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Legal, pensions and money

Nobody taking the blame?

(15 Posts)
Aveline Fri 10-Jun-22 17:16:26

Recently I was given a cheque as an 'honorarium' after giving a talk to a group. I plan to pass it on to a local charity. As our local bank branch has closed I paid it in at the Post Office as I've done previously. This time the amount has not appeared in my account. On asking at the PO I was told they'd passed on the pay in envelope to Royal Mail to send to bank. I asked Royal Mail and they said it's a PO problem. I checked with the bank in case it was somehow stuck in their system but it's not there. So nobody will take responsibility and a charity will lose out. What can I do next? This has all taken hours longer than the actual talk!

Callistemon21 Fri 10-Jun-22 17:32:46

Can you ask the person who issued the cheque to stop it? I dont know how long they have to do this.

Could they then pay you by BACS instead?

What a muddle! Did the Post Office not get a proof of posting from Royal Mail?
There are some real problems with banks at the moment too, especially with charity accounts.

Aveline Fri 10-Jun-22 17:37:13

Yes I've got proof of posting. I don't want to have to go back to the organisation who gave me the cheque. Just too awkward. Also it's just not right! Why shouldn't someone take the blame? How many PO pay ins just disappear?

FarNorth Fri 10-Jun-22 18:01:55

If the money comes out of the charity's account that will mean they have paid it to someone else who stole your cheque.
Surely they won't want that.

I'd keep on to the Post Office. They offer the service and should provide it.
As a customer of Royal Mail, Post Office should chase it up, I'd say.

FarNorth Fri 10-Jun-22 18:03:29

*Sorry, the original group who gave you the cheque may not be a charity.
I misread.

M0nica Fri 10-Jun-22 18:06:30

There will be an Ombudsman that regulates the PO.Speak to them, your local paper/media, MP. Write to the financial agony aunt at a national paper. They all run personal finance sections and deal with readers finacial problems.

Aveline Fri 10-Jun-22 19:03:32

I'll persevere. Annoying situation. angry

Callistemon21 Fri 10-Jun-22 20:22:28

It might feel embarrassing to go back to the person who wrote the cheque but it's not your fault and they may be dismayed at what has happened and want to stop the cheque.

Elizabeth27 Fri 10-Jun-22 20:47:18

I have an online bank account so no branches anywhere, I was given a cheque and had to do as you did, I don't know where the post office send it to though, it took 14 days to appear in my account.

How long has this been not counting weekends and bank holidays?

Beautful Fri 10-Jun-22 23:21:41

If you paid it in at the post office, you should have a receipt they should follow this through their responsibility ... take a photocopy of your receipt give it to them do not let them keep the original receipt ... I used to work in a bank hope this helps

Aveline Sat 11-Jun-22 06:48:25

I've been to the bank to check and they have not received it. I've got the receipt and will definitely not part with it! Now waiting for response to my second attempt at complaining to PO!

Oopsadaisy1 Sat 11-Jun-22 07:35:49

I can ‘pay in’ a cheque via my Banking app, just photograph the back and front, press a button and hey presto.

Katie59 Sat 11-Jun-22 08:10:50

My bank accepts cheques at the cash point machine and gives a receipt on the spot, very convenient.

Aveline Sat 11-Jun-22 08:22:43

My bank is a bus ride away since they closed all the local branches. I do online banking on my desktop only and it doesn't have a camera. Paying in at nearby PO has always been fine up till two weeks ago. Luckily, I rarely receive cheques.

biglouis Sun 12-Jun-22 16:55:05

I have a customer who pays me by cheque, often large amounts. I send it straight to the processing center of my bank by recorded delivery so I know its arrived. When I got the first cheque I had to ring them to find out what to do with it. The young woman I spoke to admitted she had never seen a cheque!