Bank no longer issues cheques

JuicyJesus

EachPenny wrote: »

There are some times where a chequebook is a really useful thing to have... but it doesn't stop you not having one and refusing to accept payment from others by cheque - so everybody can be happy

There's pretty much nothing that can be done with a cheque that is worth the continued existence of a slow, increasingly fraud-prone, expensive and generally backwards clearing system. Getting rid of the damn things would also kick into gear the a*ses of backwards idiotic companies that only accept cheques, which are literally the only reason I have a cheque book, that gathers dust otherwise.

They should have been gotten rid of in 2013, as was the plan before. I don't know who this bank are but whoever they are, well done to them.

Shakin_Steve

siegertyp wrote: »

Hi
My Bank has discontinued cheques from 1st of August this year. I can still pay in cheques, but I no longer have a cheque book to make payments with. I do most of my transactions online, so it is not going to cause frequent issues, but there are some activities/clubs that need to be paid by cheque rather than a bank transfer or card. What would be good 'paper based' alternatives to cheques? Bankers draft?
Grateful for any advice.
Thank you.

According to several articles online, you can write a cheque on any old piece of paper, so just present your bank with a piece of bog roll and see how they like that.

JuicyJesus

Shakin_Steve wrote: »

According to several articles online, you can write a cheque on any old piece of paper, so just present your bank with a piece of bog roll and see how they like that.

If they accepted it, the bank would definitely like the special presentation charge they tend to levy for this service, as such cheques can't be processed through the normal clearings.

EachPenny

JuicyJesus wrote: »

There's pretty much nothing that can be done with a cheque that is worth the continued existence of a slow, increasingly fraud-prone, expensive and generally backwards clearing system.

1) Sending a birthday/christmas gift to your little niece or nephew? Safer than sending cash, and more fun than telling them you've done a FP to their parents account.

2) Paying the milkman, coalman - yes, some people do still have such things.

3) Making a payment if you don't have online banking... not everybody wants, or is able, to go online.

4) Making the first deposit into a store based Virgin Money Regular Saver account.

There's more... but probably not worth listing every possibility. As above, you have the choice not to use cheques, why do you want to take away other people's ability to use a payment method they prefer?

Shakin_Steve

Some people find using cheques convenient, others think they should be consigned to the past. I guess that's about the size of it.

Geoff1963

Many banks have stopped issuing bankers drafts, so that is a limited option. I think Barclays still do them.
Postal orders are still around ( http://www.postoffice.co.uk/postal-orders ) but only up to £250, and with a hefty charge.

One advantage to the recipient of a cheque, is that they only need to give out their name, not their bank details. However, if the recipient might ever need to write a cheque, those details become public.

it is easy enough to open a "goods inwards" account, which is regularly emptied to a working account in case of fraud risk. Such an account would also be useful to a business, because any customer could make a payment remotely ( e.g. to order a taxi or takeaway ), or use telephone banking to pay for goods or services when they have no cash or cards on them. I know there are payment Apps and web-sites ; but for a small business ( or an individual ), a "safe" account might be an easier and cheaper option.

Chino

EachPenny wrote: »

There's more...

Such as:

• Being able to pay someone whose account details you don't know;
• If you do know the payee's account details, not needing to worry about making a mistake entering those details and then having to chase unhelpful banks to trace the payment if you do make such a mistake.

Geoff1963

Some people are known by a different name to the one they use for finances ( forename shortening / order ). Others have such a common name that if a cheque was stolen, a money mule could be found ( although it seems that fake ones are easy enough to create ).

gt94sss2

JuicyJesus wrote: »

There's pretty much nothing that can be done with a cheque that is worth the continued existence of a slow, increasingly fraud-prone, expensive and generally backwards clearing system.

I would also be interested if the OP would say which bank is phasing out cheques.

As for the cheque clearing system, that is changing in a few months to be a lot cheaper and faster with the added ability for customers to pay in cheques remotely via a mobile phone etc.

PeacefulWaters

A bit pointless posting such things without naming the bank.