Cashing a cheque in US dollars in the UK

Apricot70

I am a UK citizen selling a property in Florida USA.  I am not allowed to have a bank account in the USA.  The cheque for the sale of the property must be made out to me.  What is the best/cheapest way to cash that cheque?

Archie_Duke

Tell the conveyancing solicitors & purchasers that you require your funds to be transferred by electronic bank transfer, not cheque?

Apricot70

I’ve tried that but it has to be a cheque made out to me in US dollars 

colsten

You may not be allowed to hold a bank account in the US, but you are allowed to hold a USD account, for example with Transferwise (no deposit protection) or Fineco Bank (italian deposit protection up to 100,000 Euros or equivalent).

Insisting on a cheque doesn't sound very 21st century. What reasons were you given why it has to be a cheque?.

wolfehouse

You can open an account with a U.K. currency transfer service.  

(I have only ever used Hargreaves Landsdown and I know they have started using a new provider.)
You will have to provide the usual documentation etc and proof you are not money laundering and probably need to open a bank account with the service and transfer to your nominated pound account from there.  
 I am sure there are people who could tell you much more about how that whole thing works....
Or if it’s got to be a dollar check you’ll probably have to bring it into your bank, send it off to their currency exchange service and pay their fee (and exchange rate).

The_Man_In_The_Pub

Apricot70 said:

I’ve tried that but it has to be a cheque made out to me in US dollars 

Then maybe get different conveyancing solicitors who have joined the 21st Century? ......though I'm sure your current lot will buck their ideas up once you threaten to take your business elsewhere. 

Thrugelmir

The US has a very different banking system to the UK. Still thousands of regional banks in operation.  

henm2

The_Man_In_The_Pub said:

Then maybe get different conveyancing solicitors who have joined the 21st Century? ......though I'm sure your current lot will buck their ideas up once you threaten to take your business elsewhere. 

The US banking system is very different. They still use cheques a lot for everything.