| Banci |
|
Cheque
Most of us still use cheques from time to time. If you have a current account your bank will have given you a cheque book and may have given you a "cheque guarantee card" to use with it. Most banks now only issue cheques with the crossing and words "account payee" already pre-printed on it and they print instructions on how to take care of the cheque book on the front cover.
Specimen Cheque  You should keep your cheque book and cheque card separate from each other. If one or both are lost or stolen, it is important for your own protection that you tell your bank immediately. Most banks have 24 hour phone lines to report such losses and these can be found in telephone books, from Directory Enquiries, on bank statements or in bank literature. To prevent the possibility of forgeries or the cheque being fraudulently altered, a cheque must always be written in ink so that it is immediately permanent. If you are a customer and are writing a cheque, write the name of the person to whom you are paying after the word "Pay" as close to the left-hand side of the cheque as you can. If space remains, draw a line through it so that no new words can be added (see specimen example). Write in the amount in words and figures. If space remains put a line through it (as shown in the specimen example). This means that no one can alter the amount of the cheque after you have signed it. What if I make a mistake? If, when writing your cheque, you make a mistake and wish to alter it, make sure that you clearly cross out the mistake and your full signature as close as you can to the alteration. Details of the cheque are important The date of a cheque is important. If it is missing the bank may either insert it or refuse payment. An undated cheque can be valid but sometimes, depending on the circumstances, the bank will return it with the ?date required' marked on it. So remember to always fill in the date. If the date on the cheque is more than 6 months before the date that you pay in/or present the cheque at your bank, the bank may return it marked "out of date". Sometimes customers 'post-date' a cheque. This is a date in the future and essentially means that the customer intends that the bank will not pay the cheque earlier than the date inserted on the cheque. If a post-dated cheque is paid in before the date on the cheque the bank may pay it or return it marked "post-dated". Most banks do not encourage post-dating cheques. You should be careful to ensure that a post-dated cheque is not presented to a bank before the date on the cheque. Some banks state in their terms and conditions that they will pay a post dated cheque on first presentation if the cheque is otherwise in order. Make sure that you fill in the name of the person to whom the cheque is made out. (This person is normally called the 'payee' by banks). Both the words and the figures must be inserted and although it is usually the words that prevail over the figures, a bank may, because it is unsure what the customer intends, return the cheque marked 'words and figures differ'. Don't forget to sign your cheque under the printed details of your name. If the cheque is unsigned, your bank may refuse to pay it. The bank must have the drawer's (customer who writes out the cheque) genuine signature on it. If you find it difficult to sign consistently refer to the Bank Fact information sheet on'What to do if you find it difficult to sign consistently'. Never sign a cheque before the payee and amount (both words and figures) have been written in. Normally cheques which are crossed 'account payee' can only be paid into the account of the person named as the payee. In the specimen example, this would mean the cheque should be paid into the account of J Johnson. However, if J Johnson has a joint account with, say, his wife, it could be paid into that joint account so long as the name J Johnson appears as one of the account holders. The law relating to "account payee cheques" was changed by the 1992 Cheques Act. For more information, contact your bank. Across the cheque means that the cheque can only be paid through a bank account (i.e. not cashed at the counter, except by the account holder in person). There are other cheque crossings which have different effects. Generally, now that most banks pre-print "account payee" crossed cheques, the other crossings are less common. For more information on these contact your own bank. Cheque check list
If any of the above steps are not satisfactory, the cheque may not be paid. If you have insufficient funds in your account or you are in excess of your agreed overdraft limit the cheque may not be paid. The cheque may be returned to the payee with the words ?refer to drawer'. Where another cheque from someone else has been paid into (deposited) your account but has not been cleared. Such a cheque may be referred to as "uncleared effects". The bank may ask that the cheque drawn on the account be "represented". This means presented to the bank a second time. If you pay in (deposit) another person's cheque into your account and it is returned 'unpaid', normally your bank should tell you or return the cheque to you. There may be a charge for this service. Can I stop a cheque? A customer, having written a cheque, can stop it before it is paid. Banks refer to this as "countermand". You can't stop a cheque if it has been supported by a cheque guarantee card. However, to stop a cheque you must:
Cheque clearing The cheque you pay in may show on your account straight away but if it is drawn on another bank or branch, your bank will not receive payment for it for at least 3 days. This is to allow the cheque to be sent through the clearing system to the bank on which it has been drawn - and it may be returned unpaid. Contact your own branch for more information on how the cheque clearing system works. For a general description of the clearing system, see the BankFact on 'Understanding the Cheque Clearing Cycle'. What is a "cheque card" If you have a current account and a cheque book, your bank may have also provided you with a "cheque card" which acts as a guarantee by your bank that they will pay the cheque up to a maximum amount, for example, £50, £100 or £250. The cheque card will carry:
Your own bank can provide you with more information on how to apply for a cheque card. Sursa |
