for wanting to say something?

[MythosLivetheDream]

Here is the dilemma...
I get my car serviced by my local mechanic who is really really lovely and helpful. At the end of August, he serviced and MOTed the car, which ended up costing a lot, as there was quite a bit to do on the car.
I paid him by cheque immediately, but it's now nearly the end of November and he still hasn't paid the cheque in.
My husband and I disagree. DH says I shouldn't say anything about the cheque, as I have done the right thing, paid him on time and it is his responsibility to pay it in, not mine and that he obviously doesn't need the money if he loses cheques worth that much.
I argue that I should go and see him and tell him that he has not paid the cheque in and ask him if he wants me to write a new one if he's lost the other one. I feel this is the right thing to do. Money is really tight for us but I feel that not saying anything would be dishonest...
What do other Mumsnetters think?

His business, his responsibility I would say.

I agree with your DH.

As long as you leave the money in the account for when he does finally get round to cashing it I'd leave it up to the mechanic.

Hmmm on one hand I do kind of agree with your husband that you shouldn't have to be responsible for the mechanic not keeping on top of his own company finances.

OTOH if he suddenly cashes the cheque in weeks times when you are not expecting it would it leave you in a muddle financially speaking? I know when I write cheques I like it to be cashed asap so that I know where I am.

I'd probably go and say something to him. Not least because you don't want to spend the money and then him find the cheque and cash it and have it bounce or leaving you overdrawn.

Don't cheques expire 2-3 months after the date of issue? I have no idea what position you would be in legally if that happened, did he give you a receipt?

As long as you keep your finances in order and don't spend the cheque money, I agree with DH. He is a business and needs to mind his own stuff. If the cheque runs out and he is a good mechanic, I would be prepared to give him another.

I know this might not apply as he is running a business but personally I am awful at remembering to pay cheques into my bank. Truly terrible at it. I don't know what's wrong with me, I never lose the cheques, I just carry them around for a while.

Which I appreciate must be wildly irritating for the people who have given me said cheques

Maybe he's been rushed off his feet and not had a chance to cash it yet? Or maybe he's lost the cheque and forgotten about it. I think I would have to say something to him x

Well I think it would be quite shitty of your dh tbh.
Money may be tight for you, but it also may be for this man.
he may have misplaced the cheque but felt funny about asking for another.

I could knowingly rip him off knowing that he did a good job and I am profiting from his misfortune.

Karmas a bitch y'know.

That's it, I have stacks of money sitting around in my bank account but don't dare to spend it just in case. Hadn't thought of that, ElectricMonk (great nickname by the way), no he didn't give me a receipt...

you're right not to spend it.

in fact, my mum and dad always had a separate cheque account, and they treated the sums in there as accurate - so if they wrote a cheque, it would be taken off the balance and treated as cash.
i suggest you do the same in this instance. treat the cheque as cashed and remember to take off its amount when you look at the statement.

Cheques are valid for 6 months from the date of issue (the date you wrote on the cheque), but legally they can be enforced up to 6 years after issue. I think the bank would get involved in that case though.

HTH.

Don't give him another cheque, if he's disorganised he may end up cashing both by mistake! Cheques have a 6 month validity afaik. It's his business, surely he wouldn't be embarrassed to ask for another cheque if he'd lost it (not like a birthday cheque or something). But keep the money in the account and mention it next time you contact him about your car, that's what I would do.

He should manage it within 6 months.

I definitely wouldn't give him another cheque until the original has expired - as IceNoSlice says, you could end up out of pocket if he accidentally cashes both. A quick Google indicates that cheques can be paid in after 6 months and the deadline is at the bank's discretion (I've definitely had one refused that was 3 months old and had to exchange it for a new one), so you should definitely get something in writing if you do issue a replacement cheque at some stage or you'll be taking a risk.

Can't you convince your DH that it's a false economy to skirt the bill, on the basis that a good relationship with an honest and competent mechanic will save you a lot of money on overpriced/dodgy work in the long term?

(PS - Thanks Mythos, the "High on a rocky promontory" sentence is probably my favourite ever use of the English language! :D)

it's a myth that cheques are valid fir 6 months. technically they are valid as long as the bank is willing to honour them

These days cheques are rarely checked in detail so would more than likely be processed at clearing regardless.
I used to work in a bank (til I saw sense) and it was a case of 'if a cheque was filled in in the appropriate places, it could be processed and sent to clearing'

Te exceptions were cheques over 5k which had to be checked more carefully (ie in date)

Your mechanic will have to have a business account and will quite poss have a restriction on the number of cheques he can pay in before having to pay for further cheques so he may be limiting how many he pays in each month so he doesn't go over his limit???

You could put a stop on it and issue another if you wanted to

I would ring him up and ask him to present the cheque for payment as soon as possible as it is causing you a cash flow concern.