Watty's Awakening

SandyShores

I've just posted my cheques to the bank before, with a note of my banking details.  Worth a try.

Slinky

SandyShores said:

I've just posted my cheques to the bank before, with a note of my banking details.  Worth a try.

Good point. Try asking Santander to send you a paying in book, or have a look and see if you've still got an old one lying around. My old NatWest chequebooks used to have some paying in slips in the back.

How things have changed in the past 10 years.

SandyShores

Slinky said:

How things have changed in the past 10 years.

Remember the days when you couldn't use your card if you were spending less than a fiver?  

Slinky

SandyShores said:

Slinky said:

How things have changed in the past 10 years.

Remember the days when you couldn't use your card if you were spending less than a fiver?  

Remember the days when you couldn't spend more than £50 writing a cheque and guaranteeing it with a card?

I was only talking to my OH a couple of days ago about a friend who used to go into the Co-op at the end of the month and pay for her shop by cheque as it would take a few days to clear and by then her pay would have gone into her account.

PennysIntoPounds

That's such a blimmin liberty all round Watty, might be worth an official complaint and threat of ombudsman? 
Can one pay in cheques without the bank card? If so I'd be happy to take them to a Sntndr for you if you wanted to post them to me, paying a few quid for tracked delivery might be better financially than not cashing them in- do cheques have use-by dates? I find myself agreeing with you and @badmemory that sadly they probably are insisting on cheques as they know it's such a pain

Slinky

Yes cheques do have 'use by' dates! They need to be presented within 6 months of being drawn usually, unless it is printed on the cheque that they have a longer presentation date. If they aren't presented in that timescale you need to go back to the drawer of the cheque for it to be reissued.  

Part of my very first job in an insurance accounts department, I had to write to people who hadn't banked cheques within 5 months of them being drawn, asking them to present the cheque. This invariably turned into them contacting me to say they had lost the cheque. I would then have to write to the bank to put a 'stop' on the cheque before being able to redraw it.  I must admit, I got into the habit of not writing at 5 months, just waited for the cheques to go out of date before just redrawing it and sending it off to the payee again with a letter explaining why they were getting a new cheque. Process improvement......

Watty1

Wow you lot are just so helpful -  I love this forum.  So, I have learnt that one of my cheques is out of date - and - that I can actually pay in at the post office.   I will pop into the village post office as it is a really lovely old village post office and it is just possible that Tricia might have some envelopes at the counter - but - one cheque is out of date.

I sent a very polite email to UK Power Networks explaining the problem and asking them to pay by bank transfer - so - we will see what happens first - at the very least they will need to reply and if they won't do that I will ask for a renewed cheque and follow the advice I've been given here (and thank you those that offered help - as always i am so  moved by the kindness shown to me on here).

Watty1

To my surprise UK Power Networks have already been in touch.   If I can prove I own the property and the land they will look at paying into my bank account.   This may be a delaying tactic but I have already sent them the title and the ownership details from the Land Registry.   Disappointed to see that the Cottage has not been changed over to my name yet and still has PPH on it - but - I have sent in with an explanation and pointed out that the land is where their equipment is and that is clearly in my name.  £14 spent downloading the documents but these might be useful in the future for something so progress I think. 

redofromstart

You might want to check that name thing with the land registry, I sent the forms to remove Mr Redo and it was processed in less than two months.  I had set up the land register property alert thing a while back (so I could see when the bank got removed when we cleared the mortgage!) and got the alert once they received my form which pleased me.  Sign up here if you haven't already: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/property-alert

Watty1

Really helpful @redofromstart I will do that.  I now suspect @badmemory is correct about delaying procedure as they have now written for a lot of other info and a written declaration from PPH that he is not entitled to the rent - I think you can all guess how that went down, a suitably worded, polite, but firm reply has been sent saying that will not be happening.   I did mention this was just delaying the payment now pointlessly as I have provided proof I own the land their equipment sits on.    Also pointed out they have not addressed the issue of denying me access to my land unless a strong man and a hammer is available - a point they have so far ignored!