Can a business refuse to take cash? Is it legal?

[AudTheDeepMinded]

DH is NOT happy. Our local pool will not accept cash and will only take card payment. He is very much cash over card, whereas I am card over cash. Since the Pandemic this is far more of a problem for him as he regularly forgets to take a debit card with him. I think today has demonstrated why he should have both on him! But, can a business actually refuse cold hard cash?

Interested to know the answer to this. You shouldn't be able to refuse legal tender but at the same time a business doesn't have to accept your custom I guess!

@GreenLunchBox. He was raging. Probably because getting the DC ready and out the house had been traumatic, and then it is ten minutes walk to the pool. I'm hoping he wasn't to shitty to the woman on reception, as he was on one when he came back through the door for his wallet.

Think they can do what they like, they either accept your custom or they don’t.

It is legal. How difficult is it to carry a card? He needs to grow up.

You shouldn't be able to refuse legal tender

Legal tender is only related to debts. There is no debt in the case of paying for something at the time.

Definitely businesses can refuse to take cash. I don't think Amazon, for example, would allow cash payments.

I don’t know the details but can understand the business position. Not so much due to covid germs (though that started it more I suppose) but it’s just such a pain to bank cash now. We’ve started only accepting card payments or bank transfers for PTA events because the bank we use has closed 2 branches nearby and the one left is only open 10-2 Tues-Fri with queues round the block constantly. We can’t pay the money in and all our payments out are now electronic too.

If his main problem is forgetting his card would he set up Ssmsung/Apple pay on his phone. I started using Samsung Pay & its so handy, my debit & credit cards haven't been out my purse in months

@Itsalmostanaccessory I might make that point later, when he is feeling more rational. It's funny, because he's always been very insistent that i should not rely on having my card alone (fair point), but doesn't seem to think it applies the other way around.

My pharmacy refused to take cash. I couldn't get my prescription as at the time I didnt have a working debit card.

So I'm going to assume that yes, they can refuse to take it.

Set up Apple Pay on his phone.
But in reality it's not hard to carry a wallet round.
This might make him realise to take both everywhere.

There's no legal obligation for a business to accept cash. “Legal tender” has a narrow technical meaning which is solely for the settlement of debts and has little to do with everyday life.

It’s the business owner’s right to decide what payment methods they want to accept.

@Kinneddar

If his main problem is forgetting his card would he set up Ssmsung/Apple pay on his phone. I started using Samsung Pay & its so handy, my debit & credit cards haven't been out my purse in months

You are presuming that he has a smart phone (if you listen carefully you will hear the roar of the last dinosaur on earth)

A shop near me has a sign up saying that they’re not taking Scottish notes.

@GoodnightGrandma

A shop near me has a sign up saying that they’re not taking Scottish notes.

Maybe Scottish businesses should follow suit and refuse to take English banknotes.

Although if I was from Northern Ireland I would definitely be taking a visit to the shop with notes from there.

The reason for not taking Scottish notes is because there used to be loads of fakes. If you work in a shop in England you know what to look for on the English bank notes, if I remember correctly you can get a variety of Scottish notes that are for the same amount? ( could have changed, haven’t worked in a shop for a long time!)

@nancy75

The reason for not taking Scottish notes is because there used to be loads of fakes. If you work in a shop in England you know what to look for on the English bank notes, if I remember correctly you can get a variety of Scottish notes that are for the same amount? ( could have changed, haven’t worked in a shop for a long time!)

So are there no fakes of Northern Ireland banknotes? Because they also have multiple banks issuing notes that look different...

According to the Bank oof England they don’t have to accept anything www.bankofengland.co.uk/knowledgebank/what-is-legal-tender

The legal tender thing is always misquoted when people are talking about stuff like this. It’s nothing to do with day to day transactions. Of course it’s legal, loads of companies are card only. I hope your DH wasn’t a dick to some poor sod on reception who’s on NMW and just doing what they are told.

I’ve found quite a few places are cashless these days, if he’s carrying a wallet with cash in it then it’s really not complicated to put a cash card it it, it’s quite daft to purposefully not carry a cash card on you.

I'm Scottish and always ask if shops willing to take the notes if I'm outside Scotland. Its an offer to trade.

I've taken to saving up English notes or just getting money out an ATM down there when visiting my sister or attending festivals.
No business HAS to accept any notes Scottish, NI or even English.

I hope your DH wasn’t a dick to some poor sod on reception who’s on NMW and just doing what they are told.
This

I actually wonder whether it's discrimination not to take cash. Not in the case of the OP's DH, but I work with people with cognitive disabilities most of whom only use cash.

There was a restaurant where I used to live a few years ago who didn’t accept cash.

I thought it was madness.

Lots of businesses used to be cash only, for example the chippy and take aways. They have now started taking card payments so card transactions are definitely getting more prevalent.
I very rarely use cash now.

[quote Muddytrainers]According to the Bank oof England they don’t have to accept anything www.bankofengland.co.uk/knowledgebank/what-is-legal-tender[/quote]
It always seems dodgy when tradesmen insist on cash. I guess they're within their rights!