Found an old cheque

rubberduck · 27 Jul 2012 at 15:28

Dated 9th August 2011 (from virgin media)... Must have got lost when I moved house but has now turned up. Took it to natwest and asked the guy serving if he could cash it and he flat out refused. I tried to argue that it is discretionary to cash cheques between 6 to 12 months old and as it is issued by a large company and is for a small amount (£27.00) it is unlikely they would complain.

He basically said that no natwest branch would cash it for me and my only option is to ask for a re-issue. Is this standard for the high street banks to to not take cheques over 6 months old? I guess he has no reason to lie to me but I've spoken to other people who said they've had old cheques cashed before.

antijoke · 27 Jul 2012 at 15:32

It's always worth cheque(ing)

D) again.

But from a quick Google it appears it's 6 months.

Cosimo · 27 Jul 2012 at 15:33

Banks will do this after six months. Get it re-issued.

Jano · 27 Jul 2012 at 15:48

hold on... Cashing the cheque? Unless you've got your terminology wrong, you can't "cash" a cheque, unless it's made out to cash and the bank have you a list of people authorised to withdraw cash using a cheque from that company.

If you are trying to pay in a cheque, the 6 months thing was a myth, at least when I worked at a bank (4 or so years back). Pretty sure nothing has changed on that and you should still be able to pay it in to your account - chances are most cashiers wont even notice the date on it.

rubberduck · 27 Jul 2012 at 15:52

Jano said:
hold on... Cashing the cheque? Unless you've got your terminology wrong, you can't "cash" a cheque, unless it's made out to cash and the bank have you a list of people authorised to withdraw cash using a cheque from that company.

Yes I meant deposit in to my account, not exchange it for cash.

Morba · 27 Jul 2012 at 15:57

I'm sure I have deposited cheques that are older than 6 months old. Also, if it is refused just contact virgin and ask them to reissue it

estebanrey · 27 Jul 2012 at 15:59

No, cheques have a 6 month limit. I have one for a tenner from the Inland Revenue at home from 2 years ago I never bothered cashing in at the time.

Jano · 27 Jul 2012 at 16:03

I promise there is no legal justification for banks to refuse cheques on the basis of the date of issue. They will however kick up a fuss and say they can't accept it, but there is absolutely no reason why they can't.

I've personally seen a cheque over 10 years old be paid in with no issues whatsoever.

StriderX · 27 Jul 2012 at 16:05

Wipe your anus with it.

MacRS4 · 27 Jul 2012 at 16:08

Do it via the machines, they often don't cheque. Have done with this with a few cheques with mistakes or date issues on them.

Burnsy2023 · 27 Jul 2012 at 16:10

Jano said:
I promise there is no legal justification for banks to refuse cheques on the basis of the date of issue. They will however kick up a fuss and say they can't accept it, but there is absolutely no reason why they can't.

I've personally seen a cheque over 10 years old be paid in with no issues whatsoever.

They don't need a legal justification. FYI this is, and has been standard practice for a very long time.

Jano · 27 Jul 2012 at 16:31

Burnsy2023 said:
They don't need a legal justification. FYI this is, and has been standard practice for a very long time.

Yes they do, it's a legal document. There is, or at least never was, any actual reason behind banks refusing cheques that were 6 months old. I had to look into this as part of my job at a bank, and there was never any basis for the rejections. It just seemed to be an unwritten rule that had been passed down over many years from teller to teller.

pingwing · 27 Jul 2012 at 16:52

MacRS4 said:
Do it via the machines, they often don't cheque. Have done with this with a few cheques with mistakes or date issues on them.

That was my solution and cheque pun! :mad:

(all I came to post in this thread)

estebanrey · 27 Jul 2012 at 16:53

Jano said:
I promise there is no legal justification for banks to refuse cheques on the basis of the date of issue. They will however kick up a fuss and say they can't accept it, but there is absolutely no reason why they can't.

Well not quite true, 'legally' speaking a cheque has no legal basis after six years due to Statute of Limitations.

The 6 month rule is there to protect the payer as the assumption is the debt may have been paid by other means within that time.

Jano said:
I've personally seen a cheque over 10 years old be paid in with no issues whatsoever.

That's surprising, but as stated above after 6 years the person who has the cheque would have no legal recourse in enforcing that cheque.

PistolPete · 27 Jul 2012 at 18:45

^This

I have desposited a cheque after 3 years after it got misfiled by me.
I deposited it, Lloyds contacted the issuer and myself to query it, and the issuer said it was OK as their records still showed my account in credit for the same amount.

Edrof · 27 Jul 2012 at 18:49

StriderX said:
Wipe your anus with it.

MacRS4 · 29 Jul 2012 at 13:00

pingwing said:
That was my solution and cheque pun! (all I came to post in this thread)

My bad

Pawnless Endgame · 29 Jul 2012 at 14:33

Yeah, I was scanning in my old Christmas cards and found a £50 cheque from my late Nan in 2004. Santander (Alliance & Leicester back then) wouldn't cash it in and confirmed with most of the responses here that it is indeed 6 months cut-off.