Out of date Counter cheque

Coley1951

We have discovered an Abbey Counter Cheque dated July 14 2008.  We do not understand what a Counter Cheque is, and given the date of issue, we are not sure it is still valid. Furthermore, although it is for quite a large amount, we are not sure if we banked it or whatever you do with a Counter Cheque.  Please can you explain what a CC is, whether or not this one would be valid still, and what we should do about it, including trying to find out if we did cash it, given that Abbey was swallowed up by Santander. Thanks.

eskbanker

Best bet will be to discuss this with Santander: https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/support/contact-us

WillPS

It's like a cheque, but instead of the funds only moving from the sender's account when the cheque is cashed, the funds are ringfenced when the cheque is drawn (so the recipient knows the funds are there).

You will struggle to cash it with a date that old. I would be visiting a branch of Santander and asking how to proceed - as an aside Abbey was already under Santander ownership in 2008, they just hadn't changed their name yet.

My fiancee was regularly given birthday presents of similar cheques from The Nottingham for her birthday. She discovered one she forgot to cash - not as old as yours but still quite out of date, and The Nottingham were very helpful in getting a replacement issued.

Old_Lifer

Its not like a cheque , it is a cheque !

Over the years I've  made lots of building society withdrawals by counter cheque..   When you made the withdrawal in branch your account would have immediately been debited with that amount and if you had a passbook it would show the withdrawal date and alongside the debit it would show the reduced balance.     Cheques could be made payable to third parties so, for example, was a good way of paying a tradesman for a larger job. Since you had to have the money in your savings account before you could make the withdrawal , the cheque drawn on the building society's  bank would be regarded as good as cash and would not be expected to 'bounce'.

A large withdrawal and neither of you can remember what you did with the money ?

WillPS

Old_Lifer said:

Its not like a cheque , it is a cheque !

Over the years I've  made lots of building society withdrawals by counter cheque..   When you made the withdrawal in branch your account would have immediately been debited with that amount and if you had a passbook it would show the withdrawal date and alongside the debit it would show the reduced balance.     Cheques could be made payable to third parties so, for example, was a good way of paying a tradesman for a larger job. Since you had to have the money in your savings account before you could make the withdrawal , the cheque drawn on the building society's  bank would be regarded as good as cash and would not be expected to 'bounce'.

A large withdrawal and neither of you can remember what you did with the money ?

Presumably they didn't draw the cheque themselves if they have no memory of it. It's perfectly possible that somebody else drew a cheque for them, and 13 years ago is a long time to remember the sort of detail as to whom it may have come from.

Old_Lifer

Forgive me  but are you suggesting that someone else went into branch and asked  to withdraw money from their account?   A signed request for the withdrawal must have come from the account holder/s.  The building society would  then draw a cheque payable as requested by the account holder.

The usual mantra that 'cheques payable to third parties cannot be stopped' was often spouted by building societies but in this case the cheque appears to have be drawn in favour of the account holder,  so I do wonder if the original cheque was lost, a stop placed on it and a duplicate cheque issued.  Perhaps the original cheque has now been found ?

sheramber

I read it as the OP has found a cheque  from XXX, payable to them since they say

 we are not sure if we banked it or whatever you do with a Counter Cheque.

Is 'we' a business?

pbartlett

a counter cheque is basically the building society equivalent of a banker's draft

as they are drawn on the society's own funds, they in theory cannot bounce and in throry  do not expire.

counter cheques can, however, be stopped

photgraph it for your records, pay it in at your bank and see what happens!

WillPS

pbartlett said:

a counter cheque is basically the building society equivalent of a banker's draft

as they are drawn on the society's own funds, they in theory cannot bounce and in throry  do not expire.

counter cheques can, however, be stopped

photgraph it for your records, pay it in at your bank and see what happens!

And prepare for the receiving bank to reject it based on it being dated 13 years ago.

For reference, my fiancee's bank refused to take one far less out of date.

MoJoeGo

WillPS said:

pbartlett said:

a counter cheque is basically the building society equivalent of a banker's draft

as they are drawn on the society's own funds, they in theory cannot bounce and in throry  do not expire.

counter cheques can, however, be stopped

photgraph it for your records, pay it in at your bank and see what happens!

And prepare for the receiving bank to reject it based on it being dated 13 years ago.

For reference, my fiancee's bank refused to take one far less out of date.

But that surely then means the bank/BS gets to keep money that has already been debited from whoever asked for the counter cheque? I thought that any such funds would be moved to a central 'abandoned' account eventually, but could alway be retrieved if the beneficiary could prove they were entitled to them?

Otherwise it's no different to some shonky store gift card with a 'use it or lose it' expiry date...

WillPS

MoJoeGo said:

WillPS said:

pbartlett said:

a counter cheque is basically the building society equivalent of a banker's draft

as they are drawn on the society's own funds, they in theory cannot bounce and in throry  do not expire.

counter cheques can, however, be stopped

photgraph it for your records, pay it in at your bank and see what happens!

And prepare for the receiving bank to reject it based on it being dated 13 years ago.

For reference, my fiancee's bank refused to take one far less out of date.

But that surely then means the bank/BS gets to keep money that has already been debited from whoever asked for the counter cheque? I thought that any such funds would be moved to a central 'abandoned' account eventually, but could alway be retrieved if the beneficiary could prove they were entitled to them?

Otherwise it's no different to some shonky store gift card with a 'use it or lose it' expiry date...

As I have detailed further up thread, my fiancee was able to get the cheque reissued with a fresh date by presenting it in a branch of The Nottingham.