Married name and cheque problem

KittyW

I have an unusual problem. I got married two years ago and decided to keep my maiden name. However for convenience I opened a deposit account in my married name to cash some cheques.

Fast forward two years I have decided to close this account and the bank has issued me a cheque in my married name but all I have are accounts in my maiden name. Is there anyway of cashing this cheque without opening another account in my married name?

InsideInsurance

you could speak to one of your existing banks with a copy of your marriage certificate and see if they'll accept it but you'll mainly be relying on goodwill.

Now that its 2 years on you may struggle to get a new account in your married name without other ID in that name too.

Probably better to go back the cheque issuing bank and ask that they do a transfer rather than a cheque

KittyW

I tried asking the bank to re-issue the cheque in my maiden name but they refuse because it was company policy to issue cheque in the name on the account and since I was closing an account the money can not be transferred.

I am planning on asking my other bank if they are willing to cash my cheque but I have a feeling this may fall through because the last time I asked them about cashing cheques which had Mr and Mrs Blab they refused because my account was not Mrs Blab.

LandyAndy

I work for a company that trades under a completely different name to the company's registered name. It also has traded under slightly different versions of its trading name at different times. As a result we can receive cheques from customers in as many as 8 different variations. The bank (Lloyds) started to get difficult about taking the cheques so the company completed a 'third party cheque indemnity' form on which we listed the possible name variations we might get and authorised the bank to accept cheques with any of those names.

Maybe your bank could do the same for you?

InsideInsurance

KittyW wrote: »

I tried asking the bank to re-issue the cheque in my maiden name but they refuse because it was company policy to issue cheque in the name on the account and since I was closing an account the money can not be transferred.

It is understandable that they wont write the cheque into a different name but if they do a BACS or Faster Payment transfer instead then as long as its to an account held outside of their group of companies they'll have no knowledge at all about what name the account is in.

KittyW

InsideInsurance wrote: »

It is understandable that they wont write the cheque into a different name but if they do a BACS or Faster Payment transfer instead then as long as its to an account held outside of their group of companies they'll have no knowledge at all about what name the account is in.

Tried asking the bank why could they not just transfer the money but they kept saying that it was company procedure to send any residual money from an account via cheque. They will only do a bank transfer if they are sending the money to an account that is with them.

LandyAndy, I have never heard of this for personal accounts. I can ask about it but I fear it is something that is only available to business accounts.

LandyAndy

KittyW wrote: »

Tried asking the bank why could they not just transfer the money but they kept saying that it was company procedure to send any residual money from an account via cheque. They will only do a bank transfer if they are sending the money to an account that is with them.

LandyAndy, I have never heard of this for personal accounts. I can ask about it but I fear it is something that is only available to business accounts.

You may be right but it was the only alternative I could think of

mgdavid

KittyW wrote: »

.........
LandyAndy, I have never heard of this for personal accounts. I can ask about it but I fear it is something that is only available to business accounts.

no harm in asking, is there.

henm2

The remaining accounts that you have still in your maiden name (or at least one of them) need changing to your married name. Just go along to the relevant bank with your marriage certificate and sign a couple of forms (usually a change of name form and often an updated signature form) and the account will be changed and you keep the same account number.
The cheque payable to your married name for the account closed can now be paid in.

rev_henry

If the cheque is for a reasonably small amount just try and pay it in, it'll probably work, they can't possibly check (badoom) them that thoroughly.

I think Watchdog did a test years ago sending cheques for small amounts signed 'mickey mouse'. They all cleared.

Dunroamin

henm2 wrote: »

The remaining accounts that you have still in your maiden name (or at least one of them) need changing to your married name. Just go along to the relevant bank with your marriage certificate and sign a couple of forms (usually a change of name form and often an updated signature form) and the account will be changed and you keep the same account number.
The cheque payable to your married name for the account closed can now be paid in.

Why should she have to do this rather than carrying on banking in her own name which she chose to do after marrying?

OP, in a similar situation, I spoke to my bank, they asked me to go in with my marriage certificate and they made a note on my account that I could pay in cheques made out to my married name. All very simple.