Halifax - depositing cheques

Westie983

Carrot007 wrote: »

The machines in my local Halifax have just changed so you can either use the card or key in your account number.

Makes the queue at counter shorted now customers can pay into any Halifax/BOS account using the machine, one upgrade Im glad they have done.

Although I havent checked if it accepts Lloyds a/c numbers, I will go and have a test to find out if it works for all LBG accounts

Westie983

No_Name

Thanks peeps - think I'll arrange for someone to drop in an envelope

Armorica

Westie983 wrote: »

gt94sss2

Cheques are legally valid for six years if not otherwise specified and most dividend cheques have the expiry written on them, hence my comment that the 2015 cheques will be out of date, and will not be accepted.

You are correct there are times that the dates are missed and then cheques are return to customer from the clearing centre, and cashier are trained to check dates on cheques on both counter credits and via the IDM and EPI, and its not just a case of cant be bothered, although I agree it can sometimes be missed.

Westie983

That's just not true (6 years).

Most issuers/paying banks will refuse to pay after six months. This may be written into terms and conditions. Some issuers write on 3 or 12 months onto their cheques (where e.g. a corporate customer is making it's own payment decisions).

Six months vs. six years is confusing the payment instrument (the cheque) with the legal debt. After six months, the payment instrument is no longer valid. But it counts as evidence of a debt - and you are likely to have to ask for a new payment instrument to be provided.

For dividends, it would generally be easier to provide your account details so paid via Bacs.

gt94sss2

Armorica wrote: »

That's just not true (6 years).

According to the body responsible for cheque clearing:

Is it true that cheques are only valid for six months?

No. A cheque is valid for as long as the debt between the two parties (i.e. the person writing the cheque and the person they give it to) exists. In other words, cheques don’t have an expiry date. However, it is common banking practice to reject cheques that are over six months old to protect the person who has written the cheque, in case the payment has been made another way or the cheque has been lost or stolen. This six-month timeframe is at the discretion of individual banks. It should not be assumed that cheques older than six months would automatically be rejected as the only definite way to cancel a cheque is for the person who wrote it to request that a stop be placed on it. If you have a cheque that you want to pay in that is more than six months old, your best course of action is to not pay it in and instead obtain a replacement from the person who gave it to you. Where there is a dispute, a cheque remains legally valid in order to provide proof of the existence of a debt for a period of six years, which is the Statute of Limitations.

As I said, it's generally up to the bank if they accept it if over 6 months (many will - just try it and see) and remains legally valid for 6 years but better to pay them in sooner rather than later.