Cheque with the wrong title

TraceyB_2

Not sure if anyone can help - I have received a cheque from the Abbey for overpayment of my Mortgage Repayment Fee :T :j BUT the Abbey have sent me a cheque made payable to Mr TB when I am in fact Mrs TB - unfortunately my DH has a different initial to me so I cant pay it in to his account.

Does anyone know if this will go into my account ok if I pay it in or do I have to send it back to the Abbey.

Its probably my own fault - I sent them a slightly sarcastic letter when they said they couldnt help me without an account number - yeah right!;)

Willman_Rodders

From a very technical viewpoint [and assuming the law has not changed within the last 10 years since I left banking] you can - as a payee - add any missing information to a cheque to correct it; that includes missing dates, payees, amounts etc. So you could add the 's' to mr to make the cheque correct. How many bank staff know that I do not know. Such action is also likely to draw attention to the cheque and may create more problems than it solves.

From a technical point of view the collecting banker (i.e. the bank into which you pay in your cheque and credit) should refuse the cheque if its crossed 'account payee only' and the cheque is not going into an account of that same name - and most cheques are crossed 'account payee only' today. However, the bank also has to consider the risk to itself in collecting the cheque; what risk is it exposing itself to? If you have banked with the bank for many years they will know you, and understand your explanation that the cheque should have been payable to you. In the past I would [all else being considered] allow my cashiers to take such a cheque.

With the lowering of training these days within many high street banks - 'the computer says no' syndrome applies too often - such flexibility may not be allowed; but perhaps though the potential breach of the rules will not even be spotted nowadays either.

I'd pay the cheque in in the normal manner. If challenged by the cashier explain why. If collection is refused then you will have to return to the cheque issuer and ask for a replacement cheque correctly made out. (Before sending back your cheque for a replacement take a copy - as that is proof of a debt owing to you.)

Hope that helps.

Rod

jonesMUFCforever

Certainly if a printed cheque (I assume that this is one of those) which is altered manually should not be accepted by the bank.
To make the alteration legal it has to be initialled by the drawer.
Depending on the amount it would have to be put under an UV lamp which would clearly show the alteration.

IMO ask them to replace the cheque or get them to credit your account via BACS.

Cleosmum

I bank with HSBC and when that happened to me I went in and explained it, and they allowed me to pay it in. Could you maybe take in the letter that accompanied the cheque, if that shows the correct title?

Purple_Peril

I have had a similar problem as I use my middle name rather than my first name. People who know me well always write cheques to me as CR xxx, but if somebody doesn't know me they may write the cheque to R xxx. As my account is in the name of CR xxx there is not usually any problem in accepting it - although I sometimes have to explain that I use my middle name, hence the difference.

Just a thought, do you and your OH have a joint account - in which case they may be more likely to accept the cheque if it's paid into an account in the names of ? & T B.

jonesMUFCforever

But what if MR X shall we say later claim that the refund paid to MRS X was in fact his?
The bank will have committed conversion of the cheque and will have no choice but to refund MR X.
This is why they should not take any chances with the cheque.
They have nothing to gain but a lot to lose.
I think my advice in post #3 still stands.

Biggles

Bank staff take almost no notice of the title. I was always taught that it shouldn't even be on a cheque, just initial and surname, and I believe that is advised as the correct way to write a cheque.

Just pay it in, with your usual paying-in book/slip, and say nowt. If they notice it (unlikely), then just explain. If they notice it and reject it (even more unlikely), then you can send it back to Abbey.

RachyClaire

If it is paid into a building society which then has to send its cheques to their bank for clearing the bank can later decline it and the BS will be charged and they can pass this charge on to you. (Approx £26)

jonesMUFCforever

RachyClaire wrote: »

If it is paid into a building society which then has to send its cheques to their bank for clearing the bank can later decline it and the BS will be charged and they can pass this charge on to you. (Approx £26)

Sorry but this is utter rubbish.

doelani

I used to work for Abbey callcentre, if you live near a branch call in and ask them can they get cheque cancelled and issue you with another from the branch. They will need to contact Mortgage dept and it is at branch discretion if they will oblige. I know of some branches who would do this and others who would not.

Worth a try

p.s. it was 3 yeasr ago I worked for them , so sory if this is no longer done.

TraceyB_2

Thanks everyone - I took it in to my local branch and just handed it over - had the letter addressed to Mrs T in my bag just in case - and they accepted it without either noticing or worrying!

As its been paid into my Building Society account it isnt due to clear until tomorrow so fingers crossed!