Bank lost an important cheque - now what?

[vwdan]

So pissed off right now. I briefly mentioned my saga of getting a US client to stump up the cash in another thread - anyway, long story short it took weeks and weeks but eventually a cheque did land on my doorstep.

Well, no prizes for guessing where the thread is going. HSBC always told me it would take weeks to clear, so I've only just started to chase it up only to find they have absolutely no trace, record or knowledge of this cheque. It was paid directly to the cashier and they've ******* eaten it.

So now what? Although they're being sympathetic and friendly, all I'm getting from them is that they simply don't have it and suggest I get it reissued. Obviously that's not a conversation I'm looking forward to as things got a little heated towards the end.

I'm desperately trying to track down the receipt, but I'm in the middle of a house move and I think it may be in storage. But even if I find it, my understanding is that without the cheque they still won't be able to actually do anything.

Do I have any recourse here whatsoever?

If it was a friendly UK client then I'd have accepted it last week and called them up, but I can't stress how much I want to avoid getting in touch with them again.

[LondonManc]

You risked a bloody huge check in an automated teller?

[kevpuk]

I suppose the obvious is checking bank's CCTV? Pretty sure that the teller/desk would be well covered....? Worth a shot

Edit: Oh, automated teller? Perhaps transaction logs on the machine?

[vwdan]

You risked a bloody huge check in an automated teller?

Sorry, no - I literally meant the opposite! Edited!

[LondonManc]

Can a moderator please delete the previous three posts and this one so that we can start again?

[vwdan]

I suppose the obvious is checking bank's CCTV? Pretty sure that the teller/desk would be well covered....? Worth a shot

This is my current step - though I'm struggling to give them an accurate time. The really annoying thing is that my wife paid it in and she also paid in a cheque for her mother, which got processed but they claim they don't actually keep such accurate times. It's bordering on pathetic.

[missinggreenfields]

This is my current step - though I'm struggling to give them an accurate time. The really annoying thing is that my wife paid it in and she also paid in a cheque for her mother, which got processed but they claim they don't actually keep such accurate times. It's bordering on pathetic.

Under the Data Protection Act, they have to give you the record they have - if that means that someone has to manually go through the tapes of the whole day then so be it.

I used to work with someone who deliberately went into his local Nat West at random times and stood near the camera and then issued a DPA request to get the records - they had made him redundant and he was a bit bitter about the whole thing.

[mudskipper]

Not sure what that's going to give you though - if the bank can't/won't find the missing cheque, you're going to have to try and get a new one issued.

One thought - are you 100% sure you paid it into the right account? i.e. was it a pre-printed paying in slip? That's where the automated tellers are useful - they give you a photo of your paying in slip.

Good luck - hope you get it sorted.

[greenlake]

The really annoying thing is that my wife paid it in

Have you checked your wife's secret bank account for any recent large deposits?

[jbond007]

Isn't your best bet looking for the pay-in receipt. Once you have that, it is HSBC's responsibility if they lost the cheque. Surely, they should reimburse you as long as you can prove you've paid it in correctly. Their incompetence shouldn't be your problem

Have a read at this...

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.u...-cheques.htm#3

Also, if you've got the deposit receipt from the other cheque your wife paid in, you could get the time it was paid in which would make it easier when going through CCTV should you go down that route