General Chat

We had a chap come to repair our cooker from Stoves on Sunday, could only accept cash or card, he said that banks are to stop using cheques during the coming year, anyone else heard about this ?

I know I have heard that banks want to do away with cheques, I dont know about England though, but I am wondering if the man is hoping to get away without paying any tax by accepting cash.

Huia.

I still use cheques for some things and wouldn't be happy having to change unless the things I pay with cheques are different then.
As usual big brother dictating to people what we should do, if enough people complain maybe it will be put off for much longer.

Lizx

Unfortunately, the usage of cheques has been falling steadily since its peak in of 11 million 1990 and is now only around 750 thousand per year.

The cost of maintaining the inter-bank clearing system for ever decreasing volumes is becoming prohibitive. It now costs over £1 to process a cheque, more than 4 times that of an electronic payment. , Something has to change. Already most big shops have stopped accepting cheques.

The decision to withdraw cheques was announced in 2009, and cheque guarantee is being withdrawn next year, which will further reduce the use of cheques by private individuals for paying bills, although having said that, I can''t remember the last time I used a guaranteed cheque.

For those who don't wish to use electronic banking, the cheaper replacement is likely to be a voucher scheme, which is widely used on the continent. This entails completing a form which has both the payers and the payees bank details on it which is then presented to the bank who make an electronic transfer.

I pay most of my bills by eftpos in the postshop. I am reluctant to post any big cheques as the mail system is no longer reliable. There are no charges on my eftpos card. Of course if I couldnt get to town it would be difficult.

Huia.

Business accounts pay for every transaction so cheques paid in get charged too. It may be that the charge for using a debit/credit card is cheaper for him than using cheques.

Cheques have not yet been withdrawn. 2018 is possibly when it will happen. However, as I said earlier, by mid 2011 it will no longer be possible to guarantee payment using a cheque guarantee card - this is what Barclays have told me.This will also have the effect of reducing volumes, so is but another nail in the coffin.

My OH was asked at the bank why he was still using cheques and not his card, he explained that he cannot see well enough to use the PIN machine and how were non-sighted people to manage, at the moment I write out his cheques.

So far no explanation is forthcoming!!!

What explanation do you want?

Cheques are being withdrawn. Full Stop, Period. You have at least five years to make alternative arrangements.

Yes, I heard that on the Radio 4 news the other day....
F.G.S.... I do pay a few things by cheque still.
What else do they have planned for our future?
Nothing good has come about so far. If it has, I have missed it!

Deanna X

As I said earlier there IS an alternative. Electronic Banking OR for those who don't wish to or can't use electronic banking, the alternative is likely to be a voucher scheme, which is widely used on the continent. This entails completing a form which has both the payers and the payees bank details on it which is then presented to the bank who make an electronic transfer.

I seldom use cheques, though the company we buy our water filter cartridge from only takes cheques, no cards. So that is one cheque a year. Can see that lots of elderly who have not had to use cards in their day to day life wloud find it difficult ans I cant begin to imagine how the non-sighted people manage. Do they produce Braille credit/debit cards?

2028 is the year cheques go but............................ there ain't many places who will accept a cheque these days apart from one man firms. It's proving a serious problem for charity I do Casework for as tis the norm for us to give a cheque to the client with said cheque made out to the supplier (not the client) but...............

with respect Peter, and I know you are only reporting the possible new procedure,,,,,,,,,

This entails completing a form which has both the payers and the payees bank details on it which is then presented to the bank who make an electronic transfer.


How does that differ from writing out a cheque?

Bob

Apart from the electrickery bit?

I used to work for a Bank and when they bought out the debit card I refused to have one, much prefered a cheque and cheque card, although not much good for purchases over £100 back then.
The last job I had I was a waitress for a very large chain that advertises on the TV and they stopped accepting cheques at least three years ago, which could be very akward if the customer had finished their meal and card was not accepted by the machine...which in a lot of cases it was the reason they were using a cheque in the first place.
Now I am quite happy using a card as I have lost the use of my right hand for writing, even signing my name looks like a spider has walked accross the page...maybe an X will do


jax