Real life MMD: Too late to claim for wedding cheque?

If this happened with a friend's cheque, I would let it go (but be surprised that they didn't notice it wasn't cashed or at least asked what it was spent on - any wedding money/vouchers I've ever given, the recipient has always later told me what they used it for).

But this happened to me with a cheque from an old employer, which I found in a clear-out some seven years or so after it had been written. I couldn't for the life of me remember what had happened - I knew I would have been on a low income at the time and couldn't imagine I'd have let the money just go, but didn't recollect whether a new cheque was issued or how it had not been cashed right away.

As it happened I was still in touch with the employer from time to time and so I dropped into the office and explained, making sure that I told him it was possible a new cheque had been issued but asking if he had any way of checking his old accounts to see. He was a nice guy so then and there wrote me a new cheque without quibbling, which I appreciated very much.

Actually, it may not be strictly true that the cheque is out of date.

My Dad was in a similar situation but in reverse. He paid for something using a cheque and the firm forgot to cash it and my Dad didn't notice. Over a year later they tried to pay it in but there was no longer money in the account to pay for it. The bank then contacted my Dad and asked him to place sufficient money in the account.

When he complained that the cheque was no longer valid they replied that as long as the intended recipient wished to claim the money then they would honour it within a reasonable length of time.
Now, obviously I don't know how long this is, apparently it is at the discretion of the bank. So if you really need this money then it might be worth just trying to pay it in and see how it goes.
All depends on your friends financial situation. If they are wealthy they might not even notice, seeing as they didn't appear to notice that it didn't leave their account in the first place. If they do then you would obviously have to explain yourself.

Hi All,

In 1986 sent one of my relative a cheque (on their birthday).
Some years later (in 1995) it was debited from my HSBC account.

I went into my local branch to query why it had been cashed as I understood that there was a limit of 6 months on cheques.

The cashier replied to me that there is no limit on when cheques can be presented.

I don't know if that is still the case.

Regards
Mike.

We were in a similar situation - we were given a cheque for £50 from one of my wife's friends. When we came back from honeymoon there was a letter from the bank returning it to say it had bounced. We were fairly sure they would have been charged for bouncing it and that they would have received a letter from their bank telling then of it bouncing, so they knew what had happened.

Either it was a gift they couldn't afford to give or they were too embarrassed to send us a new cheque. Either way we wrote it off. It was not money we had spent out originally ie by loaning it to them, so we just left it.

custard_monkey wrote: »

Look at it this way, it might help you put it in context:

If your friend had bought you a vase which cost £200 as a wedding gift 3 years ago and you had just knocked it over and broke it - would you then think you could ask them to replace it?

Not the same thing at all, your example would cost the giver £400 in total as they would pay twice, in the dilema the cheque was never cashed so the giver didn't pay out the money they intended the reipient to have, they will only pay out if the cheque can be cashed late or if a new cheque is issued.

As the giver I might be a little offended if the cheque wasn't cashed as it would look like the gift was being rejected.