Undeposited Cheque (UK)

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I am a Halifax Ultimate Reward account customer. Back in 2011 (July 2011), Halifax Travel Claims Department issued a cheque to me as settlement for my travel insurance claim. It is a significant amount of money (a few hundreds). I miss placed it and forgotten to cash in the cheque.

During the lockdown period, I was going through old files and documents I have found this cheque and contacted the Halifax.

They have asked me to contact their travel insurance provider Axa Insurance, and Axa said, they cannot help me as they were not the provider at the time and directed me to a third-party company who act as an intermediate between Halifax customers and previous travel insurance provider. I contacted the third-party company and they then contacted the previous travel insurance provider. The previous insurer responded to them and said they do not have any record of the claim as they have delated the old records (over 6 yrs) and will not bel able to re-issue the cheque.

I have then contacted the Halifax as I my custom is with them and requested them to help me on this. However, Halifax now come back and said, they will not be able to re-issue the cheque and their response is mix depend who you talk at a given time. My question what are my options? Should I be punish for a genuine mistake? Should not Halifax help me on this?

brettcta

I really don’t think you’re going to have much luck with this, it’s a 9 year old cheque and as the insurers have said, they no longer have the claim details so can’t be expected to re-issue a cheque that old.

i don’t even think you’ll have recourse to go to FOS if you escalate a complaint.

jonesMUFCforever

They have liability to you now - after 6 years it is statute barred.
It would be the same if you owed them some money and they forgot to collect it.

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jonesMUFCforever said:

They have liability to you now - after 6 years it is statute barred.
It would be the same if you owed them some money and they forgot to collect it.

It is something new and very usual! There is an error on my side! We have moved the house and some documents were not really opened! I totally forgot about it! I still paying for the same insurance, etc and I was hoping they will be supportive but they are not!
One of the Personal Relationship Manager sounded, it is still should be valid and bank should re-issue it  but Halifax is not willing to communicate with the insurance provider and press them to re-issue a new cheque. In fact it is come from Halifax not from the insurance company.
Some reason I believe, I should press and entitle for them to re-issue the cheque. Still have bit of hope.

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brettcta said:

I really don’t think you’re going to have much luck with this, it’s a 9 year old cheque and as the insurers have said, they no longer have the claim details so can’t be expected to re-issue a cheque that old.

i don’t even think you’ll have recourse to go to FOS if you escalate a complaint.

Thanks will push it all they way, if no money, something I will learn in this process.

jonesMUFCforever

Who's to say you lost the original cheque and already had a new one - just saying - if they can't find a record of the claim they can't be expected to pay out - pigs will fly sooner!

dunstonh

One of the Personal Relationship Manager sounded, it is still should be valid and bank should re-issue it  

You do realise that most bank staff on the front line are pretty low qualified and have no understanding of how things actually work.  A shame as 30 years ago, bank staff were very well trained and had to pass banking exams (which included aspects of law and accountancy) to progress beyond assistant manager grade.     

The_squirrell

You will just need to move on. They will have deleted all their records which are over six years old as they are required to do and so will not be able to do anything. The fact that you still have the cheque is unfortunately your problem after all this time. Most cheques are invaild once they are over six months old, let alone eleven years!

normanna

You're not being punished for a mistake.  There is no record of the claim so they cannot pay out.  Forget what any personal relationship manager said, he was just guessing and he was guessing wrongly.  The FOS won't make the Bank pay out and it will cost Halifax money if it goes there ( unjustly so in my opinion) but they will still not pay out.  Save everyone a lot of hassle and just forget about it.