how long does it take for a cheque to clear through your bank

[mccfluff]

mine is taking 5 days (santander)

are they rubbish or is this normal now as i'm sure it used to be three?

[ummmm]

3 for Nationwide.

[mccfluff]

bugger

[EvianBaby]

5 for Barlcays, unless the cheque raised happens to be from from an accout held at the same branch as the paye account, then it's the same day.

I hate cheques! People purposely pay us by cheque because it takes longer.

[jackthehat]

I'm with Nationwide (although, strictly speaking, they are still a Building Society) and they extended the clearing process to 4 days, from 3. This was an alternative to making charges for banking processes.........perhaps Santander did similar, although 5 days does seem a bit much?!

[ummmm]

Didn't know that...

My answer is now 4...

[mccfluff]

i just rang them, they now say it will clear midnight tonight, so its 4 days including the day i deposited it.

will wait and see, bloody cheque payers why can;t they use bank transfer

[snags]

It'll probably bounce ;-p

[rowanwitch]

I'm wth Santander and even 5 days doesn't seem to be a guarantee but they seem to be processed quicker if you use the machines that read the cheque...I had one clear in 3 days recently not sure why though

[mccfluff]

like a rubber ball on a trampoline

[Old_Geezer]

As long as they think their sucker customers will put up for.

[BlueScorpion]

I'm with Lloyds, if I pay a cheque in on Monday it won't be available til Friday

[MarkRae]

Personally, I'd like to see them eradicated from the face of the planet. However: http://www.parliament...he-future-of-cheques/

[spudqueen]

The question of how long a cheque to clear makes me laugh as I worked for NatWest in the 80's and in those days it took 3 1/2 days for a cheque to clear (eg if you paid a cheque in on a Monday it would be cleared at 12pm on Thursday). Now, in these days of modern technology it takes longer to clear a cheque!

Though for those people who bank at a bank which isn't a clearing bank it will probably take longer as those banks have to pay the cheques into a clearing bank and then wait to hear back from that bank as to whether the cheques have cleared.

[cathfromsaron]

it varies, but it still may be 'returned' for ages after you are credited! x

[chrissa1]

It's Your money they're keeping hold of. Sharks!!

[mk1975]

i paid a cheque on monday and was told it would clear on friday.my bank is lloyds and the cheque was natwest. i hope it won't bounce..

[bushbaby_de]

I'm with Santander (against my will as a transferred Alliance and Leicester customer) and was pleasantly surprised to be told my money was available the same day when I paid in a cheque last week - so maybe they have different rules for different accounts?

[starone]

I pay nearly everything by direct debit or by card, debit and credit depending on what it is. However, some places do not have the facilities for payment by card and then you have to use your cheque book. Not very often I will admit, but there are some occasions where it is either a cheque or cash, so I cannot see how they can be phased out. Unless all businesses are forced to take on payment by card. Perhaps it will be a stipulation of opening a business in the future.