc.

What are some companies that may be able to offer this, and will my bank honour them? (I imagine they should, given that I remember some old story about someone who wrote a cheque on a cow, but that might be a load of nonsense!)

Thanks very much.

JuicyJesus

Cheques need to meet technical standards set by the Payments Council, as well as having the MICR lines on them.

It may be worth speaking to other banks to see if they offer the service. NatWest may well have a line in their terms saying you must use only the cheque vouchers they provide (since it poses a fraud risk to be able to print your own cheques at any time, for obvious reasons).

The cheque on a cow, incidentally, was made up.

pmduk

I'd also suggest you investigate any additional charges that may be payable on such cheques.

Hazzanet

http://www.natwest.com/commercial/payments/g2/cash-and-cheque-payments.ashx

Special cheques

We can supply special cheque books personalised with your company logo and corporate design. We can also supply bespoke reports that enable cheque reconciliation.

Looks like they need to update their website.


Ask them for a recommendation for a third party printer to do your cheques for you; this should be a doddle for your business manage to arrange.

opinions4u

While legally a cheque can be written on just about anything, to start making a habit of it without the bank's prior agreement would be a good way to be asked to take your business elsewhere.

I do remember something from the dim and distant past about somebody presenting a cheque drawn on to a dead shark. Presumably making a point of some sort!

(Sorry OP, I don't know the answer to the question)

Hazzanet

Negotiable cow...

huw01

Step by step guide here

http://www.paymentscouncil.org.uk/files/publications/exisiting_publications/cheques/chequespersonalisingcompanycheques.pdf