Cheques: does anybody still use them?

[ahinton]

So the banks' assumption seems to be that unless you own and use a mobile phone for everything, you're not really a full human being?

Well, I don't believe that my bank does that, since I never use my mobile for anything other than making and receiving calls and I do all my online banking using a desktop.

[Serial_Apologist]

I only ever use PayPal to receive and I use one credit card for almost all purchases (i.e. other than those very few for which credit card use is not possible).

One or two people on here have mentioned setting up a Paypal account in order to do a transaction. I have to say that the one transaction I have done - the one I referred to above - did not require this, although it did appear to want me to. I just avoided what looked like a step to be taken in the procedure, and as with submitting my land line number in the box marked Mobile phone number, all went OK.

[LMcD]

... my cheapo pay-as-you-go mobile phone is not clever enough to do bank-related things.

I do bank transfers etc on-line from a computer at home, and get cash when needed from ATMs. Perhaps my banking needs are less complex than others' here.

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Same here, but - as has been pointed out - some local traders, clubs and societies, and older folk who have no computer or mobile phone, or who simply don't trust the 'online world', find a cheque more convenient and safer than cash. (Our very reliable, very reasonable plumber nevertheless adds a tenner if he's paid by cheque - or does he take a tenner off if he's paid by bank transfer? He's pretty busy, so perhaps he rarely has time to get to a bank?)

[Serial_Apologist]

Same here, but - as has been pointed out - some local traders, clubs and societies, and older folk who have no computer or mobile phone, or who simply don't trust the 'online world', find a cheque more convenient and safer than cash. (Our very reliable, very reasonable plumber nevertheless adds a tenner if he's paid by cheque - or does he take a tenner off if he's paid by bank transfer? He's pretty busy, so perhaps he rarely has time to get to a bank?)

You're lucky! - (as each of Monty Python's four Yorkshiremen said in turn!) - our window cleaner insists on payment in cash, for tax return purposes, no doubt.

[ahinton]

You're lucky! - (as each of Monty Python's four Yorkshiremen said in turn!) - our window cleaner insists on payment in cash, for tax return purposes, no doubt.

Non-return, as in, I presume?...

[teamsaint]

lots of traders ask for particular payment methods to reduce extortionate bank charges for depositing the money.

I don't have very complex finances, and manage very well with telephone Banking with First Direct.

Our local GP group ( 5 surgeries ) won't take anything other than cheque or cash.

[ahinton]

lots of traders ask for particular payment methods to reduce extortionate bank charges for depositing the money.

I don't have very complex finances, and manage very well with telephone Banking with First Direct.

Our local GP group ( 5 surgeries ) won't take anything other than cheque or cash.

Credit card charges in UK are indeed prohibitive (PayPal is considerably cheaper, which is why I use it to receive payments that either cannot be made via BACS or CHAPS or are too expensive for the payer to make them that way); that said, there is a cost to banks of all transactions, by whichever method they be made.

[Dave2002]

Same here, but - as has been pointed out - some local traders, clubs and societies, and older folk who have no computer or mobile phone, or who simply don't trust the 'online world', find a cheque more convenient and safer than cash. (Our very reliable, very reasonable plumber nevertheless adds a tenner if he's paid by cheque - or does he take a tenner off if he's paid by bank transfer? He's pretty busy, so perhaps he rarely has time to get to a bank?)

I think banks are now allowing cheques to be scanned in by mobile phones, so that's not a reason to avoid cheques - though it may not be a good reason to accept them either.

[Pulcinella]

I think banks are now allowing cheques to be scanned in by mobile phones, so that's not a reason to avoid cheques - though it may not be a good reason to accept them either.

With the Halifax there is a limit of £500 on the value of any cheque deposited this way, and a daily deposit limit of £1000. I haven't used the system but my partner has (with a refund for a delayed train journey) and said it worked very well. All done 'securely' via their app.

[Dave2002]

With the Halifax there is a limit of £500 on the value of any cheque deposited this way, and a daily deposit limit of £1000. I haven't used the system but my partner has (with a refund for a delayed train journey) and said it worked very well. All done 'securely' via their app.

Generally that's perhaps not a problem, however.

For large transfers by BACs Halifax seems to have a daily limit of £25k, while Santander might (I've not tried) have a higher limit - perhaps £100k.
How often do many of us do that, though?

I have had to do that in the last few years, but rarely - and in the limit, for really large transfers one has to go into a branch - if one can find one!

[LMcD]

I think banks are now allowing cheques to be scanned in by mobile phones, so that's not a reason to avoid cheques - though it may not be a good reason to accept them either.

That's fine if you have a mobile phone, something which (fortunately) isn't yet compulsory!

[Pulcinella]

That's fine if you have a mobile phone, something which (fortunately) isn't yet compulsory!

You can do it on a tablet/iPad if you download the app, not just a phone!

[LMcD]

You can do it on a tablet/iPad if you download the app, not just a phone!

What about dinosaurs like me who are still using a desktop PC?
(The lady wife refuses to get money out of the ATM outside the local branch of our building society, or any other ATM, on the grounds that, if she doesn't help keep the tellers inside the branch occupied, it might be closed - and who's to say she's wrong?)

[oddoneout]

Perhaps the GDPR is better than nothing, but in its effects it seems to have made the Internet clunkier than before, and it’s nothing like perfect in any case. The only way to be sure that data is not misused is to not give it out in the first place. That doesn’t help in a world in which many of us are dealing with people via online communications whom we don’t really know - such as in this communication. We need to be able to order goods and services and pay for them, so some data needs to be sent. In some relationships forms of trust are built up, and there seem to be rewards in exchanging the data. Data exchange is not limited to financial data, and simply being online allows some organisations to gather vast amounts of data about us, or make inferences based on data gathered.

It’s really rather complex, but I wouldn’t assume that legal “protections” are always (ever) going to work, either to remedy problems afterwards, or to have a significant deterrent effect.

You appear to think that because there are potential penalties for data misuse that will stop it. It’s a start, but it’s not going to prevent all such misuse, just as having speed limits on roads and penalties for bad driving doesn’t actually prevent speeding or road accidents. A legal framework which is observed and enforced can make a difference, but is not a panacea. It may reduce problems amongst those who are willing to follow the rules, but may have little effect on those who are prepared to break or ignore them.

No I don't think that, which is why I phrased my comment as I did. However the BA fine and the pending Marriott one do 'focus the mind' as I said. The layout and content of forms to be filled in has changed from presumption of consent and automatic opt-in, and I have noticed the change - it's much easier to say 'no you can't have/use those details', and the incidence of unwanted follow-ups from other companies has(for me) disappeared . It's nor perfect/failsafe, but it's a damn sight better than before when compliance was optional to all intents and purposes, and complaints could be ignored for the most part, and certainly when they came from individuals.

[oddoneout]

What about dinosaurs like me who are still using a desktop PC?
(The lady wife refuses to get money out of the ATM outside the local branch of our building society, or any other ATM, on the grounds that, if she doesn't help keep the tellers inside the branch occupied, it might be closed - and who's to say she's wrong?)

I only have a PC, and my phone is of the kind which I believe is now called 'dumb'. I don't consider myself a dinosaur, I just don't want to lumber myself with things I don't need and which will cause me aggravation to use - I've discovered the hard way that my idea of 'intuitive controls' bears no resemblance to modern technology's concept of same. Fortunately my home town still has(for now) a choice of financial establishments containing human operatives who are helpful, pleasant and patient, and since one positive of otherwise rather tiresome personal circumstances is that I have time to visit said places I will continue to do so for as long as possible.