How long are cheques valid for?

emmb

Hi
I have a cheque to pay in to my account dated Nov 2014 but not sure if cheques are valid for 6 months or 12 months.

I have tried to ring my bank today several times but each time just put in the queue system..holding for up to 25 minutes at a time before giving up.

Am not in a position to go to the bank to ask.
Have tried googling it but no definitive answer found.

Does anyone know the answer for sure rather than opinion?

Thanks

Archi_Bald

Did you google "how long are cheques valid for"? Results in a huge long list of relevant pages, incl this one http://www.chequeandcredit.co.uk/resources/faqs/cheques_and_cheque_clearing/

Kim_13

A google search shows 6 months is a discretionary limit set by most banks. You may still be able to cash it, you may not. Is it possible to contact the issuer and have a replacement issued?

agrinnall

If you can't go to the bank to ask, what method are you intending to use to pay it in? I'd just do it, it'll either go through or be returned, if the latter you'll need to ask for a new one.

Kim_13

Would the OP not be charged a returned item fee if they tried to cash the cheque without checking and then it didn't go through?

Westie983

6 months for cheque acceptance, unless it says on the cheque.
Some issued by premium bonds say three months and most dividend cheques are for 12 months.

Ballard

Cheques are technically valid for 6 years but banking practice is that they're returned unpaid after 6 months.

realaledrinker

The above assumes someone actually eyeballs the cheques. Unless the teller spots the date at the counter I would vouch that it will go through the system no bother.

I paid a cheque payable to daughter (full name on it) into my account by mistake the other week. Went through as easy as pie.

Westie983

realaledrinker wrote: »

The above assumes someone actually eyeballs the cheques. Unless the teller spots the date at the counter I would vouch that it will go through the system no bother.

I paid a cheque payable to daughter (full name on it) into my account by mistake the other week. Went through as easy as pie.

This is correct - the cashier's job is to check all details on the cheque this is the same if using the counter, envelope system or the immediate paying in machines...

I think you were 'lucky' the cheque would have been paid as the checks are done by the cashiers and not the clearing centres, that said this doesn't mean that it will be passed through again if the casher does their job correctly they will not accept the cheque and ask you to return to sender and get another one issued.

Not sure who wrote the OP cheque? can they reissue the cheque.

TheBanker

Kim_13 wrote: »

Would the OP not be charged a returned item fee if they tried to cash the cheque without checking and then it didn't go through?

Unlikely if it's paid into a personal account - most personal accounts don't charge for unpaid credits (they do charge for unpaid cheques you write, but not one you pay in). Business accounts do tend to charge though.

Westie983 wrote: »

Some issued by premium bonds say three months and most dividend cheques are for 12 months.

Technically, Premium Bond payments are made by warrant, not by cheque.

Westie983 wrote: »

This is correct - the cashier's job is to check all details on the cheque this is the same if using the counter, envelope system or the immediate paying in machines...

I think you were 'lucky' the cheque would have been paid as the checks are done by the cashiers and not the clearing centres, that said this doesn't mean that it will be passed through again if the casher does their job correctly they will not accept the cheque and ask you to return to sender and get another one issued.

At my bank the envelopes in the deposit machine are not opened by branch staff, they go straight to the clearing centre. Strictly speaking the cheques should all be individually checked but in reality, low value ones are likely to pass through the system undetected.

Having said that, my bank also eyeball the incoming debits so even if you get this cheque past the cashier at the bank it's being paid in at, it could still be returned unpaid by the bank it's drawn on, if they notice.

Westie983

TheBanker wrote: »

At my bank the envelopes in the deposit machine are not opened by branch staff, they go straight to the clearing centre. Strictly speaking the cheques should all be individually checked but in reality, low value ones are likely to pass through the system undetected.

Which bank is this, I would have thought that the machine needs to be emptied then the cheques sent to the clearing centre, what would stop someone from adding a few 00's to the end of a cheque that reads £10?