Do you pay postage to deposit a cheque at the Postoffice Counter (Santander)?

makeni555

Hi

I've been trying to get information out of santander and there being a little coy. I have a paying in book and envelopes addressed to the Clearing Centre Bootle but they say 'Stamp Needed'. I asked Santander do I need to pay this postage charge, and they insist on sending me new envelopes (3 weeks wait).

Do any Santander customers have any experience of depositing a cheque at the post office with the paying in book and envelope and have you had to pay postage?

Its a personal account.

Thanks

londoninvestor

Not with Santander, but I did when I banked with Smile. It was easy enough and no, you don't have to pay postage. I'd assume it's the same for Santander.

Mnd

No postage needed

makeni555

Hi LONDONINVESTOR and Mnd

Thanks for your replies - our local santander branch closed so I'm having to get used to this new system)

I'm clear that I can ignore the 'Stamp Needed' on the Santander envelope for Clearing Centre Bootle as it must mean nothing to me anyway?

Thank you

londoninvestor

I'd think it's just clarifying that it's not a Freepost envelope. So if you're not going to post it, no problem.

The fact that the post office sells stamps as well as letting you pay in your cheque is just a coincidence here

makeni555

Thank you LONDONINVESTOR

I do understand that it is just a coincidence confusing me!

I will be going to the counter and once I have done so I will report back with my success.

Thank you for your replies

pochisoldi

makeni555 wrote: »

Hi

I've been trying to get information out of santander and there being a little coy. I have a paying in book and envelopes addressed to the Clearing Centre Bootle but they say 'Stamp Needed'. I asked Santander do I need to pay this postage charge, and they insist on sending me new envelopes (3 weeks wait).

Do any Santander customers have any experience of depositing a cheque at the post office with the paying in book and envelope and have you had to pay postage?

Its a personal account.

Thanks

Don't get confused between "paying in a cheque by post" and "paying in a cheque at the post office".

From what you've said, "paying a cheque by post" needs an envelope and a stamp. (the system sounds like a hangover from Girobank, who were taken over by Alliance and Leicester who became part of Santander UK), and doesn't necessarily require a trip to the post office.

"For paying in a cheque at the post office" see https://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-banking-services#santander

EssexExile

It's the same envelope, you either put a stamp on it & put it in a post box or don't put a stamp on it & hand it in at the post office.

makeni555

Hi pochisoldi and EssexExile

`Thank you for your replies and extra details.

I have posted cheques directly into santander for years when I couldn't get to a branch. Just any old envelope addressed to 'Clearing Centre, Bootle' and a second class stamp. I'm not one to quibble over 57p but I always accepted theres a small risk it could get lost in the post completely and then realised I could get proof of postage at the post office counter. But if I'm already making the effort to get there I could use the ever so slightly more reliable (I use that term loosely in as much as extra you get is proof I sent a cheque to bootle as oppose to simply anything) PO counter service. I've read the horror stories about the po counters.

Re Alliance and Leicester, I'm not sure my santander account is just tied to the head office Bradford branch as it was opened online about 5 years ago. Have moved since then but its made no difference to the account. It's worth noting I've been able to post cheques to other banks as well, I think all banks offer it but are quiet about it.

I was confused as I'd ordered the envelopes (they're brown with a green triangle in 1 corner, if anyone here has seen them) from them to pay at the PO and then when I asked if the 'Stamp Needed' meant I needed to pay postage at the PO counter I was told yes (I contacted them through secure message). And there was some posts from I think 2014 on here which said you did have to pay postage. I wasn't surprise as it is Santander but I thought it a bit much to expect you to pay postage so I am glad I came here and found that it isn't the case.

Incase anyones looking in the future, I will post again and explain my success!

makeni555

I thought I'd add the message I had off them as well

(this is the 4th one off them that came through today, contradicting the more reliable advice on here)

Secure message details
Date:
06/09/2018
Subject:
Cheque enquiries
Message:
Dear [redacted]
Thank you for your email.
I can confirm that when depositing a cheque at the post office you will need to pay the postage required.
Find answers to common questions, along with guides and other useful information on our website santander.co.uk > Help and Support. If you cannot find the answer to your questions, our contact details can be found at Help and Support > Contact us.
Kind regards
Alison
Santander Customer Services

[Deleted User]

From the Santander website:

Cheque deposits
A personalised paying in slip and a deposit envelope along with the cheque(s) you want to deposit

This isn't a tracked service so the Post Office will provide a separate receipt for each cheque deposit envelope you deposit. They'll then send the cheques on for processing.

Funds will normally be available to use 6 days after the deposit was made, as it takes longer for us to process cheques through the Post Office.

To use this service, you'll need to pre-order paying in slips and deposit envelopes by calling 0800 9 123 123.