How should I pay tradesmen over £5000?

ThinkingOutLoud_2

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

So how do customers (elderly or us others) arrange to pay the bill into your account then?

Do they have to telephone their bank and say "Please pay £x into account y"?
(now thinking - "....and how do they manage to do that without being held in a long phone queue to get through to the operator? Whereas it would take them literally one minute to write a cheque out"). Bearing in mind the elderly and the rest of us might not have online banking?

So I am not going to say that you never have to wait to do telebanking but nearly 14m do it in the U.K.

Given it is not their only choice, they can't all be wrong. It is very popular. I have disabled friend who has sworn by it for years. He does everything he need in one easy weekly call. He finds the people helpful and friendly.

Of course, I like steams trains too but that doesn't mean they are always my best option for getting around anymore.

System

Doozergirl wrote: »

Go and queue in the bank like you expect the tradespeople to do?

I'm sure people might make exceptions for the genuinely infirm, but a cheque just isn't regarded as a solid payment anymore.

Payment on a certain day or on completion does not mean "sometime next week if you can make it to the bank and wait endlessly for it to clear, as well as hope it doesn't bounce"

Those able to work a computer can get internet banking and then it's easy for everyone - which is why it's so common!

You can also do a bank transfer by phone these days, but who doesn't do internet banking and lives miles from a branch? Living miles away from a branch is what made me sign up for internet banking!
I used to hate getting paid by cheque, waste of time standing in the bank, to add insult my business account used to charge for cheque payments too

moneyistooshorttomention

Answer to that being - anyone who has read many articles about hackers creating problems with internet banking AND who lives miles from a bank.

Visiting my bank used to involve a 10 minute or so walk to it.Then I moved - and it is now something that gets done if I have to once every few months when I've waited for an infrequent bus to take over an hour getting me to the town with nearest branch of my bank in (ie because I'm going to that town for something else anyway).

I've got a cheque that I've been waiting to pay into my bank account for literally weeks - as I've not had occasion to visit that town since getting it. If I'm in a hurry for the money tied up in that cheque - then I'll just have to send it by post back to my home branch of my bank. Tradesmen could deal with any cheques they receive by sending off an envelope full of that weeks worth to their bank. Tradesmen invariably have own transport - but many customers dont.

glasgowdan

Perhaps by only offering to pay by cheque you risk only attracting a certain type of tradesperson?! Get your internet banking set up and enjoy easy fast payments!

I don't know any customers without a phone.

Apodemus

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Not just "old people" that pay by cheque sometimes still - a lot of us younger ones do too...

Of course, we are all young, just not as young as we used to be!

My eldest offspring will be thirty this year, so has been doing adult banking for 12 years and living a normal independent adult life. In all that time she has never been offered a cheque book and I believe that her standard bank accounts don't include it as an option. My other kids are in the same position and can't understand why anyone would ever want to use cheques. I don't know if there was a general cut-off, but I am pretty sure that there is an age below which experience of cheques is next to nil.

ThinkingOutLoud_2

keith969 wrote: »

Indeed. But think about it: you'd have to either have an account with a matching name (how likely is that) or willing to set one up in order to pay in a cheque not intended for you. And that account would be traceable by the banks if so. There's much more security there than 'cash in hand'.
.

I never said cash was best - that was someone else. I said BACS was better, so we agree.

Google "fraudulently altered cheque" - you will see it happens.

moneyistooshorttomention

glasgowdan wrote: »

Perhaps by only offering to pay by cheque you risk only attracting a certain type of tradesperson?! Get your internet banking set up and enjoy easy fast payments!

I don't know any customers without a phone.

Obviously got the phone - a landline one with a very basic mobile for emergency purposes.:) NO chance of getting internet banking....

"Certain type of tradesperson" - ?? - as in ones prepared to "get heavy" with customers that wait beyond 28 days to pay? I always think they are doing well with me - as they get handed that cheque literally as soon as I've inspected the job (rather than having to wait days for a customer sending cheque through post by them, etc).:)

I admit to being surprised on hearing that many tradespeople in this part of the country wait months before even presenting a bill for payment - though that hasnt been my own experience ever and I'm wondering why that still hasnt happened to me.....as I must now have the reputation on local grapevine of paying them very promptly.

ThinkingOutLoud_2

Apodemus wrote: »

I am pretty sure that there is an age below which experience of cheques is next to nil.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8414341.stm
There have been attempts to kill it and it seems to me it will survive if only because of a bunch of people who are hard to move off them.

To be honest, I don't think anyone is saying you should not have the right to use a cheque, just that there are probably better and easier options.

Finally, the roofer, who has to drive to his/her bank, pay to park and stand in the queue to pay in a handful of cheques for which he/she is charged handsomely by the bank, would rather be in the pub early, home with his/her family or working another hour.

Davesnave

Apodemus wrote: »

Of course, we are all young, just not as young as we used to be!

Almost true, but I seem to remember a few who were never young.

Like money, I live in a country area, where time has passed somewhat more slowly than elsewhere. There are a few tradespeople who still prefer a cheque, or at least don't offer account details for BACS.

Cash also does very nicely in some circumstances too, but we won't go there!

Doozergirl

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Answer to that being - anyone who has read many articles about hackers creating problems with internet banking AND who lives miles from a bank.

Visiting my bank used to involve a 10 minute or so walk to it.Then I moved - and it is now something that gets done if I have to once every few months when I've waited for an infrequent bus to take over an hour getting me to the town with nearest branch of my bank in (ie because I'm going to that town for something else anyway).

I've got a cheque that I've been waiting to pay into my bank account for literally weeks - as I've not had occasion to visit that town since getting it. If I'm in a hurry for the money tied up in that cheque - then I'll just have to send it by post back to my home branch of my bank. Tradesmen could deal with any cheques they receive by sending off an envelope full of that weeks worth to their bank. Tradesmen invariably have own transport - but many customers dont.

It's okay though, because the rest of the world is operating quite smoothly with bank transfers while you make a big deal out of it.

I'm struggling to understand how you have the capability to use this forum with frequency but don't believe in internet banking. My son called this morning to ask for some money. It was in his account within 30 seconds while he was still on the phone. There is nothing easier or more convenient for anyone.

If you haven't got a car, don't live near a bank, can't be bothered to phone the bank then there's one really good solution that doesn't inconvenience anyone.

My last invoice was for £50,000. Why should I take a cheque? I have people to pay!