When people don't cash your check

[Liz CA]

do you call them or otherwise call their attention to the fact that they have been sitting on the check for weeks / months? I know that my bank (perhaps all financial institutions) does not cash anything older than six months.

Is it my responsibility to find out if they lost it, damaged it or just plain forgot about it? This is a check for a service and was issued almost one month ago.

[Jean in Newcastle]

For friends and family I definitely call and ask.  For businesses, I tend to wait because the business office can get backed up.  But I don't think it is wrong to call and I don't think it is wrong to wait either.  

[HSMWB]

I think it is up to you.  I would probably call however as I really don't like checks outstanding on my account and in my experience a check not cashed is a symptom of something else going on.  I had this happen just last month and it caused a bit of a snafu - in fact, tomorrow I am going to straighten it all out, and giving the person cash and getting my check back.

[Tess in the Burbs]

I have asked. A lady said her dh deposits them. It was for an art class she taught Dd. It was never deposited.

 

I asked a friend once if she lost it. She said she didn't go to bank often....so I got her cash and took the check back.

 

I hate when people hold on to checks. I asked our scout group in Jan about a check. No response. I am not asking again. A year passes and I consider it void.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Thinking it over, I think I would call because I wouldn't want them to call and say I didn't pay and now owed late fees.  

[Tanaqui]

If it's a business, get a receipt. If it's a friend, try paying in cash.

 

We've got one bill where they often fail to cash checks in a timely manner, which drives me batty because sooner or later the money gets spent. I've switched to money orders. I just don't need the hassle.

[Guest]

Outstanding checks bug is if it has been more than a month or so. We frequently call or email at that point just to verify everything is going well and it didn't get lost or stolen.

[Liz CA]

After a month, I would probably call. Things get lost (in the mail and otherwise).

 

 

Thinking it over, I think I would call because I wouldn't want them to call and say I didn't pay and now owed late fees.  

 

It was my hairdresser. I am thinking she would hopefully remember that I paid before I left...but she probably gets busy with numerous clients. I don't like it when people sit on checks because I have to remember to deduct the balance in my head. We do very little with checks, most everything else is auto withdrawal or done via card.

[Liz CA]

I have asked. A lady said her dh deposits them. It was for an art class she taught Dd. It was never deposited.

 

I asked a friend once if she lost it. She said she didn't go to bank often....so I got her cash and took the check back.

 

I hate when people hold on to checks. I asked our scout group in Jan about a check. No response. I am not asking again. A year passes and I consider it void.

 

Since she seems a little unorganized, perhaps I need to get her cash next time. I've seen her throw checks and money into various drawers - she works out of her home.

[OneStepAtATime]

I would call.  She is someone you know to be disorganized and you have an ongoing relationship with her.

 

FWIW, I accidentally held onto a check someone gave me for purchasing my used curriculum.  I shoved it into a pocket of a purse I normally do not carry. I did not go home for hours.  I forgot about the check for a couple of months.  I found it right before Christmas and meant to call her (she lives in another city but we are friends and see each other once every couple of months) to let her know that I was intending to deposit it, but got interrupted before I made the call.  I deposited the check and it bounced which messed us both up.   I felt really, really awful.  She said she thought about calling when the check didn't clear but didn't want to bother me.  I told her next time "Bother me, please! I feel so bad!".  I would have deeply appreciated a reminder phone call and I still feel badly.

[Seasider]

A year passes and I consider it void.

But does your BANK consider it void?

[Seasider]

Generally speaking, I consider it a terrible reflection on the business or organization. Improper handling of finances is the rightful death knell to many businesses and clubs.

 

I've never had a business fail to cash my check. But I've had trouble with clubs (kid activities).

I've called. I've badgered. I've asked for receipts which I have later shown for proof of payment. Checks have been suddenly "found" yet my club account still unsettled due to poor financial management and lack of a sense of urgency on the part of the treasurer, compounded by a lack of oversight or annual audit (ie, no failsafes against poor accounting practices). Unfound checks should be cancelled, yet stop payment fees are high. IMO, there's no good excuse for being irresponsible with other people's finances.

 

In personal matters, it's sloppy money handling and actually rude to put the payer in a position to have to badger the payee. (Obviously I am not talking about birthday checks from a great gramma who's forgotten she no longer has an open bank account.)

 

Goodness, can y'all tell I feel strongly about this?

 

FWIW, I give it two months, then I'm tracking it down. Anyone who takes much longer than that or who doesn't act with haste or genuine concern to settle an inquiry has pretty much lost my trust and probably my future business.

[jewellsmommy]

Our landlord often holds onto our rent checks for 2-4 weeks. It drives me batty. I try to get cashier's checks from my bank instead, but that is not always convenient. Once, when we had hit the one month mark and it was time to pay again, I found myself asking the same exact question - do I call or what? Then I saw that it cleared that day... just in time for me to pay again. :rolleyes:

[In The Great White North]

 

 

But does your BANK consider it void? 

 

I've been told they won't cash it after 6 months.  

 

That's assuming they even look at it.  We've had them cash checks that weren't even signed.

[Greta]

My credit union considers checks void after one year. I once had a local photographer hold on to my check for 11 months. I really think that after holding on to a check for almost a year, you owe the person the courtesy of a phone call before depositing it. But they didn't. I won't be using their services again. I think that's very unprofessional.

[kiana]

Some people I know (martial arts instructors) I pay in cash because I know the check doesn't get deposited for months. The guy is great at teaching but just terrible at keeping up with financial stuff. 

[KungFuPanda]

I would follow up at the 6 week mark, but panicking in week three seems excessive. If it's essential to your financial health or psychological wellbeing that your checks be cashed in 2-3 weeks, then you want to consider paying in cash or with a cashiers check in the future. You can't change the behavior of others and campaigning for people to work on your timeline is absolutely futile.