Short changed by bank?

themull1

My husband went to the bank today to withdraw £2000 to pay our builder. The bank got two bundles of £1000, in sleeves, put them in a sealed envelope and giving them to my husband. The builder rang and said there was £20 less in each bundle. Rang Bank, they said that they would check the machine that weighs the money, but we haven't heard back.

Is there anything we can do? we've paid the builder before, but never had a problem.

jonesMUFCforever

Did you count the money before handing it out?
If not you do not have a leg to stand on. Banks seem to use machines for weighing notes these days but if it was me I would have asked them to count them out for me or I would have counted them before leaving the counter.
Who do you think you trust the most - the bank or the builder?

themull1

No, we didnt count it out, but assumed the banks money would be correct, to be fair, i think the builder should have counted it when he took it, but i think my husband trusted the bank to be correct, they sealed an envelope and hubby just handed the envelope to builder.

pmduk

If you pay in a sealed bundle of notes, even the branch that prepared and sealed the bundle are unlikely to trust it. That should tell you something.

le_loup

What on earth are you doing paying £2,000 to a builder in cash?
If he is dishonest enough not to pay tax and VAT, is he honest enough not to cheat you?
Think about it!

paragon909

le_loup wrote: »

What on earth are you doing paying £2,000 to a builder in cash?
If he is dishonest enough not to pay tax and VAT, is he honest enough not to cheat you?
Think about it!

That's a rather slanderous comment to make regarding someone you don't know or have never met.

How do you know the builder doesn't pay tax or vat, Do you know the in and outs of this specific* case.

OP should have counted the case at the bank, and should also have counted it before giving it to the builder.

catokelly

It is bad luck to be short in one bank bundle, but two is pretty bad ! However I dont think the builder would wrongly claim the bundles were short unless he's a real chancer!! Hopefully the bank will have a discreprancy and their Sterling will be over by £40 so you'll get your money back - fingers crossed!

eskbanker

paragon909 wrote: »

Do you know the in and outs of this pacific case.

Don't think anyone mentioned it having any association with an ocean round the other side of the world....

matty747

Those machines can be inaccurate, I used to work in a bank and they were used as a secondary check to actual counting. They should always count the money by hand to check for things such as forgeries, damaged notes and that a £10 didn't get slipped into the £20 bundle by mistake. It is poor service that they didn't count out the money to you but you have effectively signed to say you received £2000 but never checked it. Hopefully as others have said the discrepancy will be picked up on.

BillJones

themull1 wrote: »

No, we didnt count it out, but assumed the banks money would be correct, to be fair.

It's not a terrible assumption, and I don't bother counting cash withdrawals.

However, if you don't, you are a bit stuffed if there ever is a mistake.

With others, however, I'd say from the bare facts that the builder is either making a mistake in his counting, or is trying it on.

BillJones

paragon909 wrote: »

That's a rather slanderous comment to make regarding someone you don't know or have never met.

How do you know the builder doesn't pay tax or vat, Do you know the in and outs of this pacific case.

Pacific, hang on, is he building a boat in this specific case?