CMs- advice on missing cheque please?

[sydenhamhiller]

Hi there - wondered if anyone had some good advice for me? (I don't know how I lived before I discovered MN...)

One mindee's parents pay me by cheque every week. For over year, send them off to the bank, go in, no problem. Then sent 2 cheques off together on 8 October...nothing appears in our account. Check with parents: both cheques left their account on 15th. One cheque finally gets paid into our account on the 20th...Now 1 November, and 2nd cheque still hasn't been paid into our account. (And as they were in the envelope together, paid out of mum's account on same day, must be human error sending money to wrong account?)

When I initially raised it with the mum, she said 'oh, I don't really know what I can do, as the money has left our account. Let's give it a couple more days.' And then one cheque turned up. But now our bank is saying there is nothing they can do to help solve this problem, it is up to the owner of the cheque to pursue it with their bank.

I understand the parent's apathy in one way - the money has left her account, she doesn't want to have to pay 'again'...but on the other hand, I didn't get it! :) Would her bank write off the loss, and pay her back so she can pay me back - or do I have to cover this loss?

(Does any of this make any sense :o)

Thank you thank you thank you for any advice!

why doesnt the mum ask her bank to trace the money

but tbh your bank should also willingly try and trace the money as the cheque is made out to you so where the hell did it go, esp if money has come out, ie cheq cashed from mums account

could you ask mum to start doing online transfer rather than cheq - easier for both of you

The Mum's bank should be able to trace where the cheque was paid in.

I second the online transfer - my parents all do that, it is so much easier.

After a month you can ask for the cheque back and it will be stamped with the paying in date, it shouldn't be a problem to prove you haven't had the money and the bank will honor the cheque it is then their problem to trace the money.If you paid the cheque in then the bank can trace it if you say it hasn't cleared, it obviously hasn't bounced otherwise you would have got it back within a few days.
I would in future ask for a direct transfer its so much easier than cheques.

Cheques should not go missing in this day and age.

I am also surprised by the mothers reaction, that is, of apathy. I would be livid if I found out that money for a cheque I wrote had gone missing - for which the money left my account, but did not enter the other persons account!

I would try to persuade her to take the matter seriously and chase the matter up with her bank ASAP.

the main point is you havn't been paid...!!

I would ask the mum to give you the cash and then she needs to chase this up with her bank... its her problem not yours.. strange reaction.. as new2cm says I would be livid as well...not apathetic..

If Mums gave you the cheque and you sent it to the bank then you can't ask her to pay cash as she has paid already. However I agree with other posters. Speak to the mum and ask her to get a copy of the cheque from the bank so that they can trace where the money went. The set up a direct debit