Ms or Mrs on cheque Does it matter?

POPPYOSCAR

My husband banked a dividend cheque for me yesterday.

The cashier noticed that it said Mrs and the account says Miss(although I always use Ms and have done for years).

I am married but have kept my maiden name.

She said she would let it through this time as it was such a small amount.

Does it really matter?

Why do we have to have this definition anyway. Surely in this day and age we should all be called by just our name?

JuicyJesus

Strictly a cheque must be accepted into an account in the same name as that on the cheque, which includes any title. Obviously banks do use discretion on this point, as you've experienced.

The thing is that it's a mismatch, and if the bank did accept a cheque for a Mrs Poppyoscar when the account is in the wrong name, and the correct payee complained, they'd be liable for the full amount of the cheque. For a dividend cheque which is likely to be a few quid, the bank will probably take it as the risk is low. Rock up with a cheque in the thousands and you'll probably be refused and asked to get a new cheque.

The correct answer, as in all cases, is avoid cheques wherever possible because life gets easier without them.

Shakin_Steve

The very few cheques I have banked over the last few years have merely had my first initial and surname, never had a problem.

jonesMUFCforever

It is not clear whether the name on the cheque was her married or maiden name. (The Ms or Mrs is irrelevant here).
The surname on the account should match that on the cheque. Here it looks to me that the cashier used some common sense but technically the cheque could have been rejected.

POPPYOSCAR

The only difference in the name was 'Mrs.

Just looked at husbands account and it just has his initial and surname.

I am going to ask the bank to change my account to the same.

Then it will make no difference and they can bank either mrs or miss!

JuicyJesus

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

The only difference in the name was 'Mrs.

Just looked at husbands account and it just has his initial and surname.

I am going to ask the bank to change my account to the same.

Then it will make no difference and they can bank either mrs or miss!

I very much doubt that your bank will just remove your title so you can pay in cheques with any title on them, personally. His most likely does say Mr on his internal record.

POPPYOSCAR

JuicyJesus wrote: »

I very much doubt that your bank will just remove your title so you can pay in cheques with any title on them, personally. His most likely does say Mr on his internal record.

Not on his cheque book or statements.

Why should I have to have a title in this day and age?

And they say we have equality!

trailingspouse

I had a struggle to get my name put first on our joint account!! OH works away a lot, and if I'm not the first named there's always hassle getting them to talk to me, so I thought I would solve the problem by being the first named on our new account. Honestly, you'd think I'd asked for my statements to be delivered by hand and signed in blood...

Mojisola

JuicyJesus wrote: »

I very much doubt that your bank will just remove your title so you can pay in cheques with any title on them, personally. His most likely does say Mr on his internal record.

Our joint account doesn't have titles on it - just 'X Hisname & Y Myname'.

veryintrigued

My OH mistakingly once picked up my cheque book (well that's what they said) signed it in their name and it was still cashed from my account.

JuicyJesus

Mojisola wrote: »

Our joint account doesn't have titles on it - just 'X Hisname & Y Myname'.

The bank's internal records probably say otherwise.

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

Not on his cheque book or statements.

Why should I have to have a title in this day and age?

And they say we have equality!

Nobody's saying you have to have a title, and in an ideal world nobody would, but sadly you do and it clearly doesn't match the cheques you wanted to pay in.

As mentioned for tiny dividend cheques they probably won't care and will use a bit of discretion. Large sums and you'll run into problems. Banks are sh*t scared of conversion fraud.