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AIBU?

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Original poster

Do you have a cheque book?

167 replies

DVLEh · 14/12/2025 09:06

I haven't had one since 2020.

I asked 4 friends. None of them have a cheque book either.

We're all 40s-60s and haven't needed one for years. 2 friends' bank accounts could request a cheque book, but the other 3 of us couldn't.

I need to send a cheque or postal order to the DVLA. So it's a national government service asking.

And on another note, the man in the PO yesterday didn't know what a postal order was, so couldn't issue me one.

YABU - change your bank account to one which automatically issues a cheque book

YANBU - the DVLA needs to join the 21st century

OP posts:
TigerRag · 14/12/2025 10:09

I didn't even ask for a chequebook when I switched banks in 2015

Jestham · 14/12/2025 10:08

DVLEh · 14/12/2025 09:37

My current account doesn't issue chequebooks.

Show quote history

My main account doesn't either, but I have 4 other accounts and one of those does issue chequebooks (the others probably do, but I just need one). It's free to open an account and handy to have another in case one bank's systems go down.

mondaytosunday · 14/12/2025 10:01

Yes but can’t remember the last time I wrote a cheque. You can get a bank draft at the bank still I assume? But yes seems bizarre that the DVLA wants a cheque.

Sesma · 14/12/2025 09:57

I hope you didn't have to ring them OP, we rang them and it was a horror.

Watto1 · 14/12/2025 09:57

I’ve got one but no idea where it is. Don’t think I’ve used it since the school switched to ParentPay. I still see a lot of them at work though. A lot of our older clients settle their accounts by cheque.

Original poster
DVLEh · 14/12/2025 09:55

Bjorkdidit · 14/12/2025 09:51

Fine, but just because the DVLA still requests cheques for some services doesn't mean that it's not in the 21st century. You can pay online for the vast majority of Government services so there must be a reason why it doesn't allow this in a minority of occasions.

Absolutely no reason at all. The list that was posted earlier in the thread shows how random those services are that require a cheque/PO.

It's outdated.

OP posts:
Sesma · 14/12/2025 09:54

I think they must be set up online for normal tax renewal and new and renewed drivers licences and that's it.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 14/12/2025 09:51

I had this with the DVLA, I had to ask the bank to send me a new cheque book.

Bjorkdidit · 14/12/2025 09:51

Fine, but just because the DVLA still requests cheques for some services doesn't mean that it's not in the 21st century. You can pay online for the vast majority of Government services so there must be a reason why it doesn't allow this in a minority of occasions.

Sesma · 14/12/2025 09:50

Bjorkdidit · 14/12/2025 09:43

I pay my car tax by DD so it just happens automagically. DP buys his online using a card. Neither of us have been in a post office for anything except sending parcels and depositing cash eg if we've sold something in years.

I know they still do passport and car tax related matters, but isn't that just for the people who aren't online?

Normal car tax is online which you pay yearly, anything out of the ordinary if it can't be dealt with by the PO is send a cheque. We had this with a new to us car we bought recently as it was the wrong tax class, I think someone who had to pay 0 car tax had owned it before so it had to be changed. Luckily the post office did it but if they couldn't the only way was to send an cheque and fill in a form by post.

Original poster
DVLEh · 14/12/2025 09:48

Bjorkdidit · 14/12/2025 09:43

I pay my car tax by DD so it just happens automagically. DP buys his online using a card. Neither of us have been in a post office for anything except sending parcels and depositing cash eg if we've sold something in years.

I know they still do passport and car tax related matters, but isn't that just for the people who aren't online?

I've just been reading one of the suggested related threads from April about this exact issue from DVLA.

You're posting on that one too telling people you pay online. There is a response quoting you telling you you can't pay everything for the DVLA online.

Please finally accept that the DVLA will only take cheques/postal orders for some services! You've been told enough times!

OP posts:
ClassicalQueen · 14/12/2025 09:45

I’m in my late 20’s and have never written a cheque, nor have had a cheque book. However some of my elderly family members were rather miffed that they had to request a cheque book when they switched bank accounts.

Bjorkdidit · 14/12/2025 09:43

I pay my car tax by DD so it just happens automagically. DP buys his online using a card. Neither of us have been in a post office for anything except sending parcels and depositing cash eg if we've sold something in years.

I know they still do passport and car tax related matters, but isn't that just for the people who aren't online?

starrynight009 · 14/12/2025 09:42

I actually don't know as I haven't needed to write a cheque in decades, however, I work for a charity and we still get hundreds of donations by cheque. All from older people usually who don't want to donate online and don't trust writing their credit card details onto a form. So they are still well used.

Sesma · 14/12/2025 09:39

Bjorkdidit · 14/12/2025 09:36

Can't you do the thing with the DVLA online and pay by card?

We do have a cheque book but it was issued about 20 years ago and we've used about 3 cheques out of it.

No, if DH hadn't been able to sort out a car tax problem out at the PO he would have had to send a cheque or postal order to DVLA.

Original poster
DVLEh · 14/12/2025 09:37

Jestham · 14/12/2025 09:32

Yes. I'm 46. I used it a few months ago for a payment to Companies House. I hadn't used it for about 4 years until then. I don't see why I wouldn't keep one in the house just in case I needed one though. It's not as if it takes up much room.

My current account doesn't issue chequebooks.

OP posts:
Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 14/12/2025 09:37

I know that HMRC do tax rebates by cheque because my DD (who had moved back to Australia) got one sent to my house, so I had to sort out paying it over to her, which was a complete faff.

I mean, if anyone has our bank details it should be HMRC!

Sesma · 14/12/2025 09:37

DHs DVLA cheque is sitting there, he doesn't use a bank app just his laptop for banking so he will have to trot down the PO to put it in his bank

Bjorkdidit · 14/12/2025 09:36

Can't you do the thing with the DVLA online and pay by card?

We do have a cheque book but it was issued about 20 years ago and we've used about 3 cheques out of it.

muddyford · 14/12/2025 09:34

I've used mine twice in the last week. I don't use it for a few months then a bit of a flurry. I've received two this week.

Original poster
DVLEh · 14/12/2025 09:34

Very odd that the guy in your post office didn’t know what it was though!

Confused face

But you're a post office... It's like a cheque, but issued by the post office...

I know @ShesTheAlbatross ! It was a branch in a shop in the burbs, so I suspect they deal far more with parcels and bank account transactions than postal orders. I'm going to the branch in town tomorrow to get my PO.

OP posts:
EssentialGarage · 14/12/2025 09:34

I knew this would be DVLA- I sent one this week- we have a cheque book just for the DVLA- but being a garage we send a lot. But agree it is madness.

sesquipedalian · 14/12/2025 09:32

I have a cheque book for just such an eventuality. The last time I used it was when a delightful couple of elderly gentlemen came to mend our harmonium a couple of years ago: they seemed to think it nothing out of the ordinary to ask for a cheque.

MrsMoastyToasty · 14/12/2025 09:32

I have one and I've just looked at the stubs. The last cheque I wrote was to my baby great nephew on his arrival, because I didn't want the money going into his parents account.

My cheque book has a leatherette cover on it with the Midland Bank (now HSBC) logo on it from when I worked there around 40 years ago.

Jestham · 14/12/2025 09:32

Yes. I'm 46. I used it a few months ago for a payment to Companies House. I hadn't used it for about 4 years until then. I don't see why I wouldn't keep one in the house just in case I needed one though. It's not as if it takes up much room.